Find Dependable Gas Heat for Your Burnet Home.

Because Burnet runs on propane rather than natural gas mains, most installations fall between $3,500 and $9,000, depending on the unit, whether a propane tank and line are already on the property, and the venting path. A direct-vent propane insert going into an existing masonry fireplace with a tank already in place sits at the low end. A fireplace in new construction or a room without existing gas service—which requires a new propane tank installation and a buried line run from a local supplier—pushes toward the higher end. Local dealers will give you a firm number after an in-home look.

Burnet does not have a natural gas utility running mains to residential neighborhoods—like much of rural Burnet County, homes rely on electricity from Pedernales Electric Cooperative or City of Burnet Electric within city limits, plus propane for fuel needs like fireplaces, ranges, and water heaters. Every gas fireplace, insert, or log set installed here runs on propane from a tank, owned or leased through a local propane supplier. The good news: nearly every gas fireplace model on the market is available in a propane configuration—your dealer simply sets the correct orifice and regulator for propane instead of natural gas.

Yes, provided you choose a unit built for it. Models with a millivolt or IPI (intermittent pilot ignition) system include a battery backup that lets the fireplace light and run without household power—a real consideration in Burnet County after the February 2021 freeze left thousands of Pedernales Electric Cooperative members without power for days. Valor fireplaces take this a step further: the pilot's thermocouple generates its own electricity, so the unit never depends on batteries at all. Ask your local dealer which ignition system a given model uses before you buy—it's the single biggest factor in whether your fireplace doubles as emergency heat.

Yes—it's a common project for older Burnet homes built around a traditional masonry fireplace. A propane insert or log set can typically use your existing chimney, often with a liner, as the vent path, and the cost usually falls between $3,500 and $7,500 depending on whether a new propane line and regulator need to run from your tank. Converting eliminates the hassle of hauling and stacking oak or mesquite firewood while keeping the look of the hearth you already have.

A gas fireplace is a fully built-in, framed unit for new construction or remodels. A gas insert slides into an existing masonry firebox and uses your chimney as the vent. A vented gas log set is the simplest option—realistic ceramic logs installed inside an existing wood-burning fireplace, using the flue you already have. A gas stove is a freestanding, cast-iron-look unit that vents through a wall or existing chimney. For most Burnet homes with an older masonry fireplace, a vented log set or insert is the most cost-effective upgrade; new construction usually calls for a built-in fireplace.

In most cases, yes—a building permit through the City of Burnet or Burnet County (for homes outside city limits) is required for new gas line work and fireplace installation, and any new propane tank placement has its own setback and permitting requirements through the propane supplier and local fire code. Reputable local dealers handle this paperwork as part of the installation, coordinating the licensed gas-fitter work with the building inspection so you don't have to manage multiple trades yourself.

Vented (direct-vent) units draw combustion air from outside and exhaust it back outside, making them the safer, more universally recommended choice—and what most Burnet dealers install by default. Vent-free propane fireplaces are legal in Texas and burn cleanly enough to use without a chimney, which appeals to homeowners adding a fireplace in a room without existing venting, but they release some moisture and combustion byproducts into the room and need careful sizing to square footage. Given Burnet's mild climate, either option performs fine for supplemental heat; the choice usually comes down to whether the room already has venting and how you plan to use the fireplace.

Plan on an annual inspection, ideally before the first real cold front rolls through in fall. A technician checks the burner, pilot assembly, propane line connections, and venting, and cleans the glass and interior—typically $150 to $250 for a standard visit. Because propane systems involve a tank and regulator in addition to the fireplace itself, it's worth having your propane supplier check tank condition and line pressure during the same visit.

With heating degree days under 2,000 and winter lows averaging in the high 30s, few Burnet homes need wood as a primary heat source the way a colder climate would. Wood still has a following here—oak, pecan, and mesquite are all locally abundant and popular for their long, hot burns and good smell—but it demands stacking, hauling, and chimney upkeep for heat you'll only need a handful of weeks a year. Propane gas fireplaces deliver instant, thermostat-controlled warmth with none of that maintenance, and with the right ignition system they'll keep running during a Pedernales Electric outage. For most Burnet homeowners weighing year-round convenience against occasional cold-front backup heat, gas is the more practical pick; wood remains popular mainly for ambiance and among homeowners who already process their own firewood.

An insert does two things: it seals the chimney completely, so you stop losing air you already paid to heat, and it radiates warmth into the room through the firebox and glass. Most add a heat-exchange fan that pulls cool room air underneath, wraps it around the hot firebox, and pushes it back out warm. Your home is more efficient before you've even lit the first fire.

Yes—with an asterisk. Fireplaces are hot and TVs don't like heat. Either put a mantel between them to deflect rising warmth, or choose a fireplace with heat-management technology that creates a cool zone on the wall above—the wall stays around 125 degrees, barely warm, while the room still gets full heat. If you like clean lines and don't want a mantel, heat management is the answer.

For an average home—covering the fireplace, the vent pipe, and basic installation—a budget between $3,900 and $5,500 gives you a lot of options across wood, gas, and pellet. By the time you add finish work, gas line, and electrical, the average complete installation lands between $5,000 and $12,000 all-in. In a remodel or new build, a good rule is to put about 2.5% of the total project cost toward the fireplace.

If you're putting a fire in your house on purpose, it's best to work with an expert. Unless you're genuinely experienced in framing, gas line, vent pipe, and the national code on clearances to combustibles, have a professional do it—and ideally the same company that sells you the fireplace, so warranty, service, and liability all live under one roof.