How to Vent a Gas Fireplace Without a Chimney

A fireplace is often on the must-have list for homebuyers and renters alike, but what if there’s no chimney? In our modern day and age, anything’s impossible. If there isn’t a solution out there already invented, there’s a good chance one’s about to be made. In the case of a nonexistent chimney and a desire to have a gas fireplace, all is not lost. There is a solution and it’s called a vent-free or ventless fireplace.

Types of Venting

When you understand how a traditional fireplace operates, you’ll get a better idea of how a ventless one works. There are a few different ways a fireplace vents, while most of them use a chimney, you’ll see just how a ventless one works without one.

Direct-Vent

It’s still essential to know the types of venting for a gas fireplace, even if your home cannot utilize them because it lacks a critical component. For a direct vent, that component is a chimney. A direct-vent system transfers the combustion byproducts, hazardous fumes, and pollutants produced by the fire from the fireplace and outward through the chimney. The byproducts are then dispersed outside and become a non-threat to you and your home. A direct vent is the safest way to rid the home of dangerous combustion fumes, but not all homes are equipped with the masonry of a chimney. Integrating a brand-new chimney into your home is an expensive project, one that requires professional contractors, their labor, the materials, and an overhaul of your home’s structure to include this feature. Fortunately, a direct vent isn’t the only way of venting gas, and there are ways to rid your home of fumes with a gas fireplace when you don’t have a chimney.

Natural Vent

With a natural vent system, you’re still using a similar method as direct venting. Also called a B-vent, a natural vent takes the dangerous fumes of a fireplace and pushes them outside the home through a chimney. If you don’t have a chimney, a natural vent system can also use a pipe venting system, which is typically installed through the roof. Here, you can get around having to use a brick and mortar chimney to rid the home of fumes and use a pipe system instead.

Vent-Free

The fact of the matter is that the easiest way to vent a gas fireplace without a chimney is to avoid venting in the first place and go vent-free. Vent-free fireplaces can be installed without the need for a chimney, piping system, or any external venting that spews the fumes outside of the home. With this ability, you can essentially install a vent-free fireplace anywhere in your home. It works by allowing the pollutants to actually remain in the room where the fireplace, the gas logs, or the stove is installed. Because the byproducts linger in the same room as the fireplace and for safety purposes, the hearth products are manufactured to burn clean. Modern vent-free fireplace manufacturers are held to strict safety standards and regulations, so these fireplaces are made with oxygen sensors that will automatically shut off the vent-free fireplace if the oxygen levels alert that the levels are unsafe in the room.

About a Ventless Fireplace

Vent-free fireplaces are powered by either gas or propane. If you don’t have a chimney, a ventless fireplace is your solution in being able to have a fire and not having to pay the extraordinary amount of money to remodel your house to outfit a chimney. A ventless fireplace just needs a gas or propane line to be installed, which is done by a professional gas or plumbing contractor.

Ensuring Your Safety

When vent-free fireplaces were first introduced on the market they weren’t as popular as they are now. The reason being is that the safety guidelines and regulations weren’t there to make homeowners feel safe about their purchase. Manufacturers didn’t have as much oversight on these products until there was enough data to push them towards stringent safety standards. Now, as mentioned before, these modern models have carbon monoxide monitors and oxygen level alert systems installed before they leave the factory. Still, when it comes to ventless fireplaces, the fumes will be in your home and not pushed outside, so you’ll want to consider taking extra precautions. Installing an additional carbon monoxide monitor in your home where your fireplace is can make for a good secondary safety system—just in case. A vent-free fireplace doesn’t mean a maintenance-free fireplace, either. You’ll absolutely need to get your fireplace checked regardless if it has a venting system or not. This is for your safety and to protect your home. All units require an annual cleaning of their log sets, components, and the gas or propane elements should have their monitors checked and adjusted. You can have a professional fireplace cleaning company inspect your ventless fireplace and you should do so annually.

Chimney Inspection and Cleaning

Before you start your chimney, you’ll want to get it inspected. Your chimney should go though proper inspection to ensure that it’s safe to use. From evaluating chimney flue liners to inspecting hidden areas, your chimney will be properly inspected so you won’t miss any maintenance requirements. Next, we clean out all the stains, mold and creosote so it will be safe to use. Contact us today!