GAS FIREPLACE INSERTS

Gas fireplace inserts are normally controlled via a simple Remote Control, which provides several functions:

• Turns the gas fireplace insert on & off
• Raises & Lowers the flame’s height
• Turns the 5-speed blower on or off or multiple speeds, more on this later
• Thermostat – This optional mode can be activated to allow you to set a target temperature for the room

Gas inserts must fit into your existing firebox. Therefore, the dimensions of your existing fireplace are very important in choosing the correct fireplace insert. Fill out this form to measure your existing fireplace, and also please snap a few pictures of it both up close, looking up and also down, and from a distance, so we can see the fireplace floor to ceiling, so we can better assist you with identifying what you have and how best to get the right solution for your specific situation.

Since the Fireplace Insert ‘inserts’ into your existing fireplace, every manufacturer’s inset will have a faceplate as a required part of it. Some manufacturer’s faceplates are very attractive, some not as much. We here at Villa Terrazza are big fans of Regency Fireplace products – they happen to have a wide variety of attractive faceplates for their inserts.

Gas inserts require a gas line to be run to them. Frequently, your gas fireplace already has a gas line going to it – you’ll know if you see a gas key, ‘Dante’ valve nearby on the side of the fireplace or on the floor in front of it, or a pipe inside your firebox which may or may not be capped off. If there is no gas line to the firebox, its normally a pretty straightforward project to run one to it. Plumbing contractors have special drills that easily drill a small hole through the firebox and side or rear of the fireplace to get a pipe inside. If the house has a crawl space or other access to the route of the gas line, a flexible gas line can be readily run to the gas source – be it an existing gas line or the gas meter, or LP tank for propane systems.

Since we are also in the business of outdoor living, we normally recommend while a gas line is being run, why not stub a ‘Tee’ into it and run a gas line to the patio for a fire pit, BBQ, or a heater? It should be noted that one can’t always simply connect up the fireplace to the closest gas line. BTU capacity of the existing gas line must be calculated, and there needs to be sufficient capacity for the new appliance’s BTU load. BTU capacity in a gas line is dependent on a variety of factors – size– diameter of the gas line, ½”, ¾”, 1”, etc., and length of the gas lines.

Gas inserts typically have some type of blower – a circulating fan that helps them move warm air into the room. In Regency gas fireplace inserts, the insert has a double-wall construction, and air from the room naturally flows into a gap below the fireplace box, wraps around the unit past a heat exchanger, and out a small gap at the top of the unit. The 5-speed blower increases this apparent airflow. On the lower speeds, you can’t even hear the blower – Regency blowers are among the quietest of all the manufacturers.

Gas inserts typically provide control of the flame height and therefore heat output. If the room is getting warm enough but you still want the ambiance the fireplace provides, the flame can be ‘turned down’ via the remote control.

Most Regency Gas Fireplace Inserts come with a remote control that has two thermostat functions you can use if desired. The first one is what we like to call ‘Dumb Mode’ – you set a temperature, say 70° and when the room reaches 70° the fire turns off. Our favorite one is ‘Smart Mode’ – in this mode you set the desired temperature – again, let’s say 70°. At about 66°, the fireplace flame height turns down so not as much heat comes out, and you can enjoy the ambiance of the fire for longer. Again, when the room reaches the desired temperature 70° in our example, the gas fireplace insert’s flame will turn off.

By law, gas fireplace inserts must be removable – therefore they cannot be closed in with fireplace surround material, such as tile, brick or stone. What goes in must be able to come out again! For this reason, all their utility and flue connections are flexible. The gas and electrical connection are via flexible lines. The flue system is also flexible and typically detaches from the top of the gas fireplace insert via a simple sliding bracket. Therefore, it’s a simple matter to remove the gas fireplace insert if necessary – say to change the fireplace surround or other renovation.

Typically, if there is already a gas line in the firebox and no special work is needed on the Surround or the chimney, it is about a half-day’s work to install a new gas insert from start to finish. Its always a good idea for the chimney to be swept before the installation – so when the flue liners are dropped down, no soot is kicked up into the home.