Are you building a new home or renovating your old home? Here are some things to consider if you're including a fireplace in your design. Knowing what you want and planning for it early in the process will save time, money, and sometimes stress or heartbreak later on.
Design
Finding the right fireplace for your design is important. Too small and it fades into the background or too big and it detracts from the rest of the room. Like Goldilocks, you're looking for something that is just right. Also, consider looking for something timeless that will last for years. You don’t want to fall into a trap of something trendy that will leave you looking for a revamp in a few years.
Fuel source.
Determine whether you want a wood-burning unit or gas logs early in the process. Also look for units that have the ability to be converted from wood to gas, or from gas to wood later. Adding gas lines and valves to a fireplace while the plumbing is already being laid is much cheaper than trying to add it years from now.
Ventilation
Different fuel sources have different ventilation requirements as well. Wood burning fireplaces need straight, vertical chimneys to vent properly while direct vent gas units allow a lot more flexibility with turns and horizontal runs. Consulting a chimney professional before plans are finalized will give you the best chance at avoiding a fireplace that won’t draft or vent properly.
Outside air and return air
With modern home building practices, our homes are tighter and more energy efficient than ever. That’s not great news for fireplaces. However, return air and outside air can help and are required for your new fireplace to work properly. Running those air supplies can be tricky once the building reaches the final stages. Thermostats and return air vents can ruin your artistic vision for your space. The sooner they are worked into a design the better the outcome will be.
Fans
Moving air can adversely affect your ventilation. That vent-a-hood in your open concept kitchen can pull smoke from your fireplace back into the room instead of out the chimney. The same can be said for air returns for your central air as well as bathroom fans and air purifiers. Basically, anything that moves air can have an impact on your fireplace. Consider the location of vents and fans before you complete your designs.
We want you to enjoy your new home or new reno project and not have the cost of trying to fix issues later down the line.
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