What is a direct-vent fireplace?
Direct-vent fireplaces are a great alternative to woodburning fireplaces. Direct-vent fireplaces us a double wall vent pipe that draws fresh air in from outsode through the outer wall of the pipe, then exhausts through the inner pipe. The venting is very versitile and can either be vented through the roof of your home or it can be vented out a side wall. They burn efficiently, but use a sealed glass panel on the front of the unit to create an efficient combustion chamber. When combined with a blower assembly a direct-vent fireplace can be up 88% efficient. Gas-burning direct-vent fireplaces are easier to operate than wood-burning fireplaces. You no longer have to buy, haul, chop, start and continually feed wood to the fire. The best part is you no loner have to worry about cleaning up ashes. With gas, you just turn on the fire with a knob, a switch or even a remote control. Or you can let a thermostat do the job.
Direct vent is a term used to describe a specifically designed fireplace that performs differently from the traditionally vented fireplace which use a chimney. This type of fireplace has a completely sealed combustion chamber which allows it to vent directly out a side wall of the home. One of the benefits of this type of design is that it must draw air necessary for combustion from the outside since the sealed combustion chamber does not allow air to be drawn in from around the fireplace. The co-axial vent system has the exhaust pipe within the air intake pipe which protects any surrounding combustible material from the high temperature of the flue gases as well as preheating the outside air prior to it being introduced to the combustion process.
While a traditional fireplace provides an open burning chamber that vents through a chimney, a direct vent fireplace does not require a chimney, and can vent horizontally out a sidewall or vertically to the roof. The direct vent fireplace also has a completely enclosed chamber that is highly efficient, drawing in air for combustion from the outside and expelling gasses to the outside as well. The front glass enclosure is porous, allowing radiant heat to pass into the room. The direct vent fireplace heats a room without robbing it of oxygen or of the heated air it is providing, while also keeping it free of fumes and combustible materials such as embers or ash. A direct vent fireplace can be a wonderful choice for rooms in which a traditional fireplace is not practical or possible. Aside from providing clean warmth and the cheery glow of real fire, a direct vent fireplace saves space by allowing furniture to be positioned directly to either side with “zero clearance.” This simply means
