Everything You Need to Know About Ventless Fireplaces
You might have heard people talking about ventless fireplaces and wondered what they are. How do they work? Why would you get one? What even are they?
Ventless fireplaces are quite simply a fireplace that doesn’t need a flue or a chimney. This means they are quite different from the traditional open fires which have to use systems to take the smoke outside and need to be maintained regularly.
They are usually powered by gas, alcohol based gels like ethanol or electricity.
We’ve put together a guide telling you everything you need to know if you’re thinking about investing in a ventless fireplace for your home.
There are different types
Ventless fireplaces don’t need a chimney and this means you’re not restricted to where you put them. They can be quickly and cheaply installed into any room with minimum hassle.
A gas powered fireplace will need to be set up near the gas supply which means it generally has to be set against a wall or even put into a fireplace which was run on coal and wood. Some models even have a built in ignition system which means they don’t need an electricity supply to switch on.
If you’re looking for something a bit more flexible you can go for a fireplace fuelled by bioethanol. This energy source means you only have to light your fire with a match and the fuel will burn very cleanly – emitting only as much carbon dioxide as three candles. For this reason, these fireplaces can be freestanding and set in the middle of a room or even on a table.
For an electrical fireplace, you just need to have a plug socket nearby. This could mean running a wire under floorboards if you want your fire in the middle of a room.
How easy are they to install?
Because you don’t need a chimney, ventless fireplaces are the easiest to install. With a bioethanol or electric unit you can simply set them up and they’re ready to go.
A gas unit is slightly different because it will need to be connected to the main gas supply. This should always be done by a qualified gas engineer.
All units will need some degree of cleaning and maintenance but the everyday routine of shovelling up ashes from a wood and coal fire will be a thing of the past as will expensive chimney cleaning and maintenance.
Are they cheap?
Depending on the fuel source, a ventless fire can be a very cheap addition to your home. Gas fuelled fires will cost around $2,000 to $6,000 if you include the cost of employing an engineer to come and install it.
An electric unit will set you back around $1,000 but the cheapest option is bioethanol which cost around $700 for the top model. They also don’t require professional installation as the setup instructions are usually clear and easy to follow.
- Candace Osmond
