Fireplaces are a great addition to a home. They add to the ambiance, increase the value of your home, and with innovations in technology, are very convenient to use.
Whether building a new home or adding on to your existing home, adding a new fireplace is exciting but can also be a little overwhelming with all the choices there are on the market today. In this article, we are going to lay out some of the products that are on the market today and how to order them.
This is a tough call because there are a lot of quality fireplace manufacturers out there to choose from. From Majestic, Kingsman, Napoleon, Superior, Empire fireplaces. The list goes on. The most common size of gas direct vent fireplace sold is a 36”. This is the size we will be looking at for this competition.
There are several different types of fireplaces and several types of fireplace inserts. The primary difference is that a fireplace insert is an appliance that can be installed into an existing wood burning fireplace to make it more efficient. A built in fireplace is new installation into a home where you do not already have a fireplace. There are inserts that burn wood, gas with a direct vent system, and gas inserts that do not require a vent.
Direct-Vent Technology describes a gas burning appliance and how it uses two pipes, often one smaller pipe within another larger pipe, to both exhaust the appliances flue gases and bring in fresh air that it uses for combustion. They are one of the safest, most convenient, and most popular ways of adding a gas fireplace to your home. The area where the fire takes place, often called the combustion chamber, is sealed with a glass panel and gaskets that are protected by a safety barrier screen. This allows you to enjoy the view of the fire, prevents fumes from coming into the home, and prevents already heated room air from escaping out the chimney.
Vent free appliances can also be referred to as "ventless", "non-vented", and "unvented” appliances. Let's briefly look at what a vent free appliance is so that we can gain a better understanding of their safety.
