Luxury Fireplaces and Outdoor Products

Gas Fireplaces

They offer a place to gather with family and friends. It remains the most popular choice for home improvements and adds significantly to the value of any home. Most new fireplaces are no longer traditional brick and mortar, but are engineered and pre-built by major manufacturers.

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Unlocking the Benefits of Installing an Indoor Gas Fireplace in Santa Rosa, California

What are the benefits of installing an indoor gas fireplace?

1. Gas Fireplaces are Incredibly Realistic

Installing an indoor gas fireplace in Santa Rosa, California can have a number of benefits. Gas fireplaces provide a realistic look and feel of traditional wood-burning fireplaces. They can be installed in any room, and come in a variety of styles to suit individual tastes, including traditional, linear and see-thru styles.

2. Gas Fireplaces are Low Maintenance

Gas fireplaces are known for their low maintenance requirements compared to wood burning fireplaces. Annual inspection and cleaning by a qualified technician is generally all that is needed to keep a gas fireplace in proper working order.

3. Gas Fireplaces are Energy Efficient

Gas fireplaces are energy efficient due to their ability to cleanly and efficiently burn most of the energy they consume. This results in a high rate of heat conversion, with around 70%+ efficiency, which is then used to effectively heat the room.

When looking at the efficiency of a gas fireplace, there are a few different measures that are typically cited by manufacturers.  The first is the AFUE, or Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency, which is a measure of how much of the fuel is actually converted to heat.  Thus the higher the AFUE rating, the more energy-efficient the appliance is and the more heat entering your home.

The Steady State efficiency measures how the gas is converted to heat once the unit has been heated up, while Thermal efficiency looks at the exterior temperature of the unit to give an idea of how efficient it is.

In the United States, there is currently no uniform test for gas appliances to accurately measure their efficiency.  However, in Canada, the Energuide Standard provides an easy way to compare the efficiency of different products by testing them in the same conditions.  This makes it easier to compare gas fireplace inserts side-by-side and make an informed decision when considering efficiency.  The Energuide Standard looks at not just the radiant heat of the appliance, but also the convective heat emissions to give an accurate measure of the appliance’s efficiency.  Higher efficiency equipment uses less energy and the savings realized from lower energy use will accumulate over the lifetime of the fireplace.  Likewise, using less energy reduces the amount of greenhouse gasses emitted into the atmosphere.

Fireplace X and Kozy Heat list all three efficiency ratings and Valor (a Canadian product) only lists the Energuide rating.  While it is important to consider the efficiency rating of each product, they are relatively close for each brand and model, and each highly rated.

4. A Gas Fireplace is Easy to Use

A gas fireplace is easy to use with its included remote; allowing adjustments to flame height and fan speed control for models equipped with a deluxe remote.

Gas fireplace remotes offer a range of functions that make it easy to control the heat output and height of the flame from the convenience of your sofa. Flame height adjustment allows you to customize the visual effect and heat output, ranging from 30 to 100 percent flame production.  Valor remotes additionally offer a timer function, allowing you to have your fireplace turn on before you get home from work or turn off after you’ve gone to bed.

5. A Gas Fireplace Will Still Work During a Power Outage

Each of our gas fireplaces will provide heat during a power outage, ensuring zone heating during the most challenging weather events.  While the fan and accent lights (if included) won’t be operational, your gas insert will provide radiant heat through the glass window and natural convection through the heat exchanger.  No Power?  No problem!

6. Gas Fireplaces Require Venting

Current gas fireplace models require direct venting.  Direct Vent refers to a sealed combustion system in which air for combustion is drawn from the outdoors, and waste combustion gasses are exhausted to the outdoors. The vent system is composed of two flues, the inner flue and the outer flue.  The outer flue draws air into the bottom of the sealed firebox to allow for combustion.  The inner flue draws hot exhaust gasses from the top of the sealed firebox and vents them directly to the outside of the structure through either an adjacent wall or through the roof.

Vent-free gas fireplaces are not legal in California for indoor use.  Vent-free gas fireplaces use the available oxygen in the home for combustion and release small amounts of nitrous dioxide and  carbon monoxide, resulting in poor air quality and potential health risks. Vent-free gas fireplaces also produce a high level of water vapor, increasing the humidity in the home and risk of mold growth.

7. Cost Savings on Utilities

Gas fireplaces are known to increase the efficiency of home heating and reduce energy bills through zone heating. Users can maintain a comfortable temperature in areas with fireplaces while keeping the central thermostat at a lower setting.

Gas fireplace provide a great source of supplemental heat for homesIt is unrealistic to expect a gas fireplace to heat an entire home, unless there is a very open floor plan and the square footage is less than 1000 square feet.  Other contributing factors include how well your home is sealed and insulated, the height of the ceilings and whether the windows are single or double pane.

However, gas fireplace are really effective zone heaters–delivering heat to your primary living area where you typically spend most of your time.  If there is a central forced air furnace in the home, the thermostat can be dialed back to a lower temperature setting– reducing the need to heat the whole house in order to be warm in one or two rooms.

Once the desired temperature has been achieved in the area heated by the gas fireplace, it is not necessary to continue to burn at full flame.  The gas flames can be manually turned down via the remote or controlled by the thermostat option on the remote for deluxe gas fireplace inserts made by Valor, Kozy Heat and Fireplace X.

Every Valor gas fireplace comes with a remote.  The Valor remote control lets you select and adjust your desired temperature. The fire automatically adjusts to maintain the temperature of the room, delivering just enough fuel to maintain your comfort level–kind of like cruise control for your fireplace. In addition, a time function can be set to turn your fireplace on or off at prescribed times.

Kozy Heat offers a thermostat function, flame height modulation, and fan speed modulation with their Komfort Kontrol Remote.

Fireplace X deluxe gas fireplaces feature the patented GreenSmart System, a muti-function, wireless thermostat remote control that adjusts flame height, accent lights, and fan speed.  This proprietary system provides an elegant, greener, and smarter way to heat your home.

8. Safety

We always recommend that a knowledgeable, qualified fireplace specialist should install your fireplace.  This will ensure that the manufacturer’s specifications relating to framing, venting and proper surface materials are followed. An accessible gas shut-off valve should always be installed near the fireplace.

9. Gas Fireplace Warranty

Gas fireplaces are covered by Limited Lifetime warranties, which vary depending on the manufacturer. Most warranties cover the cost of parts and labor to repair or replace defective components for anywhere from 1-10 years.  Generally, the manufacturer requires that gas fireplaces be professionally installed in order to activate the warranty. This is because improper installation can lead to safety issues, reduced efficiency or performance, and damage to the insert..

10. Added Ambiance and Style

Installing a gas fireplace in Santa Rosa adds ambiance and style to any space. The On Fire team specializes in helping you create the fireplace of your dreams. Gas fireplaces, customized to suit your style, create the illusion of real wood fires or, alternatively, sophisticated contemporary media such as glass or rocks may be chosen in lieu of logs. You will love the convenience of a cozy fire with gorgeous flickering flames and radiant heat at the touch of a button.

11. Enjoyment and Relaxation

Your new fireplace or insert will be the heart of your home, transforming previously chilly, uncomfortable, or unattractive rooms into cozy, stylish spaces for gathering with friends and family or relaxing on your own.