Questions about Majestic from Newbie

[chrsb68]

I have this fireplace in my house that I have never used.

From what I have found in the ID tag inside, it is a Majestic model MHC36 and built between Aug 1980 and Nov 1985, as found in the Majestic Wood Firewood Index found here.

I have also found the installation manual, but no owner's manual.

There is a gas line in the fireplace and I am curious if this is a fireplace to be used to burn wood, to use with gas fireplace logs, or do I have the flexibility to use either one.

Questions:
If this can be used for burning wood, is the gas line used to help light the firewood?
If this is only for gas logs or I have the flexibility as I mentioned before, which types of gas logs should I use?

I have attached some photos at the end of this post. In the last photo, the dark looking stuff is something that dried at the back of the fireplace. It is not a leak or bit of moisture.

Thank you in advance for any advice or suggestions you guys can provide.

 

[jetsam]

It looks to me like wood and gas have both previously been burned in there. The unit appears to be a very inefficient wood-only unit that has a big hole drilled in it for the gas line.

I would 100% not attempt to burn it; I'd tear it out, line the flue, and put in an efficient wood insert.

That gas line probably has zero clearance to combustibles and would get red hot in a wood fire. You could easily end up with a structure fire even if you don't get a gas explosion.

Is it installed in a mobile home?

 

[chrsb68]

No, it’s not a mobile home. Home was built in 1984. Thank you for the response.

 

[jetsam]

No, it’s not a mobile home. Home was built in 1984. Thank you for the response.

No problem.

I could be wrong about the hole in the side being a homebrew job (I think they did make gas models), but there's still no way I'd light a wood fire in there even if the UL rating is still intact.

Even if you take out the gas line and seal the firebox, you're left with an open fireplace that sucks out a lot more heat than it puts into the house (and possibly one that is unlisted in that configuration, which means potential safety and insurance problems).

 

[john26]

I would 100% not attempt to burn it; I'd tear it out, line the flue, and put in an efficient wood insert.

Do you mean a high efficiency zero clearance unit?

 

[kennyp2339]

This is an old zero clearance wood burning fireplace w/ gas log lighter, these were built cheap and only have a life expectancy of 20-25years. The chimney pipe typically installed with these units are air cooled double wall rated to 1200 deg f as the fireplace is designed to burn while the doors are open and for ambient fires only (no heating, no fires longer then 12hrs continuous.
I would label this as junk unless it is inspected by a certified chimney sweep, typically the air cooled chimney will develop rot, especially by the flue coller area of the stove if water entered the pipe, also wiring from the electrical junction area can become compromised after time of heat and cooling (becomes brittle, hence life expectancy of the stove)