With so many choices available, it can be extremely confusing to attempt to select a gas fireplace for your home. However, the direct vent gas stove is one of the more popular choices and there are several reasons why. By breaking down the advantages of this particular style of gas stove, you can determine whether it’s the right choice for your project as well.
There are three standard venting options for a gas fireplace stove. The direct vent mentioned above, the natural vent and the vent free models. One of the main advantages of the direct vent gas stove is the fact that the entire heating process is self contained. Both combustion air and venting spent fuel is accomplished through its own pipe. The only thing that is released into the environment of the home is the heat itself. The entire process is regulated and burning is much more efficient with this system. A natural vent system uses the home’s air for the combustion process and draws the spent fuel exhaust up through a more traditional chimney. This is harder to regulate and using the home’s air can rob other systems, such as a furnace of the air that they need. A non vented fireplace actually exhausts into the home environment. While the waste is minimal, there is still a high potential for carbon monoxide contamination if the safety features fail, so caution should always be exercised.
There is a few reasons that a direct vent gas stove may not be right for your particular situation. Because this type of fireplace has its own venting system, if you are dealing with an existing home, it may be prohibitive in both time and cost to prepare your home for a direct vent system. In this case, a natural vent fireplace may be used that can take advantage of any existing chimney system. Renters who wish to add the ambiance of a fireplace to their home may select a vent free model that can be easily moved if they change residences. Again, always make sure that it is installed per code requirements and all safety features are active.
Most homeowners that install a gas fireplace want a permanent solution that will be energy efficient. For this reason, the direct vent gas stove is definitely the most popular choice when it comes to this part of the building process.