Propane vs. natural gas fireplace?

We have a propane fireplace, but it’s expensive. Also, the propane “grate” needs cleaning, or it won’t run.
We have lots of firewood, but nowhere to burn it.

Unless I’m mistaken, natural gas would be from the public lines and propane if you get your own tank. Possibly, you can get a not very big tank and it won’t be expensive. Connecting to the city gas lines (if that’s available) might be several thousands depending how far you are from the street.

Personally, I would go with natural gas because, as you said, there is a line already running to the fireplace. Pros, it won’t run out, and at some point you might want to convert other things.
I know nothing about the cost.
I have most things gas at my house (except the fireplace, go figure) and I like it a lot.

I don’t quite understand how you have a gas line to the fireplace but no gas in the house?

I’m with @janbb. I’m confused.

@janbb Probably a former owner just turned off the account, or maybe had a financial downturn before a full installation of the gas fireplace. Happened to a friend of mine, they had gas run to the house, then, because of piece of bad luck, couldn’t afford to switch the stuff over.

Exactly as @canidmajor said. It was there when I moved in, but the house is all electric. There is not even a meter outside.

Well, if the line is safe and the city still supplies gas and they can just meter it and turn it on that would be the best in my opinion.

@chyna I agree with @JLeslie . If it’s not too much of a hassle to get a meter and gas account installed, that would be the most pleasant and simplest way to run a gas fireplace.

There is an effort well underway here to eliminate natural gas as an option. The city has stopped issuing permits for the extension of gas lines to any new residential construction, but is very hush hush about it, leaving the discovery of this fact to ambush those committed to buying a
house or worse, renovation of the house they own. It is already illegal to burn wood in a fireplace (or anywhere else), and I will bet that most people here are completely unaware of this. Just as you cannot legally purchase a shower head or hire a plumber to install one that will provide a suitable stream. In fact it is impossible to buy a faucet or anything else dispensing water that isn’t “low flow”. It’s another item in the the pile of accumulating gripes that I collect with age, and resistance to change.

Natural gas comes in from a main line in the street so it’s a constant supply. Propane comes from a tank in your yard or just outside your house and must be refilled from time to time.

@ˢᵗᵃⁿˡᵉʸᵇᵐᵃⁿˡʸ: ”ᴵᵗ ⁱˢ ᵃˡʳᵉᵃᵈʸ ⁱˡˡᵉᵍᵃˡ ᵗᵒ ᵇᵘʳⁿ ʷᵒᵒᵈ ⁱⁿ ᵃ ᶠⁱʳᵉᵖˡᵃᶜᵉ ⁽ᵒʳ ᵃⁿʸʷʰᵉʳᵉ ᵉˡˢᵉ⁾, ᵃⁿᵈ ᴵ ʷⁱˡˡ ᵇᵉᵗ ᵗʰᵃᵗ ᵐᵒˢᵗ ᵖᵉᵒᵖˡᵉ ʰᵉʳᵉ ᵃʳᵉ ᶜᵒᵐᵖˡᵉᵗᵉˡʸ ᵘⁿᵃʷᵃʳᵉ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰⁱˢ.”

ᵀʰⁱˢ ⁱˢ ᵍʳᵉᵃᵗ ⁿᵉʷˢ! ᴮᵘʳⁿⁱⁿᵍ ʷᵒᵒᵈ ⁱˢ ᵃ ʰᵘᵍᵉ ᵉⁿᵛⁱʳᵒⁿᵐᵉⁿᵗᵃˡ ᵖʳᵒᵇˡᵉᵐ, ᵃⁿᵈ ᶜᵃⁿ ᶜᵃᵘˢᵉ ˢⁱᵍⁿⁱᶠⁱᶜᵃⁿᵗ ʳᵉᵈᵘᶜᵗⁱᵒⁿ ⁱⁿ qᵘᵃˡⁱᵗʸ ᵒᶠ ˡⁱᶠᵉ ᶠᵒʳ ᵗʰᵒˢᵉ ˡⁱᵛⁱⁿᵍ ᵃʳᵒᵘⁿᵈ ʸᵒᵘ. ᴴᵉʳᵉ ⁱⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ˢᵘᵇᵘʳᵇˢ, ᴵ ᶜᵃⁿ ʰᵃʳᵈˡʸ ᵍᵒ ᵒᵘᵗˢⁱᵈᵉ ˢᵒᵐᵉᵗⁱᵐᵉˢ ᵈᵘᵉ ᵗᵒ ᵗʰᵉ ʷᵒᵒᵈ ᵇᵘʳⁿⁱⁿᵍ. ᴹʸ ᵃˢᵗʰᵐᵃ ᵏⁱᶜᵏˢ ᵘᵖ ᵃⁿᵈ ᴵ ʰᵃᵛᵉ ᵗᵒ ᶜᵒᵐᵉ ⁱⁿˢⁱᵈᵉ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵗᵃᵏᵉ ᵃ ˢʰᵒʷᵉʳ.

@_____ What are you trying to do – give us an eye test??

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