fireplace guide

Our selection of gas fireplaces at CampbellCare Heating & Air can add heat and comfort to any room in your house. With over 32 years of experience installing and servicing fireplaces, it’s easy to see why we’re a trusted name in the Lower Mainland.

Fireplaces can be a great source of warmth during the winter. But if not properly maintained or insulated, they can lead to a significant amount of heat loss. It’s important to understand how your fireplace can benefit your home heating needs. First we’ll need to understand the materials and installation methods that go into a properly working fireplace.

HOME INSULATION AND FIREPLACE EFFICIENCY

Before we cover specific information about your fireplace it’s important to gain a basic understanding of why your fireplace can be so beneficial to your home heating needs. When choosing a fireplace, the size of the room has to be taken into consideration. If the room is too large for the unit, efficiency will be reduced.

Another factor to consider is air flow for the fireplace. Gas fireplaces are vented to the outdoors and this can cause a problem with newer homes that have tight insulation or mechanical ventilation.

On the other hand, older homes with poor insulation and windows will need considerably more heat from the fireplace to keep the temperature optimal. Homes with higher R-value insulation and triple glazed windows usually keep heat better so a gas fireplace doesn’t have to operate as hard when compared to ones installed in older draughty homes.

As far as ventilation goes, there are three different methods used to vent gas fireplaces:

Gravity vented which draws air from the room and vents outside as it rises
Direct vented feature a sealed design that doesn’t use air from the room and is installed on any outside wall
Power vented designs are used when direct or gravity venting is impractical, usually because the distance for the combusted gases to travel is too far

CHOICE OF FIREPLACE MATTERS

They type of gas fireplace you install in your home has a big impact on the potential for effective heating any given living space. When a new unit is installed or an old fireplace is retrofitted, proper materials and design choices need to be used.

• Inserts are ideal for people who want to retrofit a wood-burning firebox with something more convenient and efficient. The space they fit in must be set up to adequately transfer heat and not lose any through vents or via walls.
• Built-ins are for those who want a fireplace where there isn’t one now. Again, insulating the surrounding area and choosing tempered glass will give dividends in efficient heating.
• Log sets basic burners that sit in existing, open fireplaces and are usually more for looks than warmth.

EFFICIENCY AS THE WHOLE PACKAGE

When choosing a gas fireplace, different options are available that can yield more heat output. The use of ceramic glass on higher-end models will insulate the heat better and radiate throughout the room. A direct vented unit is always going to be more energy efficient than a gravity-vented insert.

When making your decision, make sure to contact one of our sales staff members and explain to them your heating needs. The layout of your home and the size of the rooms that need to be heated are factors that will need to be considered before settling on a model. As always, we are here to guide you as needed- we will make sure you find the best fireplace for your needs and environment.