# FIreplace - removing the grate



## SeattlePioneer (Nov 28, 2012)

What it looks like is that you have a wood fireplace that has had a gas log burner installed in it. That's OK to do.

However, messing around withy the design of the fireplace should not be done. It's designed to contain the heat produced in a safe way. If you modify it, all bets are off and you could cause a fire.

If you could get replacement panels, that would be OK to do, but it's unlikely that they are available.

Why do you want to replace the panels?

If you are unhappy with the appearance of your fireplace, you would be farther ahead to remove the fireplace you have and install a new fireplace, especially if you want a gas fireplace. The new fireplaces available are far more efficient and often have quite good flame appearances, too.

If you want to go back to a wood fired fireplace, that might argue for staying withy what you have.

In general, there should be a gas fireplace shutoff valve outside the fireplace, often a wall shutoff valve. You can turn the gas off then disconnect and pull out the gas burner.


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## injvstice (Oct 30, 2010)

I'm not really looking to "mess around" with the design, the panels are prefab panels which normally come out, they are just held by top clips. Except for the left one which has a gas line punched through.

The panels have some hairline cracks I'd like to check out better to see if they are just surface cracks. If they are, I am just going to clean them, maybe use some fireplace mortar, repaint them and put them back in. If they need to be replaced, I believe prefab panels can be found assuming I have a fairly commons size.

Even if I were to disconnect the gas line, the grate is still in the way though, at least guessing so by visual inspection.

I do not want to change the fireplace, just to either replace the panels if they are cracked, or clean/repaint if they are not. THe original black paint has burned off, showing the underneath white, which is ugly. Everything else is fine though.


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