Why does my gas fireplace burn differently after being converted between natural gas and propane?
In Canton, recent Pigeon River flooding left water-damaged hearths and gas appliances across the valley, and many were reconnected or replaced in a hurry — which is exactly when a fuel conversion gets skipped. Canton is mixed-fuel, so a unit jetted for natural gas that ends up on propane will soot and over-fire until the orifice and regulator are reset.
Water-damaged gas appliances need more than reconnecting
A gas valve or regulator that has been through floodwater shouldn't just be re-lit, and inspecting those gas connections is critical after the Pigeon River rises. If the fuel also changed during a rebuild — say a salvaged unit landed on a propane tank instead of the main — the appliance has to be converted, not just hooked up. Propane meters through a smaller orifice at higher pressure than natural gas; skip that and a natural-gas burner over-fires on propane, sooting the glass and blackening the logs.
Mixed fuel makes the wrong setup easy
Gas mains reach parts of Canton, while Bethel and the coves run on propane, and valley-floor morning fog rusts dampers and caps earlier than people expect. A relocated or salvaged unit can land on either fuel, so the conversion — over-fueled on propane, or starved on gas — is the first thing we verify.
Licensed, permitted with Haywood
Reconnecting and converting gas appliances is licensed work in North Carolina. We permit with Haywood County and finish with a manometer reading. A correctly converted, power-optional gas hearth is real backup heat when the lines go down — but only when it's set right. Call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Canton
We install and service fireplaces throughout Canton and the rest of Haywood County — just 20 minutes west from our Asheville-area showroom.
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