Fireplace in vacation rental

[Eric Mcginn]

I have a 2 bedroom cabin in the mountains that has a great open living space with fireplace. 
the fireplace has a capped off natural gas line in it. 
I’ve been SRTing on Airbnb the last couple years. Never really any issues, and people seem to enjoy it. 

I’m trying to sign on with a a management company and they are suggesting that having a fire with the gas line there could be unsafe and that I should convert it to gas only or have it decorative only. It’s not a big problem for them but that’s what they’re suggestions. 

The cabin has central forced hot air heat so heating isn’t an issue. I personally find it a nice option to roast some marshmallows and to be able to burn downed branches etc. but it’s also kind of a pain and does a terrible job of actually providing any heat lol terribly inefficient. 

I just don’t know what to do, unfortunately it doesn’t have a key-valve somewhere safe, only a small metal valve in the fireplace next to the capped end. 
I could try out a remote controlled kit with ceramic logs. Or just leave it as is. Or install an insert. Or designate as decorative only.....?

[JD Martin]

Originally posted by @Eric Mcginn:

I have a 2 bedroom cabin in the mountains that has a great open living space with fireplace. 
the fireplace has a capped off natural gas line in it. 
I’ve been SRTing on Airbnb the last couple years. Never really any issues, and people seem to enjoy it. 

I’m trying to sign on with a a management company and they are suggesting that having a fire with the gas line there could be unsafe and that I should convert it to gas only or have it decorative only. It’s not a big problem for them but that’s what they’re suggestions. 

The cabin has central forced hot air heat so heating isn’t an issue. I personally find it a nice option to roast some marshmallows and to be able to burn downed branches etc. but it’s also kind of a pain and does a terrible job of actually providing any heat lol terribly inefficient. 

I just don’t know what to do, unfortunately it doesn’t have a key-valve somewhere safe, only a small metal valve in the fireplace next to the capped end. 
I could try out a remote controlled kit with ceramic logs. Or just leave it as is. Or install an insert. Or designate as decorative only.....?

 I would not leave a fireplace with a live, capped-off gas line in the firebox that was accessible to renters. A gas fireplace will have a regulator to control the speed of burn and gas flow. Someone could make a blazing wood fire in there and cause one hell of an explosion if it got hot enough and compromised the pipe. If you want to leave it able to burn wood, have the gas line pulled.

I would convert it to a switched gas fireplace. That gives you the fireplace and makes it safer.