A direct vent fireplace is a heating option to consider if you are looking for a healthy and efficent heating source. You may be wondering how a direct vent gas fireplace differs from your standard fireplace or from a free standing fireplace. Well, in general this particular kind of fireplace is constructed of prefabricated metal and vents all the gasses including odors and moisture that are produced directly outside. Unlike other fireplaces, the one’s with a direct vent ensure that the air quality within the home is not contanminated with the gasses from combusion. Moreover, these kinds of fireplaces do not requred an additional foundation for installation.
Efficiency
As previously mentioned, one of the major benefits of a direct vent gas fireplace is there efficiency. In fact, the direct vent construction makes these kinds of fireplaces about 85% efficient verse traditional or standard fireplace that are about 15% efficient. Typically, a standard fireplace has a lower level of efficiency because the design allows for hot air in the room to also be expelled. The sealed firebox that essentially creates the direct vent design ensures that only combustion gasses are expelled not any hot air from the room. Nonetheless, when selecting a particular direct vent gas fireplace model, make sure you choose a model that meets your price range as well as your needs, as some models may be more decorative than functional.
Operation
Operation of these particular kinds of fireplace units is fairly simple and easy—turn on the gas and ignite the fireplace burners. During operation the combustion gasses build up within the firebox and are eventually funneled out by the inner flue.
Another Advantage
Another reason to consider a fireplace with a direct vent design is because of the actual space in which you wish to use a fireplace. In other words, if your home is small or the space you wish to have a fireplace in is tight, then you should look into a direct vent fireplace. This kind of fireplace in a small space will provided you with the idea amount of heat without being overbearing in a tight space.