Gas Log Valve Clearance

[Joseph Stevens]

Hi, Inspected this little lake home yesterday, does anyone know the requirements for what type of gas valve is required. This is a wood firebox that someone added this gas log to. My concern is that the gas valve pictured is the only shutoff for the fireplace. Once it's lit you have to put your hand in near the flame to shut if off. Also concerned about gas valve being damaged by the heat, or the fact that a kit playing could easily turn the valve and fill the place with gas. I found no label or listing on the gas log.

If anyone has the requirements for adding a gas log like this that would be great.

[Bob Harper]

Vented gas logs must be listed to either ANSI Z21.60 or Z21.84. Since it does not have a rating plate showing a listing, you should treat it as an unlisted logset and call for its removal.

No problem with that type of shutoff in the fireplace. The gas tubing penetrating the refractory wall appears to be the typical aluminum flared tubbing that comes with most logsets. You cannot use aluminum through walls and appliance cabinets. You can not have flared fittings concealed inside walls.

Whatever gas line penetrates the firebox walls, it must be packed in the conduit with insulation then the concentric space around the pipe grouted with refractory mortar or furnace cement to the refractory panel.

You need to look at the fireplace rating plate to see if it is approved for vented logs in the first place.

Those logs are too big or not centered.

That's all I saw at first glance...

[Bob Knauff]

No comment on the sooted logs and wall panels, Bob?

[Bob Harper]

Well, if you really want to get deeper into what I see:

the logs are not properly set on the grate
the grate does not appear to be properly positioned over the burner
the burner's sand media is spread all over and does not form a proper ramp
the rockwood embers are scattered
the burner is too far forwards and off center to the left
the soot on the logs is normal for vented refractory logs
some soot is normal on the walls of the firebox. However, there should be no soot on the side panels esp. near the opening of the fireplace
there should be a truncated cone of no soot on the rear wall surrounded by soot if the unit and air streams through it are proper
we don't know is there is a damper or damper clamp or if it is properly positioned
we don't know about the facing,venting or rest of the installation or the room it is installed in, etc.

That's another 90 seconds worth Bob!

[Bob Knauff]

the burner's sand media is spread all over and does not form a proper ramp
the rockwood embers are scattered
the soot on the logs is normal for vented refractory logs
some soot is normal on the walls of the firebox. However, there should be no soot on the side panels esp. near the opening of the fireplace
there should be a truncated cone of no soot on the rear wall surrounded by soot if the unit and air streams through it are proper


Yes, the scattered embers and burner sand is what I was interested in. A local gas utility service person recently pointed out to me that if the sand (or what ever material below the log set) is missing or not spread properly to form a nice ramp affect for combustion air travel, improper burn and thus excess soot, along with CO, will be generated.