Should my fire pit or fireplace run on propane or natural gas?

Phoenix Fireplace & Chimney · November 10, 2026

Start with what your house already has

Don't assume a gas line is anywhere near the patio. Census ACS data shows electricity is the main heating fuel in 74 percent of Phoenix homes, 76 percent in Mesa and 83 percent in Apache Junction. Utility gas heating is most common in the newer southeast and west Valley towns: 62 percent in Queen Creek, 51 percent in Goodyear and 50 percent in Maricopa.

A home that heats with electricity may still have gas for the water heater or range, so check for a Southwest Gas meter on the side of the house. If there is none, the choice is made for you unless you want to bring gas service to the property, which is a conversation with the utility, not with us.

Apache Junction stands out for a different reason: 4.0 percent of its homes heat with propane, the highest share among the towns we serve. Propane fireplaces and fire pits are more common there and on the rural edges of the Valley.

How the two fuels differ at the burner

Natural gas and propane are delivered at different pressures and burn at different air-to-fuel ratios, so the orifice, the valve setup and sometimes the air shutter are specific to the fuel. A fire pit or fireplace leaves the factory set for one. Switching requires the manufacturer's conversion kit, if one exists for that model, and should be done and tested by someone who works on gas appliances.

Propane is heavier than air. In a fire table that hides a tank in its base, the enclosure needs vent openings near the bottom so leaked gas cannot collect, and those vents need to stay clear of dust and debris. Natural gas is lighter than air and disperses upward.

Natural gas: higher upfront, easier after

Running natural gas to an outdoor pit or fireplace means extending a line from the house. HomeGuide's 2026 guide puts extending a gas line at $350 to $2,000, with distance, trenching through pavers or concrete and the number of fittings setting the price. The City of Phoenix lists new gas line installation for exterior gas appliances as permit work, and unincorporated Maricopa County runs a fast-track permit for a new gas line to a fire pit or fireplace. In other cities we check what your city requires.

After that, the fuel is simply there. No tank to haul to a refill station before guests come over, and no running out halfway through an evening.

Propane: simpler start, more upkeep

A propane pit can go almost anywhere, including a rental, a patio far from the meter, or a yard where trenching isn't allowed. The trade-off is tank handling, refills and a smaller tank inside many fire tables that empties faster than people expect.

Maricopa County has listed a program that pays up to $75 toward buying a propane fire pit, launched with the Arizona Propane Gas Association. The county page doesn't say whether it is still funded, so check whether it is still offered before you count on it.

• Pick propane when there is no gas service, the pit must be movable, or the run from the meter would be long and costly.
• Pick natural gas when a line is close, the pit is permanent and you plan to use it often.

Both are exempt on No Burn Days

Maricopa County's restricted-burn rules cover burning anything other than gaseous fuels, so a propane or natural gas fire pit can run on a No Burn Day, and the May to September ban on wood pits in Area A does not apply to either. In the Pinal County parts of the Valley, check Pinal County's own rules.

If you are converting a wood pit, the burner pan, burner and igniter are priced at the free site visit, and the fuel choice is the first thing we work out with you.