Unless you install a direct vent insert into your fireplace, which is expensive and probably overkill for the climate in southern California, gas logs will send most of the heat they produce up the chimney. DO NOT let anyone talk you into a ventless system. They should be outlawed all together, and building codes in many places prohibit them in sleeping rooms. Without a vent, air quality in your indoor space is adversely affected; fumes build up and oxygen is depleted. You might look into the Eiklor brand of vented logs. When we first shopped around before deciding on a direct vent insert, we were most impressed by the Eiklor logs. They produce the most beautiful realistic looking flames, and they have more gas jets than most, which will probably run up your gas bill. If you call their 800#, you might get Mr Eiklor himself to take the call. Because they produce a bigger flame, they probably will throw off more heat into the room, but most of the heat will still go up the chimney. Check out the Eiklor website. If you are intent on really producing some serious heat from your fireplace, a direct vent insert is the way to go, but that will run you at least $4000 installed. Good luck

I have a Fireplace Xtrordinair natural gas insert (made to go in an existing fireplace), but FPX also makes fireplace units for new construction. No problems w/ the FPX in the two years I've used it. I've posted several times about this unit on this forum in case you want to do a search. FPX offers fireplace units in various sizes & BTU outputs. You buy the firebox size you want & choose a faceplate (several styles & finishes available). I haven't bought a fireplace, so have no knowledge of how you "finish" one, but I believe FPX has an alliance with a company that makes mantles, etc. if that's the look you want. My info is two years old, but FPX did offer an optional remote control to turn the unit on & off, operate the blower speed (if it has one) & control the flame height. Other options included a thermostat to turn the unit on automatically (like a furnace) & a ducting system to share the heated air with an adjacent room. The FPX can operate as a radiant heater in the event of a power outage, but would need a backup power source if you wanted to run the blower. In terms of maintenance, FPX recommends an annual cleaning & inspection. I confess I waited until this year to have that done, and the service guy only needed to vacuum out dust & clean the inside of the glass -- said the burner, etc. looked fine. Other manufacturers probably have similar features. The various manufacturers offer different interior & exterior appearances, so, if possible, visit dealers in your area to see the ("live") units in person so you get a feel for what you like. Check the BTU ranges & efficiency ratings. Your choice may depend on if you want the unit to be a heat source or more for ambiance. Some units come with a blower; on others, it's optional. Most units will work with LP or natural gas, but ratings might vary w/ the fuel source. If you want to operate the unit in the event of a power outage, make sure it's capable of doing that. One trend in fireplace units is to have a huge, "to the floor" viewing area w/ the controls "hidden" on a wall elsewhere rather than built into the unit. "Town & Country" is one brand that does this. I know nothing about the company or how convenient it is to install/operate the unit, but I saw one on display at our local stove store & the appearance was impressive. In addition to FPX -- which is part of Travis Industries, along with the Avalon & Lopi brands -- the Mendota and Harman brands get good reviews on this board. Another option might be a freestanding gas stove rather than a fireplace, but, again, what "look" you want -- as well as your budget -- may determine your choice. The only other point I can think of right now is, work with a good, reputable local dealer. There are lots of options out there. Most of the manufacturers have websites, with varying degrees of usefulness. I found that with FPX, for example, the brochure I picked up from the dealer was much more informative than the website (again, that was two years ago). The FPX site does have a great "design (photo) gallery" in case you want to get an idea of how their unit styles fit into varius room designs (traditional, period, contemporary, informal, etc.). Good luck w/ your research.

I wish someone would answer you, I was going to post something similar myself. We have a contract on a home and I had the chimney inspected today (realtor says I'm the only person in her entire career to have a chimney inspection, but you'll see why) Inspector told me the flue tiles needed to be replaced and the to reline a chimney was about $4K-$5K or could have the tiles that needed to be repaired which iwas about half that price - he wasn't positive on pricing as he does not do this type of work. He actually called me back and the low end pricing from the company gave him a guesstimate of $1500-$2500 depending on what I decided to actually have done. Originally, this was a wood burning chimney and now is gas. I know there was an issue with the damper not opening correctly and was having the owners clean it out before the inspection. Due to the issue above, he didn't do the cleaning - not until we decided what to do about the flue issue. Anyhow, I'm not putting out any more money on the home, it would be the owners who'd have to repair. My realtor called me back a little while later and said the listing agent spoke to the owners and came up with what they think would be a solution - a vent free gas fireplace. Since I'm a Floridian who's never had a fireplace in her life, I know nothing about any of this. I'm trying to find out if what they are proposing, how it differs from the gas fireplace that's there already. Will what they put in look the same as what's there now? They claim it's more energy efficient. I'm glad you are asking the questions you did above because I wouldn't have known to ask them, so I really hope someone knowledgable will answer. In the meantime, I was given the name of a guy who does gas fireplaces for a living. Will try to reach him and if I can , ask those questions and let you know what I may be able to find. If I go with the ventless, I'm still having them clean out the damper. With it not opening all the way, that means cool air is still coming in, and in summer, cool are is going out. Please let me know if you came across any info. THANKS!!!

Keep shopping there are many brands to choose from. Look at Mendota, Regency and Iron Strike are to name a few quality brands w/ great warranties and models to choose from.