Traditional, contemporary, homey, dramatic: There are so many options when it comes to choosing a gas fireplace for your home. In terms of design, your options are almost limitless.
But while the aesthetic style and design is important, understanding your options when it comes to the type of gas fireplace you choose is key. A big factor is whether or not you have a working fireplace and chimney in your home. A woodburning fireplace can easily be converted to burn gas logs. If you don’t have an existing chimney, you can still easily install a gas fireplace in almost any room of your home. Whether you’re converting a wood-burning hearth or adding a new gas fireplace, the main choice you need to make is between ventless and direct vent designs.
Here’s what you need to know about your options, and how to choose the right gas fireplace for your home.
Direct vent and vent-free technology are both great ways to add a gas fireplace even if you don’t have a chimney or flue. All that’s needed is access to propane gas.
Ventless models have a regulator that produces a fine gas-air mix that allows the gas to burn cleanly, and reduces the fumes associated with traditional gas fireplaces. However, because they are ventless, there are regulations about where a ventless gas fireplace can be installed.
With direct venting, a single dual-chambered pipe is installed directly through a wall to the outdoors (or via an existing chmney). The pipe simultaneously draws air for the fire from the outdoors, while it expels the fire’s combustion byproducts to the outside.
A direct vent gas hearth can be installed almost anywhere. That means you can incorporate cozy charm into just about any room, including living rooms and family rooms, but also kitchens and dining rooms. Create your dream master suite or a spa-like bathroom escape, just by adding a gas fireplace. You can also convert traditional fireplaces to a maintenance-free propane hearth with a gas log insert.
Once you know the best type of gas fireplace, you can start to consider all your style options. If you’re converting an existing hearth, you can choose a log set of a specific species, and even how the logs are stacked.
With an all-new installation, you can choose the surround (of course, you can also revamp the surround of an existing hearth, too). Opt for modern lines, classic brick, or rustic stone plus the same wide variety of log styles. Or go with the sleek, contemporary look of lava rocks or colored glass pebbles.
You can even go for a freestanding hearth. The options a broad here, too, from old-fashioned cast iron looks to cheerful-colored designs in powder-coated steel.
Not only will a gas log fireplace add cozy charm to almost any room in your home, it also eliminates the hassle, mess and safety concerns of a wood-burning hearth.
What’s more, a gas fireplace can be a very efficient source of supplemental heat. A propane fireplace runs at about 80 percent efficiency—which makes them four or five times more efficient than a wood-burning fireplace.
Another feature you don’t get with a wood fireplace are multispeed blowers that push warm air into the room, providing better, more even heat—especially in larger spaces like great rooms. With remote controls and thermostats that lets you dial up the heat you want, today’s propane fireplaces give you greater control of temperature, but also propane use.
Nothing beats the cozy charm and ambiance of a fireplace. Let the team at Rand Wade show you how easy and affordable it can be to install a gas fireplace. We service and install everything we sell, and we stand by our work. Contact us or stop by the showroom today!
