Space Fireplace Services
★★★★★based on 174+ verified customer reviews
SFS_gas-conversion_knox-henderson.md
Space Fireplace Services — DFW chimney & fireplace specialists. Free inspection, written quote, no surprise fees.
A Cleaner Hearth for a Denser Block
The fireplaces in Knox-Henderson cottages on Cole, Glencoe, and Belmont were almost all built between 1942 and 1958. The masonry is sound. The flue tiles are tired. The dampers either no longer seal or have been removed entirely. None of these chimneys were designed for the way contemporary owners use a fireplace — episodic, on-demand, decorative as much as functional — and very few of them have been swept in this century. A gas conversion is the right answer. Space Fireplace Services converts wood-burning Knox-Henderson fireplaces to sealed direct-vent gas inserts or, in narrower scopes, to vented refractory log sets. The work respects the original masonry, retires the unsafe parts of the assembly, and gives you a clean controllable flame on a wall switch. Schedule a consultation at 469-992-4912 or through the contact form. Consultations are by appointment.Why Knox-Henderson Houses Convert
The 75204 and 75206 housing density makes wood smoke a neighbor problem in a way it is not on a half-acre lot. The cottages share fence lines on three sides. The luxury infill towers six rooflines on every block. A wood fire in a 1949 cottage on a winter night puts smoke into the next-door bedroom window, and the neighborhood etiquette has shifted accordingly. The chimneys themselves are also a problem. Our scope camera typically finds spalled flue tiles, separated terra-cotta liners, and softened mortar joints in seventy percent of the cottages we inspect. The conversion lets us bypass the deteriorated parts of the flue with a new co-axial liner and a sealed combustion envelope. And in the new luxury townhomes — the three-story stacked product on Henderson and the duplex infill on Bowser — the developers’ original gas units are often underspecified. Owners who bought new are now ten years in and replacing the original 36-inch unvented insert with a properly sealed 48 or 60-inch direct-vent unit. We treat that work as a conversion as well, because the gas line, vent, and surround all change.The SFS Approach to Conversion
We start with a chimney scope. The camera report tells us whether the existing flue can carry a vented log set or whether we need to install a new co-axial liner for a sealed insert. Within ten business days you receive a fixed-price proposal. Build runs four to six working days for a log set, eight to twelve days for a sealed insert with a new liner, and two to three weeks for a townhome unit replacement that includes a surround rebuild. A sealed direct-vent insert is the path we recommend for almost every Knox-Henderson conversion. Sealed combustion eliminates draft, odor, and heat loss. The fire is fully controllable. The original chimney can be retired or rebuilt as a chase for the new vent.Specifications That Suit the Neighborhood
For midcentury cottages, our most common conversion is a 30 or 36-inch sealed direct-vent insert vented through a new 5 or 6-inch co-axial stainless liner. The original brick surround is typically retained. Mantels are restored, replaced in white oak, or removed entirely depending on the design intent. For luxury townhome unit replacements, we install zero-clearance 48 to 60-inch linear units in the existing framing chase, vent horizontally to the rear party wall through a new co-axial pipe, and rebuild the surround in board-formed concrete or honed limestone. Drywall returns are detailed at half-inch reveal. For the small number of clients who want a vented log set inside an original masonry firebox, we specify a 24 or 30-inch refractory split-oak assembly tuned to the firebox’s draft envelope, with a millivolt valve on a wall switch and a top-sealing damper cap. Gas line routing in 75204 and 75206 is most commonly from an alley meter or a side-yard meter, depending on the lot. We trench, run black iron, pressure-test, and pull the gas permit with the City of Dallas.Selected Project: A 1955 Cottage on Belmont
The owners had bought the cottage in 2018 and never lit the original fireplace. The chimney scope showed a separated terra-cotta liner near the smoke chamber and a damper that no longer sealed. The original brick was sound and worth keeping. We installed a 30-inch sealed direct-vent insert vented through a new 5-inch co-axial stainless liner. The original brick frame was retained. The mantel was rebuilt in walnut to match a new built-in cabinet on the adjacent wall. The conversion ran nine working days. The owners report nightly use through the season.Trade Pro Program
We work with Knox-Henderson and Uptown designers, architects, and general contractors on a recurring basis. Our Trade Pro program offers a 15 percent professional discount on materials and design fees, dedicated lead times, and direct access to senior project managers. We protect your client relationship. Call 469-992-4912 and ask for the Trade desk.Frequently Asked Questions
**Should I do a vented log set or a sealed insert?** Sealed insert in almost every case. The Knox-Henderson chimneys we scope rarely pass the standard required to safely run open vented gas long-term. The sealed conversion bypasses the deteriorated flue, eliminates heat loss, and gives you a fully controllable fire. **How long does conversion take?** Four to six days for a log set in a clean chimney. Eight to twelve days for a sealed insert with a new liner. Two to three weeks for a townhome replacement that includes a surround rebuild. **What does conversion cost in Knox-Henderson?** Vented log sets run six to nine thousand dollars. Sealed insert conversions in a midcentury cottage run sixteen to twenty-six thousand. Townhome unit replacements with new surrounds run twenty-two to thirty-six thousand. **Will the gas line damage finished floors?** We route around finished surfaces wherever possible and coordinate with finish trades when we cannot. Routing is signed off in writing before any trench work begins. **Do you handle the gas permit?** Yes. We pull the gas and mechanical permits with the City of Dallas, schedule the inspections, and deliver the closed permit at completion.Schedule a Consultation
If your Knox-Henderson fireplace has not been used and you are wondering whether it should be lit, do not light it. Call us first at 469-992-4912 or write through the form.Adjacent Service Pages
– [Gas conversion service hub](https://spacefireplaceservices.com/gas-conversion/) – [Fireplace installation in Knox-Henderson](https://spacefireplaceservices.com/fireplace-installation/knox-henderson/) – [Gas fireplace repair](https://spacefireplaceservices.com/gas-fireplace-repair/) – [Knox-Henderson area page](https://spacefireplaceservices.com/areas/knox-henderson/) – [Bishop Arts gas conversion](https://spacefireplaceservices.com/gas-conversion/bishop-arts/) — *Author: Marco Hensley, Senior Project Manager, Space Fireplace Services.*Our Sister Companies — Specialists in Related Services
Texas Service Experts is part of a network of CSIA-certified chimney specialists. Depending on your specific need:
- Texas Service Experts — general chimney sweep/inspection
- Texas Chimney Experts — chimney repair/masonry