Converting a HeatNGlo EM 41 from wood to natural gas

[jeffmattero76]

Hello. A little over 20 years ago I did an addition to my home and installed the EM41 zero clearance fireplace and have used it as a wood burner ever since. It exhausts through a triple wall metal chimney and out of my second story roof. I am tired of dealing with the wood and ashes, so I want to convert it to gas. This unit also has a squirrel cage blower in the compartment below the firebox that brings cold air into and around and then pushes heated air out of the top. Right now it has operable folding glass doors.

I can easily run a gas line to the lower compartment. Other than a logset, what else would I need to do this conversion? Should I get vented or ventless? If vented, can I use the existing chimney?

Thanks in advance.

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[DAKSY]

If you buy a quality gas log set, everything you need will be with it, except for the flexible appliance whip & gas shut-off, to connect to your gas feed.
The set should have the gas valve attached to the burner pan, already set up for which ever gas fuel you intend to burn.
It will have sand or vermiculite to diffuse the gas from the burner tube. It should have some sort of glowing (rockwool) embers.
It will have a realistic looking set of ceramic (or similar material) logs & there are different styles of "wood" to choose from.
It will also have a damper clip so that you cannot close the damper completely.
You CAN use the existing venting for gas logs, since they are not heater-rated appliances.
There are a number of reasons to avoid house-vented (not vent-free) log sets, & you will find many
folks here that do NOT endorse them, so do your research.
Unless you have pyroceramic glass in your bifold doors, you will have to burn with the doors open.
Tempered glass will shatter with excessive heat.
Others may chime in now...

 

[jeffmattero76]

If you buy a quality gas log set, everything you need will be with it, except for the flexible appliance whip & gas shut-off, to connect to your gas feed.
The set should have the gas valve attached to the burner pan, already set up for which ever gas fuel you intend to burn.
It will have sand or vermiculite to diffuse the gas from the burner tube. It should have some sort of glowing (rockwool) embers.
It will have a realistic looking set of ceramic (or similar material) logs & there are different styles of "wood" to choose from.
It will also have a damper clip so that you cannot close the damper completely.
You CAN use the existing venting for gas logs, since they are not heater-rated appliances.
There are a number of reasons to avoid house-vented (not vent-free) log sets, & you will find many
folks here that do NOT endorse them, so do your research.
Unless you have pyroceramic glass in your bifold doors, you will have to burn with the doors open.
Tempered glass will shatter with excessive heat.
Others may chime in now...

Thanks for your reply but I am not understanding your statement about vented or vent free.

Are you recommending I get vented logs or are you recommending non vented logs?

Does one or the other produce more heat?

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[DAKSY]

Gas logs are not for heat. You will get a little warmth from them, like you do with a wood fireplace. Most of the heat goes up the chimney.
House vented logs will put one gallon of water vapor (moisture) into the room for every therm of natural gas or gallon of propane burned.
Along with that moisture, everything that floats in the air, like hairspray, air fresheners, dog & cat dander, will also be burnt along with your fuel.
You WILL smell those items as they burn.
So, NO I do not recommend anything other than vented gas logs.
You also cannot burn the non-vented logs when you are asleep & most manufacturers tell you to leave a window open WHILE they are burning.

 

[jeffmattero76]

Gas logs are not for heat. You will get a little warmth from them, like you do with a wood fireplace. Most of the heat goes up the chimney.
House vented logs will put one gallon of water vapor (moisture) into the room for every therm of natural gas or gallon of propane burned.
Along with that moisture, everything that floats in the air, like hairspray, air fresheners, dog & cat dander, will also be burnt along with your fuel.
You WILL smell those items as they burn.
So, NO I do not recommend anything other than vented gas logs.
You also cannot burn the non-vented logs when you are asleep & most manufacturers tell you to leave a window open WHILE they are burning.

Sorry for the delay in responding, I was out of the country on vacation.

I don't understand why you say that gas logs are not for heat. Back in the late 90s I finished my basement and added a Heat N Glo vented (up a few feet then out the sidewall of the basement) gas fireplace as the only heat source for the finished room which is about 15 x 30. This one has a solid glass front (non-operable). There is also a blower on this fireplace which sucks cold air in below the firebox, and then blows it out above the firebox. It literally takes 15 minutes to get the room to 70 degrees from 62 or so.

Am I missing something? Why would the converted woodburner in my family room not work the same way?

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[DAKSY]

You added a GAS FIREPLACE. It is a sealed-combustion, heater-rated appliance. Gas logs are not rated for heat.