If you do not live on a golf course, have a lakefront lot, back up to the mountains or
rivers, then backyard landscaping, fountains and pools can play a major roll in offering a
relaxing get away from the stress of the world.
For years builders used the standard house plan with a fireplace on the
back wall of the family room wall with windows on each side of the fireplace. Not much of
a view as the conventional fireplace takes up the majority of wall space all the way to
the ceiling. Now with fireplace technology changing we can have both. A state of the art
fireplace without the required flue liners can now be vented straight out the back of the
firebox. You can now have a window over the fireplace and enjoy both the fireplace and the
views.
This new direct-vent fireplace only requires a small exhaust vent at
the back of the unit behind the firebox, eliminating the need for an exterior chimney. You
will never need a professional chimney sweep to clean the flue liners again. Oh, you
didn’t know you were supposed to clean a wood burning fireplace? If you have burned
two cords of wood you should have a professional chimney sweep clean your fireplace to
protect your home from a potential fire. Carbon monoxide concerns are eliminated because
direct-vent fireplaces are a closed box system with glass doors sealing the unit off from
the inside of your home.
The negatives regarding the direct-vent fireplaces; you can not burn
real wood and don’t get the feel or the smell of a large fire you once had with real
wood. You have to be careful with the exhaust vent. The exhaust vent outside your home
gets hot; this area needs to be protected from children getting too close to the vent
while your unit is burning.
There are several direct-vent fireplace manufacturers to chose from,
Heat & Glow, Majestic, and Heatolator and the like. Most direct-vent fireplaces even
have a remote control switch where you can light your gas logs while sitting in a chair.
Prices can range from $900.00 to $1,200.00 for the fireplace units only.
If you’re a do-it-yourselfer and you have always wanted to add a
fireplace to one of your rooms, this is your answer. Thinking about adding a fireplace to
the master bedroom? Easily done with the direct-vent fireplace compared to the flue-type
conventional brick fireplaces. Keep in mind you will need to install a gas or propane line
to the firebox.
I’m really not sold on of the type fireplaces that don’t
require an air-vent to the outside, like the vent-less type of fireplaces. The vent-less
seem to work well just like the old gas wall heaters in the 50’s. However, today our
homes are built much tighter than homes in the 50’s and carbon monoxide is always a
concern. Speaking of carbon monoxide, invest in a good carbon monoxide detector and place
one in each bedroom. It could save a life.
