Can a propane fire pit be converted to natural gas later?

Why it isn't just swapping the hose

Propane and natural gas are not interchangeable at the burner. Propane runs at a higher pressure and packs more energy per cubic foot, so it uses a smaller orifice; natural gas needs a larger orifice and a lot more gas volume to make the same flame. Convert without re-jetting and you'll get a starved, weak fire — or a rich, sooty one that blackens the media.

Most quality burners come with a manufacturer conversion kit for exactly this. Some don't convert at all, which is worth knowing before you count on making the switch down the road.

When the switch is worth it

The deciding factor is whether natural gas actually reaches you. If your street runs the Asheville or Hendersonville mains, moving off tank propane to a plumbed natural-gas line is usually a clear win — no more swapping cylinders, no running out on the best night of the fall, and typically a cheaper burn over time.

Out in propane country — Fairview, Candler, Brevard, and the cabins — there may be no main to tap, and a properly sized propane system is simply the right answer to keep. We'll tell you straight which situation you're in.

The part only we can do

Either way, feeding the pit means running a new gas line, and in North Carolina that's licensed work. We permit it with your county, pressure-test it, and tune the burner to the new fuel so the flame looks the way it should. We'll also tell you honestly if your burner won't take the conversion and a new listed burner is the smarter money rather than fighting an old one. Call (828) 545-0525 and we'll look at what you've got.