I wanted a wood burning fireplace but bought a house with a propane, ornamental one. Can I keep the same mantel and the outer part, or would it be like starting from scatch? I live in North East, Maryland, is it expensive?

the chimney size and type is the determining factor. many prefab gas fireplaces require require little more than what a gas heater would. this would be very dangerous to burn wood in as the fire would probably come out the front after you. the pipe for gas is to small and is not insulated or joined properly for wood burning. you could burn down the house. most material yards have charts to calculate the proper flue size based on firebox width, height and depth. if you have a masonry chimney it can be very expensive to enlarge (read rebuild). metal pipe chimneys are less expensive but can still cost quite a bit. a typical 12" diameter triple wall flue pipe can run between $45.00 and $125.00 per foot. add enclosure and labor. before burning wood it would be a good idea to get a fireplace builder to take a look at what you have. your local material yard can often recommend someone and it should cost little or nothing. well worth it for the peace of mind.

I checked the propane level and that is fine, could it be the regulator on the propane tank?

Well assuming the "flo-valve" is not stripped (you should have noticed this when adjusting), the next thing I would check on is regulator.Actually have had sucess in just taping with cresent wrench as it was stuck.Give it a try !