WHAT ARE FACTORY BUILT FIREPLACE?

Flue, What Is It?

Flue: Most people say to me, “Will you close the flue once you complete the cleaning process?” What they are really asking me to do is to close the damper.

So what is the definition of the word flue? The Chimney Safety Institute of America defines this word as, “The passage in a chimney for conveying flue gases to the outside atmosphere.”

And Webster’s Dictionary defines this word as, “A channel or pipe in a chimney for carrying flame and smoke to the outer air.”

The inside of your chimney may contain one or more flues. It depends upon the number of fireplaces or gas appliances are in the home.

WHAT ARE FACTORY BUILT FIREPLACE?

This is a fireplace and chimney system that was manufactured in a factory (as the name implies) out of metal. It is a modular system of component parts that was brought to a job site and installed once the wood framing for the house was in place. It has a firebox lined with refractory panels, with a damper at the top of the firebox and lengths of double or triple-walled

chimney place on top to form a complete fireplace and chimney system. The chimney above the roofline may be enclosed by a wooden chase.

It has many slang names (which I refuse to use) but some of you may know this fireplace as a Z-Can, ZC, Zero Clearance fireplace (which is a misnomer) as clearances to combustibles are required. I’ve heard some people refer to it as an insert, which is totally incorrect.

INSERTS, WHAT ARE THEY?

Inserts are either gas or wood burning, could be pellet but we see very few of these in the Bay Area. They are a highly engineered metal box, fabricated in a factory and designed to be clean burning and they slide into the firebox of either a masonry or factory built fireplace.

The manufacturer of each of these inserts will specify the venting materials required for the insert, the clearances to combustibles and provide installation directions for each model they manufacture. These appliances have all been tested and approved by some testing laboratory.

What Makes an Artificial Log Set

First of all, let me be clear, artificial log set can only be installed in a fireplace that is suitable for wood burning. The only way we can determine the fireplace is fire safe is to clean the chimney and then look at the interior surfaces with our remote vision camera system.

These sets come in various sizes and include ceramic logs of your choice with a burn pan, decorative silica sand, volcanic cinders, dual effect embers, a pedestal grate and damper stop.

A plumbing contractor is required to install a gas valve on the floor or wall near the fireplace and a gas supply line into the firebox.

Vent-free artificial gas log sets are illegal in the State of California.

MASONRY AND METAL CHIMNEYS: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

If you’re looking to replace or rebuild your chimney soon, you’ll have to decide whether you want masonry or metal chimneys. Not many people really know the difference between the two and can be quite confused as to which option to choose. While both are common options and can be used for a variety of different chimneys, there are some important differences that homeowners should be aware of to make an informed decision. Here are a few differences between masonry and metal chimneys:

WEIGHT

When it comes to weight, a masonry chimney is much heavier than metal.

Because of their weight, there may even be restrictions about where you can place a masonry chimney in your home. They’re generally used on the first floor of a building. Metal Chimneys can weigh much less and are better suited to multi-floor buildings.

ABILITY TO WORK AROUND OBSTRUCTION

Generally, metal chimneys are more flexible with complex buildings than masonry options. Depending on the layout of the home and where you want your fireplace, there may be an offset between the chimney and fireplace. This is when your chimney can’t go straight up because of an obstruction, and it’ll need to go around something. Masonry chimneys only function well with a small off-set, whereas metal chimneys can move around most things no problem.

HEAT REFLECTION PERFORMANCE

When it comes to providing high heat reflection, masonry chimneys really earn their keep. The higher the heat reflection there is in a fireplace, the better heat circulation you have in your home. You want increased heat circulation because it keeps the area around the fireplace warmer and strengthens the smoke removing updrafts of the chimney at the same time. Usually, metal chimneys don’t do as well here, so if that matters, go with a masonry chimney.

Taking these three considerations into account will help you decide on a masonry or metal chimney for your home!