Gas log sets
Gas log installation in Blue Springs, MO
The lowest cost way to light a fire with a switch. Blue Springs Fireplaces installs vented and vent free gas log sets in existing fireplaces across eastern Jackson County, $900 to $3,200 installed, with the inspection first and the permit pulled.
What a log set does and does not do
A gas log set is a burner pan, a gas valve and a set of ceramic or refractory logs arranged on a grate inside the fireplace you already have. The fireplace stays open. You light it with a match, a wall switch or a remote, and the flames come up through the logs the way a wood fire would.
What it does not do is heat the room much, at least in the vented version. The flue stays open and most of the warmth goes up it, just as it does with wood. People buy vented logs for the look and the convenience. If heat is the goal, a gas insert is the better spend.
Vented versus vent free
Vented logs burn a tall yellow flame that looks like wood. The damper is clamped permanently open so exhaust always leaves through the chimney, which means the chimney has to be sound. They are the right choice for a masonry fireplace that passes inspection and an owner who wants the look.
Vent free logs burn with the damper closed and put nearly all their heat into the room. They carry an oxygen depletion sensor and are limited by code to rooms with enough air volume for their BTU rating, with a 10,000 BTU cap in bedrooms and 6,000 in bathrooms under the fuel gas code. They are legal in Missouri and in Blue Springs, and we install them, but we do the room volume math first and we tell owners with respiratory issues to go vented or insert instead. Our permit guide has the room rules.
Gas log pricing
| Job | Typical range | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Gas log set, vented or vent free, installed in an existing fireplace | $900 to $3,200installed | Vented versus vent free, log size, remote or thermostat control, whether a gas stub already sits in the firebox |
| Gas line run to the fireplace from the meter or an existing branch | $450 to $1,500per run | Distance, crawlspace or finished basement, pressure test and permit, propane versus Spire natural gas |
| Level 2 camera inspection before an insert or conversion | $200 to $450per visit | Number of flues, roof access, whether a cleaning is needed first |
| City mechanical permit and inspections, pulled by us | $40 to $150per job | Blue Springs versus unincorporated Jackson County, whether the gas line rides the same permit |
Within the range, size and controls decide it. An 18 inch vented set with a match light valve is the low end. A 24 inch set with a remote, thermostat and a variable flame valve is the high end. Full table on the cost page.
Gas log questions
How much does it cost to install gas logs in Blue Springs?
$900 to $3,200 installed for the log set, burner, valve and labor, with gas already at the fireplace. A new gas run adds $450 to $1,500 and the permit $40 to $150.
Vented or vent free gas logs, which should I get?
Vented logs look most like a wood fire and send their exhaust up the chimney, so they give little heat but have no indoor air concerns. Vent free logs burn cleaner and put real heat into the room, but the room must be large enough for the BTU rating and they are not allowed in bedrooms above 10,000 BTU. We size the room before recommending.
Do gas logs need a chimney inspection?
Vented logs do, because the flue carries the exhaust. A Level 2 camera inspection is $200 to $450 and is credited back on the job. Vent free logs do not use the chimney, but we still check the firebox.
Can I still burn wood after gas logs are installed?
No. Once a gas log set and burner are in the firebox, it is a gas appliance. If you want both, a wood burning insert or keeping the fireplace as is are the options.
Do I need a permit for gas logs?
Yes. Blue Springs and the surrounding jurisdictions treat a log set as a gas appliance and require a mechanical permit with a gas line inspection. We pull it.
Price a log set for your fireplace
Or call (816) 683-3118 and talk it through.