Renovating an old house can be fun as long as you don’t have to replace everything. But most houses come with an old fireplace that needs to be placed. We know how troublesome removing a fireplace can be, especially on your own.
But don’t worry, we got you covered!
How to remove a gas fireplace?
Removing the gas fireplace correctly is crucial to avoid serious safety risks. Before removing the fireplace, remove the trim and surroundings. The gas and electrical supply should be disconnected. Then remove any cable fixings and vent apparatus. Finally, remove the gas fireplace.
We understand that you might need the details to do this on your own. We’ve prepared an easy step-by-step guide for removing gas fireplace.
Let’s dive right in, shall we?
Is It Possible To Remove Gas Fireplaces On Your Own?
In every house, gas fireplaces are known to be permanent installations. That does not mean you can’t remove it. You can remove it the exact way you have installed it.
Removing the gas fireplace must always be done by a licensed professional. A professional who is certified in working with gas-related appliances.
In many places, this work needs to meet the legal requirements of needing professional help. Undertaking this task on your own poses a serious safety hazard.
This is because handling gas fires is dangerous and it’s difficult to remove a fireplace. Due to its size and weight, a minimum of two people will be needed to remove a fireplace.
Things to Consider Before Removing Gas Fireplace
Now before you remove the gas fireplace, there are some things you need to consider. Disconnecting gas and electricity supply must require professional assistance. Everything related to gas including a gas fireplace or gas dryer around should be disconnected. This is to prevent accidents while removing the gas fireplace.
It’s better to check the gas fireplace by a certified gas engineer. This is done to identify whether the fireplace is connected to the gas main. If the gas fireplace is not connected, start removing it.
Choose a black gas line cap instead of using a plug. This is because a plug on a fitting can be easily broken if tightly attached.
How Convenient Is It to Remove a Gas Fireplace?
The convenience depends on the type of gas fireplace that you are using and your needs for removal. You can remove it completely or you can replace or convert it into a pellet stove or anything that you need.
Few examples of some of the common types of gas fireplaces are given below:
Natural Vent or B Vent Gas Fireplace
Finding this type of gas fireplaces in masonry places is mainstream. These are installed in masonry fireplaces and use chimneys as a vent.
There is no vent affiliated with the Natural vent fireplace for disconnecting. It’s easier to remove Natural vent (B vent) fireplaces.
Ventless Gas Fireplace
This type of gas fireplace is less common than direct vent models. The vent of this model is placed inside.
This is quite easy to remove the fireplace since the vent is connected internally.
Direct Vent Gas Fireplace
This type of fireplace has a glass front vent. To remove the fireplace, the vent needs to be disconnected at first.
Disconnecting a vent would require a lot of effort. It’s difficult to remove the fireplace compared to Natural vent and Ventless gas fireplaces.
How to Remove a Gas Fireplace? 5 Simple Steps
Removing the gas fireplace on your own can be a little tricky. But if you follow the 5 easy steps given below, you’ll be successful. But be very careful and maintain safety measures while working on this.
Tools Required
Before you begin, gather all the tools you need. Here are the pieces of equipment that you need for this procedure-
- Vacuum Cleaner
- Black gas line cap
- Screwdrivers
- Hammers
- Reinforcement chisel
- Teflon tape
- Sprays
Got the tools ready? Let’s start working then!
Step 1: Shut Down The Gas And Electricity Supply
Before you begin, make sure to maintain all the safety precautions. when you’re fixing the oil burner settings or working with gas furnaces, it’s important to be cautious. The gas supply to the fireplace must be isolated before any work. This can be either done by shutting down the mains gas supply. Or the gas supply to the fireplace.
Gas pipes that are connected to the fireplace need to be disconnected. Look for a shut-off valve that can be found around the fireplace sometimes. Usually, there’s a control area or a damper installed on the gas fireplace where valves can be found.
Modern gas fireplaces use electricity to ignite the gas fireplace. You need to find the electrical connection supply to the fireplace and disconnect it.
You can disconnect electricity by turning off the mains electricity. In case you’re using a natural vent gas fireplace, you can ignore this step. This is because it doesn’t require electricity for ignition.
Step 2: Remove The Trim and Fireplace Surroundings
The trim of a gas fireplace can be located in various places. Most of the trim is located around the edge of the frame.
The trim can be hidden between the fireplace and the surroundings. Hence, find the trim and remove it from where it is located.
Removing a gas fireplace becomes easier when the surroundings are removed. Behind the surroundings, there is access to vents and other apparatus.
Sometimes in old homes, the surroundings are attached to the chimney breast with screws. You can unscrew and remove the surroundings easily.
Step 3: Remove Any Cable Fixings And Vent Apparatus
When it comes to removing the direct vent apparatus, disconnect it from the fireplace first. Both the vent and the fireplace should be removed separately. Direct vent apparatus vent fresh and waste air externally. The plumber will know the best possible way to remove it.
When it comes to removing the Natural vent apparatus, you don’t have to remove anything. Because natural b-vent uses chimneys as a vent.
When it comes to removing ventless gas fireplace vents, it’s easier to remove them. Venting is done internally so you don’t have to worry about removing it.
Cable fixings are mostly connected to the back of the unit of the fireplace. That is why you must remove the cable fixings before you remove the gas fireplace.
Step 4: Remove The Gas Fireplace
The gas fireplace can finally be removed carefully when you have done the above steps. It will come off as one unit.
But a natural vent model gas fireplace has an opening where loose objects should be removed first. Due to the size and weight of the fireplace, more than one person is needed for this job.
Step 5: Ensure That The Gas Line Is Capped of Safely
After removing the gas fireplace, the gas pipe will be capped off. All the gas pipes will be removed and put back in the area desired.
Use the Teflon tape for its consistent thickness. Finally use a black gas pipe cap to cap a gas pipe.
You can purchase your set of Teflon tape from these recommended products below:
Product 1 | |
Product 2 |
These are the best ones in the market. And you can use this without any worries!
Now turn on the gas again and apply dishwashing soap and water. Use the bottle spray to see if bubbles appear or not.
If there are no bubbles present, you did it right. Continue the same process 3-4 times and if bubbles appear then call a plumber. The plumber will take care of the rest.
There you go! That’s all you need to do to remove your gas fireplace. Don’t forget to take all the safety measures properly.
FAQs
Question: How much does it cost to remove a gas fireplace?
Answer: For models like direct vent it would cost around $250-300 and cap off will cost $1000. Remember that the cost increases when more complicated items like surroundings are removed.
Question: Will removing gas fireplace decrease home value?
Answer: According to the real estate pros, removing gas fireplace possibly affects the resale value of the home. A fireplace is viewed as an amenity that draws attention to buyers
Question: Can you completely remove a fireplace?
Answer: Complete removal of the fireplace can be done depending on your needs. The process of removal would cost a lot from around $4000 to $6000 or more.
Conclusion
By now, you have an idea of how removing gas fireplace works. We’ve explained the steps in detail for your better understanding.
But the job is risky for a regular person since it involves gas and electricity. If you’re not confident enough, take help from a professional.
Until next time, see you!