Does Propane Fireplace Need Chimney

According to the chimney safety institute of america csia some of the new gas fireplaces still recommend or require an annual chimney cleaning.

Does propane fireplace need chimney.

Vented gas fireplaces are not as flexible as ventless gas fireplaces in order to install a vented gas fireplace you must use a chimney or an exterior wall. This is so that it can both take in air from the outside and then vent out the by products from the flames inside the fire box. When possible an existing chimney is used to run a new flue but. Ventless fireplaces are standalone structures that function off natural gas propane alcohol based gels or electricity but do not require a vent or open chimney flue to heat a room like.

Ventless gas fireplaces produce enough heat that they could conceivably serve as a secondary heat source for a small space. Appliances fueled by natural gas or propane may not produce the visible soot that appliances burning other fuels do but they can deposit corrosive substances in your chimney. No you don t need a masonry chimney but for your most efficient gas units you will need a venting system though it does not always require venting through your roof. You will need run a gas line to the new fireplace location and in some cases electricity if you want ambient lighting and or a blower which costs additional time and money to set up.

In many cases these acids may wreak havoc on your chimney without producing any external symptoms until the problem has become dangerous or expensive to repair. Some are yellow flame or blue flame. Some require venting systems and some don t. Gas fireplace chimneys need to remain open so that carbon monoxide can escape.

Not all gas fireplaces are created equal. Ventless fireplaces require no flues or chimneys. The term unvented ventless or vent free is applied to hearth appliances that burn gas natural gas or propane and do not require any kind of chimney or vent system. With wood burnign fireplaces you know quickly if the chimney is not open because of smoke in the house.

Since there is no venting all of the warmth generated from the fire stays in the room where it is installed. This allows them to be placed pretty much anywhere within a home except bedrooms and bathrooms. Traditional gas fireplaces like their wood burning cousins require an exhaust flue vent to remove harmful fumes from the home. This terminology is also used to describe other niche type fireplaces such as electric and ethanol models.

Plus it limits the number of penetrations into the home which is valuable for saving energy. Some are fueled by natural gas or propane gas. Gas fireplaces however produce carbon monoxide which you cannot see or smell.