381-8 Old Riverhead Road

Westhampton Beach, NY

Tel. 631-998-0780

Hours: Tues. - Thur. 9am to 3pm / Fri. 9am to 12pm (or by appt.) / Sat. - Mon. Closed

Direct Vent Vs. Vent-Free Gas Fireplaces


Before winter is in full swing, it may be time to consider a new fireplace! Adding a fireplace to your home help with supplemental heat and save you money on heating bills. It provides the perfect ambiance to relaxing evenings, and it also create the perfect backdrop for all your winter festivities. You don’t even have to have an existing fireplace or chimney system to have a new fireplace anymore. When you choose a gas fireplace, it can be installed anywhere and offer all the benefits of a fireplace with the convenience.

Choosing Gas

dancing flames of a gas fireplace Gas is the most popular choice of fireplaces due to their affordable pricing, easy installation, unrivaled convenience, and low maintenance. It burns cleaner than any other fuel, making service appointments less frequent, and easy clean up. Gas fires are more realistic and beautiful than ever, in addition to being an excellent heat source. You don’t even need a chimney when choosing a direct vent fireplace or a vent-free fireplace.

Direct Vent Gas Fireplace

Direct vent fireplace technology has made it possible to have the high efficiency of a gas stove, without a chimney. A direct vent fireplace is a closed unit that draws air from the outside for combustion, and then it vents the combustion byproducts out a separate pipe. Imagine two pipes, one inside the other, one drawing air in, and one venting air out. This is direct vent technology. It is generally in a wall behind the fireplace unit, but it can also be through a floor or ceiling.

A direct vent fireplace is different than a vent free fireplace or gas log fireplace because it is wholly separate from the home. In fact, the fixed glass panel that provides a viewing window also serves as an important barrier to keep the combustion isolated from the home. This fireplace is highly efficient, because it uses all the heat for the house instead of needing heat to draw air up the chimney. 

Vent Free Gas Fireplace

Like a direct vent fireplace, a vent free fireplace can be installed anywhere because it doesn’t require a chimney or flue. However, it works in the opposite way, drawing its air for combustion from the home, and then venting combustion byproducts into the home. This system doesn’t waste any heat, but can create condensation in the home that may damage wall coverings, flooring, and ceilings. Another drawback to a vent-free gas fireplace is the temperature control. They provide quite a bit of heat, but the temperature is hard to regulate, whereas a direct vent unit has precise temperature control.

Are you ready to have a new gas fireplace before winter? Call Beach Stove and Fireplace for the best products, prices, installation services, and more. Call 631-998-0780 or stop by today!

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Our Location

Beach Stove and Fireplace is located on Old Riverhead Road between Montauk Highway and Sunrise Highway. From Sunrise Highway take exit 63 south, travel 1.2 miles and turn right at the 381 complex (just north of Gabreski Airport)