Fireplaces

Heat inside of fireplace only radiates out so far.

you could always start using it, that would save you money on energy bills, or you could take it out.

Though people do tile over tile, it's really not recommended. The underlying surface can make or break a tile installation. Preparing that surface is the most important step. So I'd remove the old tile, prepare the surface properly and then install your new tile. This will insure the long lasting beauty of your fireplace tile.

This would not be a good project for the average homeowner. That lintel is supporting the weight of the chimney above it. To remove and install a new lintel will require temprary support of the chimney on that side. Failing to do that can result in cracks, or even collapse of the chimney.

For my specific Washington St. property: 1610 sq foot, 3 bed, 2.5 bath two story town home in a golf course country club... I already have a gas fireplace in the living room. Looking to add a second in the master suite on the second level, because the room deserves it being 320 sq ft large, my cost to plumb gas, construct hole to accomodate, and acquire the unit, I am running about $5,000 in actual costs for a "normal" fireplace unit. However the return is a little tricky in this difficult market. By consulting with my real estate professional, we have determined that it will set my property apart from the rest and if nothing else, make it sell more quickly than my "comps". (It is a wow factor in a large suite and will make every couple envision romance.) I don't plan on selling for at least 5-7 years, and she fully expects the market to make gains in valuation in that time, but if I were to list now with changes, she is confident I would make 100% of the costs back at sale, but could see double return depending on variables, and would expect a $12,000 boost on an appraisal/market evaluation. She does expect that if I do retain ownership for another 5-7 years that the $12,000 equity boost would be a certainty.

This is for adding a second fireplace. I can tell you after looking at about 130 homes in 8 months, the fireplace was on my must have list (and I am not alone, most buyers want one). The homes that did not have one, would have had offers that allowed me to retain enough cash to put one in.

Involve your real estate professional in your home improvement choices whenever possible, but don't do it for the "money", do it for you first while making wise choices.

This question really can't be answered in a cut and dry fashion, because it truly depends on the specific fireplace, and chimny/stove pipe setup you're dealing with. It is possible that a gas fireplace could be, or could have been built that would allow for safe wood burning, but without knowing the specifics, to be on the safe side, I'd say No. Put simply, I wouldn't recomend it, as it may very well result in a house fire.

Someone elses answer:

A true gas fireplace does not accept wood. It generally has a closed front and artificial logs or bricks to spread the heat.

Some wood-burning fireplaces have a gas assist. Propane or natural gas is used to get the fire started and help smoke exhaust up the chimney. This is highly useful for those who don't have easy access to kindling wood, or for whom are art of building a fire in a fireplace is daunting, or for firewood that is damp. This is the only type of gas fireplace you can put wood into.

chimney

The emperor Nero who legend has it played his fiddle while Rome burned.
Nero used to also light his garden parties by burning Christians on stakes around the grounds.

If the correct fittings are used and properly installed,no sealing should be necessary.

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Sometimes there is a small gap, and if this is a problem, it can be filled with stove cement.

The answer is in the name. Boilers are made with a "tube - in - shell" construction, and the name implies what is in the tube. In a water tube boiler, the water circulates through the tubes, and the burner is usually under them. Most of the time, the "shell" of this style of boiler would not be watertight. A fire tube boiler has a watertight outer jacket with tubes through the center of it. The flame is shot through the tubes.

With a rag, soap, and water. First, put the rag on the gel. Then, pour water around the gel, but as to not get the gel wet. After about three days, remove the rag and chip away the dried gel with the soap container nozzle.

It should be 1 inch for every 1/8 inch it sticks out. So a 6 inch shelf needs to be 48 inches above the hearth. Do your own due diligence in you County/State.

The flue is the actual pipe or chimney where the damper is the mechanism that opens and closes the flue

No - pressure treated wood contains toxic chemicals added during the preserving process. When the wood is burned the toxic chemicals are released into the surrounding air. Breathing them is really bad for you.

sand paper

Yes its possible, it'll just take much longer to get it started. If you throw it in a fire it'll burn eventually when all the water in the wood evaporates.

does it mean running away

A bellows injects O2 into the flame causing it to burn hotter. Much like blowing on a hot ember while trying to get a fire started.

You need to check your incoming pressure to the regulator on the appliance as well as the pressure leaving the regulator you also need to make sure your appliance has enough makeup air for proper operation while the door is closed also make sure you have the proper appliance in place such as is it lp or is it natural gas also check to see that the logs are positioned properlt on there burners and make sure if your logs are the vented style that the flue is open and is of adequate size you can also check to make sure your burners are clean and free of dust

It is a bad idea. You will ruin your fireplace, and when the dry little needles/leaves catch fire they will spread everywhere. Learned this the hard way.

try changing the "thermocoupler"( not sure of the spelling) The piolit light heats the termocoupler. looks like a little metal rod that sits above or right next to the piolit light. when the thermocoupler is heated it produces a millivolt of electricity the power it produces is what keeps the gas vaulve open. this is a safety feature, if the piolit light goes out the gas will shut off so that the house does not fill with gas. some times a faulty themocoupler will fail to work consistently. possibly the thermocoupler is in the wrong position and when the firplace is on the draw from it's heat can pull the piolit light off the thermocoupler, when it cools the unit will shut down. it could also be equipt with a safety thermostat designed to shut off the unit if it overheats the unit may be over heating or this thermostat could be malfunctioning. unless you are sure of what are doing, don't mess around with your gas fireplace get a pro to look at it, little things can cause them to be dangerous for example even just improper placement of the logs can create improper burning and cause carbonmonoxide piosoning. Don't play with the lives of your family get a pro.

Thermocouples have no moving parts and do not "go bad" unless physically damaged or filthy with carbon (20 years technician). When a gas log set goes out it is one of two things:

pilot moving away from tip of thermocouple (ods is designed to do this to save your life) which could be ODS or heat-causing movement of thermocouple. The only way to tell is to sit and watch it happen.

Second possibility is the more common issue: use a vacuum to clean the sensors and the air-hole on the pilot flame tube. About 90% of the calls we get with this same complaint, 10 minutes with a vacuum fixes the problem.

On a fully-electronic system it is possible over heating is damaging a module but this is very rare. Overheating is usually a problem that affects the sensors and the air holes because they get dirt and carbon, pet hair, dust, etc sucked-in and needs to be cleaned. This will be explained in detail in your manual.

It needs to be open when lighting a fire. Close it when not in use. If you have any doubt which is which, look up the flue with a flashlight.

Possible problems may include, but are not limited to: -gas leak -user error -faulty pilot -wrong gas -lack of fuel (replace/refill gas) -filthy ignition -lack of oxygen -lack of space -if it is a new gas fireplace and it is being fueled from a utility in the city, try giving it time for the chamber to fill up. -improper assembly To receive more specific answers, you might include make, model, and type for your gas stove, or you might contact the manufacturer directly via their website. An easy to find the manufacturers website is usually to just search the brand-name on a search engine like http://www.google.com