The fireplace is a common meeting spot in the home - a place to sit and enjoy the warmth and glow of a fire with your family. The fireplace creates an ambiance which is hard to replicate elsewhere in the home. It has evolved throughout the years, from days where a fireplace was used to cook the family meals and being a heat source for the room or home. In modern homes, it’s primarily used to create a warm and relaxing atmosphere.
If staring into the open flame of fire is something you’d like to keep doing in your home, but have limitations for wood burning fires, such as asthma, allergies or other respiratory issues or you’d prefer a cleaner way to enjoy a roaring fire, a gas fireplace is a great all-in-one solution. Gas fireplaces make having a fire in the hearth very easy to operate and maintain. Just a flip of the switch on the remote and you’ve got instant ambiance!
Is your masonry chimney in good working order?
A house fire can be caused by faulty chimneys. The National Fire Protection Association recommends having your chimney inspected annually by a Certified Chimney Sweep. They will do an evaluation of the chimney, making sure there is not any erosion due to energy efficient gas appliances. Natural gas and propane produce an invisible soot that contains acid which will deteriorate the interior of the chimney. If it’s not caught early, it could be very difficult to repair and potentially very dangerous.
Draft is also measured during the inspection. According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America, “Inadequate draft can reduce the efficiency and safety of the appliance. Complete combustion requires oxygen – combustion of one cubic foot of natural gas requires more than 10 cubic feet of air to provide sufficient oxygen. Adequate draft ensures that enough air is pulled into the appliance for complete combustion."
A plumbing and heating contractor will be another professional needed for the installation of the gas fireplace. I’m sure it goes without saying, you’ll need either natural gas or propane lines in your home in addition to an electric duplex receptacle inside the fireplace. The technician will fit the chimney flue for intake and exhaust liners, weatherproof caps on the termination fittings, a chimney cap will be placed in the furnace flue, all being sealed in tight with a high-temperature silicone sealant.
Don’t forget! A CO2 detector should be present in any home using gas powered appliances.
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