A flue is another name for the fireplace chimney or venting system.
Too much heat can be an issue even in colder climates. There are several gas fireplace models which allow you to control the heat coming into the room. You have the option of redirecting the heat totally out of your home, or to other parts of your home. Electric fireplaces are also available in a heat or no heat operation mode. We will be happy to assist you in making this decision.
Yes. We recommend annual service of your fireplace by a qualified serviceperson. This will ensure that your appliance is functioning properly.
Your decision really comes down to how much a priority heating efficiency is for you. If you want a lot of heat from your fireplace, you should consider a direct vent gas insert. From a cost standpoint, an insert could cost approximately five times the cost of a nice gas log set. However, since the insert is very efficient, it will pay for itself over a period of a few years in gas bill savings. We offer both a full line of inserts and vented gas logs to choose from. Installing room-vented or vent free log sets in our wood-burning fireplaces is unacceptable in California.
Gas and wood burning fireplaces and inserts have a serial/model/rating plate in the lower cavity controls area. Gas stoves have a serial/model/rating plate attached to the back of the stove or inside the pedestal base.
This is normal in the first few minutes of operation. If after the first 30 minutes of full burn you still have blue flames, an adjustment may be needed on your unit. For assistance with this, contact us.
No, that is not possible.
Steady State: An efficiency rating is testing only the efficiency of the fireplace when it is burning. AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency): Both the on cycle and off cycle are calculated in this rating. By including the off cycles (when the fireplace is turned off) a more accurate yearly operational cost can be estimated.
You can turn the pilot off when you won’t be using your appliance for an extended period of time, and then use our on-line instructions to relight the pilot when needed.
No. The louvers allow room air to move around the heat exchanger. Blocking this air flow can cause fires and will void your manufacturer’s warranty and possibly your homeowner’s warranty.
An outside air kit provides additional combustion air to the fireplace that feeds the fire with oxygen from outside your home. This will help the performance on any fireplace installed in tightly-constructed or well-insulated home. If you are installing a B-Vent gas fireplace, you should consider installation of an outside air kit.
No, with today’s venting options, direct vents can go literally anywhere in the home. The vent can terminate vertically through the roof or horizontally through an exterior wall. We will be happy to assist you in determining the best venting option for your particular layout.
All/CLEANING/MAINTENANCE/GENERAL/INSTALLATION/SAFETY/TROUBLESHOOTING
No! Burning anything other than natural or LP gas in a gas fireplace or stove will create a potential fire hazard and present a danger to your home and its occupants. Only burn the gas fuel for which the unit was originally designed.
They can burn one or the other, but not both. You need to be sure the gas hearth appliance you have is set up for the type of gas fuel you intend to burn. Conversion kits are available which will allow a unit to be changed to match the proper fuel type.
On the contrary, the glass panel keeps warm room air which your furnace has already heated from going up your fireplace flue. Direct vent fireplaces are excellent sources of zone heating by bringing room air in the bottom grill, heating and returning it to the room through the top grill.
Not if your fireplace was shipped with a glass panel on the front. Direct vent fireplaces are sealed combustion systems and need the glass on to function properly. We sell optional screen mesh panels that go on the front of the glass that takes away any reflection, and adds an additional safety barrier against accidental contact with the hot glass panel. The other type of gas fireplaces we sell, called B-vent fireplaces, come with fixed, not sealed, glass fronts. You would need to check with your salesperson to determine if the glass panel can be removed from this type of unit. Because removal of the glass is totally dependent on the specific unit installed, we cannot recommend that the glass be removed unless the specific model of unit denotes that it can be removed and the fireplace will still operate safely.
Operating cost will vary by region, by gas utility, and by fuel type. Based on national averages, a natural gas fireplace consuming 27,000 BTUs/hr will cost about 35 cents/hr to enjoy. LP units run slightly higher. Your monthly gas bill should include your exact cost per therm (100,000 BTUs). Based on this rate, and the BTU input listed on the rating plate on your appliance, you can calculate the cost for your area.
On a new gas fireplace there is a curing time or burn-in time. When initially burning your new gas fireplace, the oils, etc. from manufacturing will be burning off the fireplace. We recommend burning the fireplace 3 hours; completely cooling down the fireplace, removing the glass and cleaning it with household glass cleaner or Glass Bright; replacing the glass & continuing to burn the fireplace an additional 9-21 hours. (Make sure you re-latch the glass so it is securely fastened on your fireplace.) If necessary, open a window to release any odor during this process. This should eliminate the manufacturing smell on a new fireplace.
Flame height adjustments are available on many gas units. Check the manual for your appliance, or give us a call, to see if you have this option available.
The majority of our gas fireplaces and inserts are direct vent (DV). This means they have a fixed glass front which seals the gas burner and combustion firebox off from your home. 100% of the combustion air used by the fireplace comes from outside the home through a coaxial pipe. A smaller pipe inside the larger pipe eliminates all combustible gases, maintaining indoor air quality. The vent can be run horizontally through an outside wall, or vertically through the roof, depending on your preference.
A B-vent must be vented vertically and uses fresh air from inside the home to provide oxygen to the fire. A direct vent has a sealed glass front and pulls all of its fresh air from outside the home. Direct vents can be vented vertically or horizontally through an exterior wall. Direct vents are a completely sealed system; B-vent appliances are not.
Absolutely not. A direct vent uses a high temperature glass panel to seal off the burn area of the fireplace from the interior of the home. It pulls 100% combustion air to feed the fire from outside the home. Because of its design, a direct vent gas fireplace will not effect the indoor air quality of your home. Since no air from your home is going up the chimney, a direct vent model is very efficient. Vent free should actually be called room vented since the by-products of gas combustion all spill back into the room.
No. The larger size of a masonry chimney is unsuitable for use with a factory built fireplace. We do have several models of wood burning or gas burning inserts that are designed for retrofit into an existing masonry fireplace, and they come with special venting that can be used inside an existing chimney. Your Energy House salesperson can help you pick the insert that best fits your needs.
Not on a direct vent or B vent model. A gas fireplace is an engineered system that includes the firebox, burner, logs, venting and options which are tested and listed by AGA or UL. Changing any of the specifications or placement of the logs could void your manufacturer’s warranty, and possibly even your homeowner’s warranty.
Sooting is a result of impingement caused by incomplete combustion, i.e. flames coming in contact with a surface, cooling the flame, and preventing combustion.