Vent Free Gas Fireplaces

Vent Free Gas Fireplaces

Thirty four vent free gas fireplaces from Monessen, $949 to $4,859. Vent free means no chimney and no flue: the unit burns clean enough to exhaust into the room, which makes a fireplace possible in spaces where running a vent is not.

How vent free differs

A vented fireplace sends its exhaust outside and takes a large share of the heat with it. A vent free unit keeps nearly all of that heat in the room, which is why they are rated so highly for supplemental heating and why the BTU figure on the box translates more directly into warmth. The trade off is that combustion products stay inside, so these units are built to burn very cleanly and are fitted with an oxygen depletion sensor that shuts the fireplace down if room oxygen falls. Every model publishes its BTU rating.

Check your local code first

This is the part to settle before you order rather than after. Vent free appliances are restricted or prohibited in some jurisdictions, and several codes disallow them in bedrooms and bathrooms regardless. Room volume minimums also apply, because the unit needs enough air to burn cleanly. None of this is unusual or alarming, but it is specific to where you live, and a fireplace that cannot legally be installed is an expensive return. Confirm with your local building department or installer first.

Fireboxes, log sets and controls

Monessen builds these modularly, so the firebox and the log set are specified separately and the same opening can be finished several ways. Log sets are refractory, cast from real wood and hand painted. Several models offer remote control, and some add a blower to push warm air further into the room. Fire glass is available on the more contemporary models in place of logs. Fuel is a separate SKU, so confirm natural gas or propane before ordering. Free freight to the lower 48.