These 5 gas fireplace installation tips will help you pay attention to the details that matter. Resist the urge to order a fireplace online. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should! A fireplace is not a product that should be ordered online. The following guidelines will help you understand the importance of knowing the process and using the resources provided by the manufacturers to ensure a safe and effective installation.
Fireplace dealers and manufacturers work as a team to ensure your safety and well-being. Ordering a fireplace online leaves you open to potential hazards. Here are some reasons to drive to the showroom and talk to a human.
- A fireplace needs to be serviced by a professional and if it has not been installed by a reputable dealer, finding service will be difficult. You might end up with the handyman down the street and who knows what he knows.
- Reputable manufacturers use dealers because they know their products, keep up with changes in the industry, and are available to help the consumer. This is valuable knowledge and talent that you don't get online.
- The warranty of your fireplace will not be honored if it isn't installed by a dealer.
So now that you have ordered the fireplace from the local dealer, here are a few tips to remember when it comes to the fireplace installation.
- Know how you will vent your fireplace. Most reputable dealers will install the unit but it is a good idea to consult the manual for information on the venting requirements. A properly vented fireplace will be safe and will operate according to the testing standards. If you are using your own contractor or carpenter for other aspects of your remodel, make sure to share this information with them and the licensed heating and cooling technicians on the job. Here are some notes from the venting page in the Element 4 Bidore 95 manual.
CONFIGURING THE VENTING
The fireplaces in this manual are direct vent fireplaces that use a co-axial or “pipe within a pipe” venting system. The outer “pipe” or vent conducts fresh, outside air into the fireplace and the inner vent carries the exhaust outside. This system, which can run either horizontally through a side wall or vertically through the roof, produces an efficient system because conditioned building air is not used for combustion.
- Know where your gas line is and who will bring it to the fireplace. It seems like an obvious thing but sometimes this detail is missed. Some construction teams prefer to do this step themselves and when the fireplace installers arrive on the scene, the gas line is in the wrong location. Again, these details are in the fireplace manual on a page that looks like this. See Page marked Gas and Electric in the manual.
- Know if your fireplace requires electricity to run. This is another bit of information that is in your manual and your dealer will specify this requirement at the time of the sale. If the fireplace needs electricity, and you are managing the installation yourself, you will need to line up an electrician. Again, the dealer will have an electrician who is familiar with the fireplace so it's much easier to have the dealer install the electricity.
- What are the framing dimensions? The framing dimensions are the specifications of the framing that goes around the fireplace to form the wall. The image below shows an Element4 Bidore 95 being framed in our showroom. The instructions for framing can be found on page 8-13 in the manual. Click here to see page 8-13 in the manual.
- Know the required distances to combustible materials for mantel, hearth, and facing materials. You will need to know which of your materials is combustible. Anything containing wood or paper products should not be used within the minimum distance to combustibles listed in the manual. These instructions for the Bidore 95 are found in the manual linked here.
There are new non-combustible materials that make it safer, faster, and easier to construct your framing. Skamotec 225 building board is the best product we have found. This product allows you to prep the wall for paint and finish the wall without the need for stone or brick because the wallboard will not crack as some cement building boards can. See our page on Skamotec 225.
Below is the fireplace completed in our showroom.
Congratulations! Now you know the 5 most important details that you should pay attention to in order to ensure a safe and well-functioning fireplace.
If you would like more information, visit our other blogs or contact us in the showroom.
