Comfort Plus Heating & Air Conditioning Vancouver BC Heating Systems, Air Control, Heat Pumps, Air Conditioners, Solar Energy, Furnaces, Fireplaces, Indoor Air Quality Systems.

Yes you can convert your wood burning fireplace. The most energy efficient way to do this conversion is with a gas insert, which is basically a gas fireplace that fits into your old wood fireplace.

These days the inserts are direct vent and sealed combustion, which means they not only exhaust to the outside, but all the air required for combustion is also coming from outside. This is most beneficial as the fireplace is not drawing in room air for combustion, when installed correctly there is little to no heat loss, and they have excellent efficiency ratings some as high as 82% AFUE (annual fuel usage efficiency). Also, the gas inserts are available in a variety of sizes so they can fit virtually every wood burning firebox, even zero clearance boxes.

This may be possible in warmer climates, but is not recommended in this part of the world. You may find yourself running your gas fireplace for heat during shoulder seasons (spring and fall) rather than running your furnace, but in the dead of winter your gas fireplace would be more of a space heater allowing you to set your furnace thermostat at a lower temperature setting, if you are so inclined.

Also keep in mind that your fireplace does not have the heat distribution capabilities that your furnace has, and while the immediate area your fireplace is in may be warm, the other areas of your homewould be cold.

Fireplaces do add value to the home but the exact amount depends on the part of the country you are in, the finished look of thefireplace, and the perceived value to the home buyer. According to the Hearth Product Association, which is a trade association for the fireplace industry, a fireplace hearth remains the most preferred amenity for a home.

These days there are gas fireplaces to fit any application and any room. You can put a gas fireplace into a bathroom, a bedroom, a kitchen, living room, even outside if you like. Gas fireplaces have come a long way in the past several years and with improvements in the venting options, the log sets, the linear and traditional boxes, you are limited only by your imagination and the gas safety codes in your province. Your CP home comfort specialist will be happy to assist you in choosing the right fireplace to fit your décor and your budget.

Your gas fireplace should be cleaned and serviced once a year. This is something you may do yourself if you are comfortable with turning the gas off and removing the glass front panel. If not, you may want to call and book a fireplace service with Comfort Plus.

While gas fireplaces do burn much cleaner than burning wood, they will still need to be cleaned.

Thesteps to cleaning your gas fireplace are:

1. Turn off the gas and electrical power to the fireplace, and make sure they are off before proceeding any further. 
2. Remove the glass panel, carefully, and clean it with either a fireplace glass cleaner, or a non-ammonia based glass cleaner. Use a soft cloth or paper towels to clean the glass. 
3. Remove the logs, stones, coals, etc. in the firebox and the burner if possible and brush them off using a soft nylon bristle brush. Also scrub out the firebox and vacuum up the dust and dirt. 
4. If your fireplace has a pilot light, use a dry cloth to clean the pilot nozzle and burner assembly.
5. Replace all the logs, stones, coals, the burner, etc. that you removed and cleaned. Re-install the glass, turn on the gas and electricity. If you have a pilot light, re-light the pilot before re-installing the glass.
6. Turn on your fireplace and make sure you don’t small lass and it’s burning correctly.