What to do with a spare back yard gas line?

[OmahaBlueDog]

My house has NG. In my back yard, there is an aging, right on the verge of useless, Ducane gas grill that is connected to a gas line (as opposed to a BBQ tank). Mrs. OBD wants it to go away. I have a propane tank grill that probably has one season left. So, for a moment, we will forget there is a recession and imagine that I have money (I don't). here are 3 schools of thought on what to do:

a) Get a new gas grill to attach to the gas line. Problem: NG grills are generally about 3 x what comparable propane grills cost.
b) Get an outdoor gas heater (like the kind one sees in restaurant outdoor seating areas) to attach to the gas line and get a propane grill. It kind of uglifies the patio, but it extends the usefulness of the patio into some of the chilly evenings in October and April.
c) Get a propane grill, and get a fire pit/outdoor fireplace to attach to the NG line.

Any thoughts/experiences?

[Kali]

1. those patio heaters are usually propane too aren't they?

I'd cap it for now and save up for the grill. No actually I'd cap it permanently and have a nice stone bbq built and use wood, but I'm spoiled that way.

[OmahaBlueDog]

2. Like the grills, you can get them in NG - they just cost more

Example:

http://www.outdoorpatioheaters.net/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=217

They have other NG patio heaters. They all start at $500+. to get the same thing in propane would be under $200.

[Kali]

3. why are they so much more?

my kitchen stove is convertible - as is every one I have ever owned. What is the big expense for NG?

[OmahaBlueDog]

4. About ten cents worth of valves and 50,000% markup as near as I can figure

[Kali]

5. well maybe a couple of bucks for a pressure rgulator but yeah

seems like that is the story!

Glad I have access to wood - even thinking of switching the kitchen, at least for winter!

[MajorChode]

6. I think you can convert a propane grill yourself

IIRC the only difference is in the size of the holes in the burners and I think the NG holes are bigger, so you can drill them out.

I'm just working from memory here (which tends to fail me quite often these days), so don't hold me to this, but it might be worth a google search. There might be some other impediments because propane regulators changed a few years back.