Expert: James Ball - 2/14/2010

Question
We have a huge fireplace in out kitchen and would like to open up the other side to the living area...it is a wood burning fireplace made of brick.  If I open it up we would turn it into a gas fireplace so we would not neet to worry about draft and airflow problems.. It this something that I should try to do??

Answer
Hello Nate, fireplace's are sized to the flue, if you double the sides and not the flue size it would not work, gas or wood. and you would have a lot of issues with negative pressure and air coming down the chimney if you don't already only this air would have Carbon Monoxide in it. even if you put gas logs in it is still considered a wood burning fireplace and must be kept/ built and up to current code even with gas logs. not to mention the structural issues, but check with your local building department I would not do it with out re building the whole chimney top to bottom.
James