How can I (safely!) find out whether my gas fireplace can also be used to burn wood?

Question

I don't have an owner's manual for the fireplace--it was installed before I bought the house.

Answer 1

It's not as easy as alwayson indicates.  Some gas fire places started out life as wood burning and were converted to gas, some were designed to be gas only.  Some tell-tail signs are, if it is not fire brick lined, it's gas only, if the chimney is horizontal it's gas.  Gas fireplaces don't have dampers that can be adjusted to control the burn rate (cuase it's a gas fire)  

If it is lined with fire brick, has a masonry chimney that vents out the roof, has no metal components except the damper and the damper is adjustable it is likely a wood burning fireplace

Answer 2

There should be a model number somewhere and a name for the thing.  Might be on the valve or manifold.  One place to try for a manual is:  http://safemanuals.com/  (Got the recommendation from the Kim Komando newsletter.  She is awsome  with internet stuff)  

Answer 3

No.  It is meant for gas only.   The whole idea was not having to clean the fireplace afterward of charcoal and c**p.  Nothing else goes in there.  You don't burn garbage, newspapers, nothing.

Answer 4

You can’t.  A gas fueled fireplace is just that, it can only burn gas.  Do not burn any wood in there.  Your fireplace / chimney may not be designed / built to burn wood.  If you try to burn wood in there you will end up burning more wood than you wanted, like an entire house’s worth of wood.  

Answer 5

Disconnect the gas components and you now have a wood burning  fireplace.

If you burn wood with the gas components  in place ,you will clog up your gas valve and burner orifices or permentently damage it.  I wouldn't.

Answer 6

Call a chimney sweep.They are professionals.  The stove makes no difference. It's the chimney construction that will determine this.