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Prefabricated Fireplaces
Gas-fueled systems
Gas-fueled fireplaces offer energy efficiency and a clean burn, and they make it easy to enjoy a fire -- all you have to do is turn them on. You can even do that by using a wall switch or a remote control. Thermostats and programmable controls make it a cinch to adjust the heat, the duration, and even the look of a fire.
Many gas fireplaces are so efficient that they are rated as furnaces and can even be used as a primary home heat source. Some manufacturers offer a duct system that carries heat from the fireplace to other rooms; check to find out if this is allowed where you live.
Most gas fireplaces can use propane; if that’s the option available to you, check with your dealer to make sure the fireplace you want will work with propane fuel.
The firebox itself is usually lined with refractory material that’s a masonry look-alike. Dancing, random-seeming flames burn gas emitted through tiny holes in natural-looking ceramic "logs" piled picturesquely in a fire grate. Some gas-fired units feature burners that look like glowing coals -- a great choice for a Victorian-style home with a fireplace that replicates an old coal-burning hearth.
Many gas fireplaces are direct-vent; they have a sealed combustion chamber. Combustion air is drawn in from outside, and combustion by-products are vented outside through a pipe out the top or the back of the fireplace. This is the only type approved for use in bedrooms. Other gas prefabs are B-vent: they draw in air from the room and vent out combustion by-products, so they must be vented vertically.
Vent-free gas fireplaces require no chimney or vent at all; an oxygen-depletion sensor switch shuts off the fireplace if oxygen falls below safe levels. Their burners also reduce carbon monoxide during combustion. But some health experts advise against using these fireplaces, especially if the house is particularly airtight or if someone in the household has allergies. Several states do not allow their use at all.
Electric fireplaces
The newest and fastest-growing category of fireplaces, electric prefabs can be installed in an existing masonry fireplace or as an all-new system. And, of course, they require no venting.
Although they don’t give you the satisfaction of a real fire, new technology has resulted in randomized filtered lighting that simulates glowing logs and flame patterns far more realistically than past attempts. They do produce real heat (though some operate without heat, strictly for show), and you can install them anywhere there’s a 120-volt outlet. Most feature a built-in thermostat. Options may include a fan for heat distribution, an air filtration kit, a heatless setting, and a remote control.
Gas-fueled fireplaces offer energy efficiency and a clean burn, and they make it easy to enjoy a fire -- all you have to do is turn them on. You can even do that by using a wall switch or a remote control. Thermostats and programmable controls make it a cinch to adjust the heat, the duration, and even the look of a fire.
Many gas fireplaces are so efficient that they are rated as furnaces and can even be used as a primary home heat source. Some manufacturers offer a duct system that carries heat from the fireplace to other rooms; check to find out if this is allowed where you live.
Most gas fireplaces can use propane; if that’s the option available to you, check with your dealer to make sure the fireplace you want will work with propane fuel.
The firebox itself is usually lined with refractory material that’s a masonry look-alike. Dancing, random-seeming flames burn gas emitted through tiny holes in natural-looking ceramic "logs" piled picturesquely in a fire grate. Some gas-fired units feature burners that look like glowing coals -- a great choice for a Victorian-style home with a fireplace that replicates an old coal-burning hearth.
Many gas fireplaces are direct-vent; they have a sealed combustion chamber. Combustion air is drawn in from outside, and combustion by-products are vented outside through a pipe out the top or the back of the fireplace. This is the only type approved for use in bedrooms. Other gas prefabs are B-vent: they draw in air from the room and vent out combustion by-products, so they must be vented vertically.
Vent-free gas fireplaces require no chimney or vent at all; an oxygen-depletion sensor switch shuts off the fireplace if oxygen falls below safe levels. Their burners also reduce carbon monoxide during combustion. But some health experts advise against using these fireplaces, especially if the house is particularly airtight or if someone in the household has allergies. Several states do not allow their use at all.
Electric fireplaces
The newest and fastest-growing category of fireplaces, electric prefabs can be installed in an existing masonry fireplace or as an all-new system. And, of course, they require no venting.
Although they don’t give you the satisfaction of a real fire, new technology has resulted in randomized filtered lighting that simulates glowing logs and flame patterns far more realistically than past attempts. They do produce real heat (though some operate without heat, strictly for show), and you can install them anywhere there’s a 120-volt outlet. Most feature a built-in thermostat. Options may include a fan for heat distribution, an air filtration kit, a heatless setting, and a remote control.
