I want to buy a gas fireplace but can’t vent it out of my roof, should I still buy one?

Q:

I want to buy a gas fireplace but can’t vent it out of my roof, should I still buy one?

A:

With gas fireplaces venting is always a concern and needs to be considered before you buy any type of gas fireplace. There are many different options for venting gas fireplaces that do not require you to go out through the roof.

One of the simplest and easy ways to vent a gas fireplace is called direct vent. This is a venting system that vents the gas emissions from the fireplace through the wall to the outside. This does require you to place your gas fireplace on an outside wall so the piping can go directly through it.

Another option is called a powered vent. This is a system that uses an electric fan to push the gas emissions through the piping and outside. The great thing about this system is that you can run up to 50 ft of piping before having to exhaust the emissions outside of the house. This can allow you to run through floor joist or into the basement or the crawl space as long as you end up outside at the end of the pipe run. The downside to this system is that it is an expensive option and some fireplaces do not have it. This option will limit your options on the style and make of the gas fireplace that you have to choose from.

Those are the two most common venting options when you don’t want to penetrate through the roof.

One of the best things that you can do is find yourself a mechanical contractor that will supply and install it for you. To install a gas fireplace you will need at a minimum a licensed professional gas fitter to install it. They can recommend when you show them the spot that you want to place the fireplace what type of fireplace you will need and what model would work best for that application.

I recommend that you also find someone that is qualified to build the surround for it; each fireplace has a unique set of specifications on how the framing is suppose to be constructed. This is to reduce the risk of a fire.

 A gas fireplace has to legally pass a municipal framing inspection along with a gas inspection before it can be turned on.

Rob Abbott
Operations Manager
Village Builders Inc.