Blue Flame Log Lighter Help

[zcostilla]

I'm a first time home owner, and my fireplace has a Blue Flame Log Lighter, but the burner will not stay lit. It took several tries to get the pilot to stay running, so I let it run about 20 minutes or so before I tried to fire the burner, but it only run about 1-2 minutes and then shuts off. The house came with ceramic gas logs, but we want to switch to wood. I'm thinking about having the whole thing removed, but if I can get it working, it's a lot more convenient.

Zac

[jtp10181]

what are describing is a gas log set, but a blue flame log lighter is log starter for wood fires. Did you find an old instruction manual for a log lighter and assume that's what you had? Or I have seen this also, a log lighter with a grate and some fake logs on it, and people use it as a gas log (very dangerous). The fact that you have a pilot would lead me to believe you have a real gas log set, and not a log lighter.

Anyway.... have a fireplace pro come out and evaluate it. Sounds like you might just need one cheap part for the gas log to work, or he could tell you what he would change to convert back to wood. Before burning wood in there you should get the chimney inspected and cleaned out also.

[zcostilla]

Service man is coming tomorrow. The more I look at it, the more it looks like someone modified the log lighter into a gas log set. I'll probably end up going with an insert in the next year or so. Any recommendations for or against?

[jtp10181]

I would go with an insert, either gas or wood. This way you will have someone efficient and wont be wasting gas or wood when using the fireplace.

[zcostilla]

It turned out to be much worse than I thought. The chimney is nowhere near being to code. The bricks are only one layer thick, well under the 8" thick minimum the sweep said needed to meet code. Also it doesn't have any kind of flue liner. The home inspector didn't cath it when we put our offer in on the home or we would hve likely passed on it.

Looks like an insert is our best option. Anyone have a brand recommendation? We are looking at an Avalon. Any thoughts?

[zcostilla]

Bump. Anyone have any suggestions at all?

[jtp10181]

I work at a dealer so I try to stay out of suggesting things, since I am biased. But since you insist...

http://www.heatnglo.com/products/ins...il.asp?f=07900

That's our most popular gas insert. We usually install at least one every week, when its busy in Nov/Dec, at least one every day.

[bartogden]

The new Avalon GreenSmart gas inserts do a fantastic job of heating and have some very unique features with a self-modulating valve in the GreenSmart mode. www.avalonfirestyles.com.

Bart