Lennox MLDVT-30NM MERIT Direct Vent Gas Fireplace
So, you’re ready to buy a gas fireplace, but you’re confused by the choices out there. Natural vent, direct vent gas fireplaces and ventless gas fireplaces all exist to confound a buyer. Well, this guide will help you decide which you need.
If you have a chimney (www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/chimney) you need a natural vent gas fireplace. Nothing more to say about that. Whether they are propane fireplaces or natural gas, you have to use the B-vent, or natural vent, system.
But what if you lack a chimney? Then you have two choices: direct vent gas fireplaces or ventless gas fireplaces. A direct vent gas fireplace needs no chimney for it uses a coaxial pipe system (a small pipe within a large pipe) and draws combustion air from the outside into the home through the outer pipe. Therefore, the direct vent gas fireplace keeps the inside air warm while heating the outside air, keeping you warmer than a natural vent fireplace ever would. The direct vent gas fireplace (choosefireplacesandstoves.com/Fireplaces/Gas-Fireplaces/Direct-Vent/) is convenient to install because it can vent horizontally through an outside wall or vertically through the roof, with no need for a chimney. It can also vent through the top or out the back, so the direct vent gas fireplace offers installation versatility. The direct vent gas fireplace adds warmth and efficient heating to a cold room, whether you use natural gas or opt for propane fireplaces. You can get a direct vent gas fireplace that’s certified as a “gas wall furnace” for the highest efficiency; this efficiency is improved in propane fireplaces. A direct vent gas fireplace is your best choice for newer, more air tight homes and well-insulated homes. Propane gas fireplaces offer you the convenience of simply setting up a propane tank and propane fireplaces are ready to be fired up. The direct vent gas fireplace also has zero clearance to combustibles and always has an enclosed front for extra efficiency. The direct vent gas fireplace is convenient to install, requires less depth than a natural vent fireplace, yet also requires finishing materials such as surrounds or mantels, adding costs. Also, very often, to use them as propane fireplaces, you have to buy a conversion kit. But don’t worry, the propane fireplace conversion kit isn’t very expensive. And sometimes you don’t need them for propane fireplaces. The final question that comes up with a direct vent gas fireplace is what style you want: Early Americana, classic or modern ? they’re all available, especially in propane fireplaces.
Lennox Superior VF4000-CHN-2 Vent-Free Gas Fireplace
Meanwhile, the final type of gas fireplace that’s available in propane fireplaces is the ventless fireplace. Ventless fireplaces work with no chimney, flue or vent, so you can install one almost anywhere. Modern ventless fireplaces are safe to use because ventless fireplaces all come standard with Oxygen Depletion Sensors (ODS) that shut the ventless fireplaces (choosefireplacesandstoves.com/Fireplaces/Gas-Fireplaces/Ventless/) off when oxygen levels drop too low. This rarely happens now, of course, but it’s nice to know that the ODS is there to protect you. Ventless fireplaces are inexpensive and work efficiently and inexpensively. In fact, ventless fireplaces are 99 percent efficient, whether you choose natural gas or propane fireplaces. Ventless fireplaces are design-certified to ANSI Z21.11.2 safety standards, which means your natural gas or propane fireplaces are made for your wellbeing. One thing that might concern you regarding ventless fireplaces is indoor air quality. Since ventless gas fireplace don?t vent, gas combustion by products can impair air quality. However, today’s ventless gas fireplaces, even if they are propane fireplaces, work well within national standards concerning the air quality. You can check out the American Gas Association research division (www.aga.org) to see how low the emission levels are. The only drawback to ventless fireplaces is that they don’t exceed 40,000 BTUs/hr. of heat output, so if you need more power than that, a direct vent gas fireplace is for you.
Lennox X-FIRES Vent-Free Fireplace
Modern ventless fireplaces are the most popular type of fireplace today. In fact, more Americans are buying ventless fireplaces, especially as convenient propane fireplaces, than any other type of supplement gas heating systems ? even the direct vent gas fireplace. However, some places restrict the use of ventless fireplaces, whether in natural gas or propane fireplaces. So check with your local building departments to see if you can use ventless fireplaces in your area. Most models of ventless fireplaces don?t require electricity, as don’t direct vent gas fireplaces, so you can count on them to work even during power failures.
Whether you want to use a venting system out your wall or roof or want the convenience of no venting system required, you can find a direct vent gas fireplace or ventless fireplace that suits your mood and taste. A lot of ventless fireplaces hang on the wall like pictures for modern flair you might love in your contemporary living area.
Whichever you choose, direct vent gas fireplaces or ventless fireplaces, don’t overlook the convenience of propane fireplaces. You’ll love their energy efficiency, ease of use and inexpensive operation they afford.