Tylersloan

The wife and I want to get a fireplace well two of them one for our living room the other for are bed room .
Don't know much about fireplaces but I think this will be a DIY anyway what is the difference between vented and non vented ? I'm assuming that non vented means no chimney ? And the only reason I'm leaning towards gas is because my house is plumbed for gas . Still thinking about a good ol wood burner though .
The ones I'm looking at are just the steel box type and I would frame around them and Sheetrock them in and add a mantle thanks for the help .

Dionysia

I have ventless gas fireplaces, and they were great at first - took the chill off of a room quickly and saved us a bunch on our gas bill. Now, the gas company has added some new kind of "stink" to the gas, and whenever we turn on the ventless it stinks up the room. The other issue is to keep an eye on the humidity when using a ventless, as they put extra moisture in the air. They are really meant just for supplemental heat, not primary heat. A vented fireplace usually involves a smallish pipe through the wall, but you should check out the specs before buying.

Tylersloan

Thank you I'll go with a vented one the room I'm heating is 21x18

nealtw

Building the frame work is diy but leave the connections and venting to a pro.

joecaption

Some building codes will not allow a gas heater in a bedroom, other's will only allow vented.

A vented one cost more to install but will not pull heat out of the other rooms for make up air, will not add any where near the moisture to the room.
When running a vent free it's suggested to open a window for make up air.
Your trying to heat a room and you have to open a window. HMM.
If you do decide to build your own enclosure, read the manual and follow it to a t. There's lots of clearance issues because of fire hazard.

Tylersloan

Ok will do thanks

Dionysia

If you are interested just for looks and not heat, electric fireplaces are very nice looking now, and you don't have to worry about combustion. There are some very realistic looking ones on the market these day.