Why Choose a Sealed Combustion Direct Vent Fireplace?
As we carry on the highlights of our key components of a Manchester Green Home, there is no more fitting a month than December to talk about the sealed combustion direct vent fireplace. Many people think using an ordinary fireplace to heat their homes is as efficient as it gets; and while it is more economical and less wasteful than electricity or gas, the fireplace of the generations before us no longer serve as the safest, most effectual way to heat our homes. This is where the direct vent fireplace has come in to up the game, so to speak.
Direct vent fireplaces work by pulling combustion air from outside and exhausting their combustion products to the outside. Because it has a sealed combustion chamber that is completely sealed, allowing for direct ventilation out of the home’s sidewall, it renders a chimney unnecessary. As the need for a flue is eliminated, backdrafting becomes a non-issue, thereby increasing the safety.
Additionally, the chance of carbon monoxide emissions inside your home is greatly reduced – one of the most significant safety improvements.
These fireplaces are far more versatile, as they come in a wide variety of widths and heights, and since they are installed through the wall, placement options are increased. If your wall space is limited, they can be installed through the roof.
Although sealed combustion direct vent fireplaces burn the same fuel as traditional fireplaces, a significant amount (most, actually) of that fuel is converted to usable heat. The heat loss is minimized since a glass door completely seals them off from interior rooms.
As the top certified green home builder in Oklahoma, our mission is to build dream homes that safely operate with the utmost efficiency, allowing for more savings and less stress. This is why we choose to make products such as the sealed combustion direct vent fireplace standard in the green homes we build.