Why does my gas fireplace burn differently after being converted between natural gas and propane?
Mills River spreads across farmland and forest where many large-lot homes run on propane rather than a gas main, so the conversions we field here tend to over-fire — a natural-gas fireplace or fire pit put on a propane tank without a smaller orifice burns tall, sooty, and loud. Propane's higher energy and pressure need the LP jet and a lower regulator setting.
Propane on rural lots — indoors and out
Out toward Horse Shoe, Banner Farm, and the Mills River Valley, propane is common, and the open valley makes outdoor living easy — which is why gas fire pits are a frequent late-spring project here. Whether it's an indoor fireplace or a patio fire feature, a burner jetted for natural gas is badly over-fueled on propane: it roars, soots, and coats the logs or media in black. A square gas fire pit like the Napoleon Uptown ships configured for LP, but a secondhand unit converted the wrong way is where the trouble starts. The fix is the manufacturer's kit — orifice, pilot, and regulator matched to propane.
Permitted with Henderson, tested at the burner
Setting up a propane appliance — regulator, piping, and the burner itself, with the tank coordinated through your supplier — is licensed work in North Carolina. We pull the permit with Henderson County and confirm pressure on a manometer so it burns clean. Plan fire-pit and conversion work for late spring, before entertaining season; we're 25 minutes south. Call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Mills River
We install and service fireplaces throughout Mills River and the rest of Henderson County — just 25 minutes south from our Asheville-area showroom.
Related questions
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- Why won't my propane fireplace light after the tank ran empty and was refilled?
- Why does my propane fire pit flame shrink or die even with a full tank?