Fireplace advice appreciated

[CurlyDave]

In many ways, you get what you pay for.

I have seen really nice fake fireplaces, and I have seen some really awful ones.

You just have to keep looking.

 

[texasjohn]

Here's what you tell Steph.... it'll cost less and achieve exactly the look and feel that you want.... build the fireplace.. fake... no chimney or anything... you save money that way... mount a 60 to 70 inch TV where the fire would be... now you can use the TV for the ambiance... select the level of fire and light output desired for the mood..... DVD's should provide this....

this way, you keep the fire OUTSIDE where it is safer for the house and insurance... and the ambiance inside...BUGS, bark, etc stay outside as well.... we won't even discuss how much less trouble it is to NOT have to bring wood in.... AND you can now afford the very biggest and manliest TV that can be had... The latest HDTV's have a narrow frame... so the fireplace surround becomes the frame for the TV...

If you wait for Thanksgiving, you can, like I did the day after last thanksgiving, go to Fry's Electronics EARLY in the morning and get one of their specials... I got a Toshiba 63" HDTV for $1000.... this year, larger should be same price

 

[EddieWalker]

I don't think we'll do the TV in the fireplace thing, but it is kid of funny joking about it. We're both pretty conservative and traditional on thse things, and that might be the biggest hold back to making a fake fireplace then anything else.

My thought was to build a brick firebox, but only the bottom and sides. The top would be framed in wood to seal it off outside of the house. Then the brick would be painted black and a iron wood rack would be used to hold a few real logs. Then a iron screen of some kind would sit in front of the opening so that it would look absolutely real.

No flue or any way for anything to get in or out through it, just that brick fire box. In fact, while typeing this, I wonder why I would even need real brick? Maybe those fake vineer bricks that are about half an inch thich and go on like tile. Then paint them black for the same look.

The wall would have rock on it and we'd put in a heavy, oak mantel. Maybe three mantels at different heights. Then the flat screen TV would sit on top of the cener mantel.

I'm agreeing with Rox in her earlier post that bringing rock all the way up the wall to simulate a chimeney might be too much.

Obviously, we're still all over the place on this. Not sure what we'll decide on, but it's been interesting to consider the options.

Thank you,
Eddie

 

[EddieWalker]

OK, looks like I got it wrong. Steph told me this morning that she wants a flame in the fireplce. No fake or pretend fireplaces. She wants fire and she wants it to put out heat. OOOPS

This brings me back to propane. I like this idea the best right now. It's the most affordable, gives us the look ( SHE ) wants, and we can control the heat.

There seems to be three types of propane fireplaces. Direct Vent. B-Vent. Vent-Free.

Anybody have a thought on what the advantages or disadvantages are to each? How does a vent free fireplace work? Is that even an option?

Thank you.

Eddie

 

[Blackbird_BX]

Direct-vented products use either co linear or coaxial venting. In either case one part of the system is the exhaust and the other is the intake. The unit itself is a sealed combustion system and no air from the house is involved and no way for cold air to enter the house through the fireplace. The fire is behind a glass window. They can be very efficient. The vents can go either through a sidewall or through the roof, with no need for a chimney. If I was going with gas, this would be my choice.

In B-vent the units are more like an old fashioned gas log fireplace which pulls air from the room. If there is a negative pressure in the room relative to the outside air pressure, when the unit is not in use, it could potentially be a source of cold air "pneumonia hole" in the room. They require a chimney through the roof.

Vent-free or "no-vent" fireplaces, made by several manufacturers, have an oxygen depletion sensor to shut off the gas if the oxygen level ever drops below a preset level. In addition, their burners produce only very low levels of carbon monoxide. Because all of their heat is recirculated into the room, these have very high efficiency ratings. On the downside, they have a much smaller and less realistic fire than other fireplaces. Also, product directions usually require you to leave a window slightly open during use

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Build the real thing, you never have to buy wood, you don't have 6 month winters. Cutting and splitting wood will keep you young, until your old. There is nothing quite like a real wood fire. If you want more efficient, then go with a wood burning stove of some sort. But whatever you do, FORGET about the fake junk.

Good luck with your final decision.

 

[EddieWalker]

Walt,

Thank you for the explination. It makes perfect sense and I agree with your reasoning on choosing the Direct Vent models.

Eddie

 

[Highbeam]

If going gas I absolutely would go direct vent. You don't want to spew the exhaust of a petroleum burning product into your home as with a vent-free. Water vapor, carbon monoxide, less oxygen, etc. My truck has clean exhaust too but I don't want it in my home.

I have owned a direct vent gas fireplace that was not heater rated and so didn't heat us out of the room but did have a flame. It was a decorative fireplace. The gas flame is very consistent and IMO fake all by itself. You might as well just burn a candle. No snap crackle pop, no burn cycle of bright flame to dwindling coals, no aroma.

Another option that I've been considering is a freestanding stove designed to be operated either with closed doors as an airtight heater or with a metal screen to provide ambiance. Quadrafire makes two of these that both vent through a standard 6" flue. The heat output will be greatly reduced when burning with open doors.

To summarize: When I had a gas fireplace with a TV beside it I watched TV. I now have a wood burning stove with a TV beside it and I watch the fire. Gas is boring but better than nothing if it is ambiance you're after.

 

[txdon]

Eddie, highbeam makes some good points. I have had a regular wood burning fireplace, a gas logs fireplace and now the wood burning stove. Look how long it took Steph to go from the total fake FP to the one with an actual flame, and heat, next it will be the sound, then the aroma, then the full cycle of roaring fire to soft glowing coals...... The older you get the more options you want. But you are still young, my first car had few options.....