Gas fireplace- do you open the flue?

[fanofdisney]

We have a gas one, it says nothing about it in the guide. We do have a small, little black thing sticking out just a little on one side of the door. It sounds like a flue opening and shutting when we open it. We just don't see anything happening when we do it, and I don't know if that is the flue, if we need to open it. Anyone? I'm confused!

 

[Uncle Remus]

Get a flashlight and look up the chimney, but don't work the flue at the same time, keep your head/eyes clear of fallin' debris. When you see the sky, it's open! YES, it needs to be open when you use it

 

[fanofdisney]

It's kind of weird, because there's a big metal looking piece of the inner chimney straight up, with openings on the sides. We've been messing with it.

Is it safe to turn the fireplace on without knowing?

 

[momma leaps]

We have a gas one, it says nothing about it in the guide. We do have a small, little black thing sticking out just a little on one side of the door. It sounds like a flue opening and shutting when we open it. We just don't see anything happening when we do it, and I don't know if that is the flue, if we need to open it. Anyone? I'm confused!

I don't think gas fireplaces have flues. I could be wrong. Our gas fireplace is closed. You can't look up it. Period.

 

[Uncle Remus]

I was thinkin' gas jets to get the logs goin'.
I don't know much about the kind I think
you're describin', just gas with the decorative logs?
Did you google it, the brand and model #?
I'm surprised the guide doesn't tell ya.
I'd open the flue if it opens, but I'm skeered of gas.

 

[fanofdisney]

It's the kind with the fake logs. I don't know why the guide doesn't mention it. Maybe the thing we found isn't a flue control, and we don't actually have one. I'm scared of gas, too! But I want to turn on my fireplace and feel safe. It's just a light switch. The pilot light is always going. My sister said hers has a flue, maybe just there in case you want to convert to natural?

 

[fanofdisney]

It's the kind with the fake logs. I don't know why the guide doesn't mention it. Maybe the thing we found isn't a flue control, and we don't actually have one. I'm scared of gas, too! But I want to turn on my fireplace and feel safe. It's just a light switch. The pilot light is always going. My sister said hers has a flue, maybe just there in case you want to convert to natural?

 

[allie&mattsmom]

We have a gas FP, one with the fake logs, and yes, you have to open the flue, at least on ours you do. I know we've forgotten and left it open before and our family room was freezing b/c of all of the cold air coming in through the open flue.

Oh I just re-read your post. It's just a light switch? Then no, I don't think you need to. My mom has one with just a light switch and all you do is switch it on. Ours was converted to gas so that may be why. So I think you're okay but I'm not 100% sure.

 

[Desnik]

We have a gas fireplace with the fake logs and do not have to open the flu. The pilot light is always on, but we did learn where the controls are for it, after a year! I can't even see up the chimney because the fireplace has glass inclosure and the whole thing has to be pulled out to see up the chimney. We do pull it all out once a year to clean it. I would google the model and see what it says.

 

[momma leaps]

Ours has a switch also. Just like a light switch. Was this a fireplace that was converted to a gas fireplace or is this a newer home? Our home is new so it doesn't have a conventional type of fireplace. There's no chimney that goes all the way up to the roof. If it was a conversion than you probably have to open the flue. Who installed it ? I would ask them.

We love ours. It warms the entire house. We even have a remote control for it. So you don't have to get up off the couch to turn it on !

 

[brerrabbit]

Basically there are two types of gas fireplace set ups. One is a fireplace that was originally designed to burn wood and had a gas assist to light the logs. The fireplace was then retro fitted to have gas logs and use the gas assist feature to run the gas logs. On this type of fireplace you must open the flu whenever using the fireplace. The venting is not designed to take the carbon monoxide out of the room and it can be dangerous to use this system without the flu open. The second type is designed from the outset to only use gas logs. You cannot ever burn wood in this type of fireplace. The way you can usually tell the difference is that the ones designed to use gas logs only doesn't have a chimney. There is usually just a box like structure behind the fireplace on the outside of the house that vents the system. The retro fitted ones have a full chimney with it going all the way to the roof. Here in Texas where you really never need a fireplace builders have started using the gas only ones in most homes.