When you’re shopping for a new fireplace you might hear the term “direct-vent”. These fireplaces with no chimney may seem absurd, but they are a fabulous addition to any home. Investing in a fireplace will add value and comfort to your home for years to come. Investing in a direct vent fireplace will mean efficiency and safety to boot.
How Direct Vent Fireplaces Work
In order for a fire to burn, three things are required, oxygen, heat, and fuel. Most gas appliances draw air from the home and then vent the byproducts from the fire by a flue. A direct vent fireplace neither uses air from the house nor requires a flue to vent. Instead, the direct vent fireplace is a closed unit, independent from the house. There is one pipe in which air is drawn into the unit from outdoors, and another pipe where the fire is vented outdoors. This means the unit can be installed anywhere that has access to an outside wall. The only disturbance of the air inside the home is due to blowers pulling the air into the space around the unit to heat it and then push it back into the home.
Advantages of a Direct Vent Fireplace
It’s downright difficult to determine the biggest advantage of a direct vent fireplace. They can install anywhere, so you can have a fireplace in any room, big or small, as long as there is outer wall access. That’s not all, though. There are many reasons to invest in a direct vent fireplace.
Closed Unit – Unlike a traditional open fireplace that can lose up to 75 percent of the heat out the chimney, a closed direct vent fireplace doesn’t lose any heat. In fact, all the heat generated with a direct vent fireplace is used for the home and the unit has precise heat control that allows you to regulate it.
Efficiency – Because it is a closed unit, the direct vent fireplace looks just like a standard fireplace, but works like a stove. Designed to burn natural gas, these units burn the most efficient fuel in the most efficient way possible.
Safety – Direct vent fireplaces need no flue so they don’t have the risk factors that a flue has. There is no creosote buildup in a direct vent fireplace, very little carbon buildup, and no backdraft. These units, when installed correctly by a licensed professional, are safer than many similar products.
Versatile Installation – If you don’t have space on a wall, the direct vent fireplace can be vented through the roof. They also come in big and small models that allow for any space to accommodate a beautiful new fireplace.
Versatile Style – Just as every home has a personality and style, there are many styles of direct vent fireplaces. You can choose a traditional style that complements a traditional and homey décor or a simple and sleek design that complements a contemporary or minimalist home. You can choose a direct vent fireplace because of the price or the size and then have a mantel and hearth designed to your specifications.
Converting to Gas
Installing a direct vent fireplace is a great way to convert an inefficient gas or wood fireplace into a heat machine. You can choose a direct vent gas insert that is retrofitted directly into an existing firebox and insulated properly to prevent heat transfer. The vent is then piped up through an existing chimney, bypassing tired and damaged flues altogether.
Getting Started
You don’t want to do this sort of work on your own or order these appliances online. In fact, showrooms across the country are filled with returns from improperly measured units that arrived, only to be cast aside because it was the wrong size, the wrong setup, or more. When you’re ready to get started, make sure you start and finish with a professional. A certified dealer like The Cozy Flame can have a technician out to your home to measure the space properly, to make sure the unit is the capacity you need and the style that you want. When you trust The Cozy Flame with your home hearth needs, we trust your home with our sister company Total Chimney Care.
Total Chimney Care employs only the best sweeps certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA). Our team of trusted professionals will arrive at the appointed time, in company uniforms, and treat your home with the respect and courtesy we would our own. When we do a service or installation we protect your flooring and furniture with drop cloths and use high powered vacuuming systems for cleaning to ensure your home stays clean and mess-free every time.
If you’re looking to add a direct vent fireplace to your space, big or small, look no further than The Cozy Flame. We carry Hampton Direct Vent Fireplaces, carefully crafted from cast iron with incredible attention to detail and timeless style. Hampton brings together the classic look of traditional cast iron and the efficiency and technology of the future. Still on the fence about a direct vent fireplace? Regency and Hampton have all the information you need, and our experts can help you choose.
Call or stop by our showroom at 116-Q Research Dr in Milford, Connecticut.