How to Choose a Direct Vent Fireplace

Measure the diameter of your gas valve using and take this measurement to the retailer to match with various fireplaces. Direct vent fireplaces operate via natural gas, but they need to attach to your gas line through a shut-off valve.

Test the direct-front heating range by standing in front of a retailer's floor model; you are looking for a direct-front heating range of two to four feet. Direct-front heating range involves the immediate heat you can feel while standing or sitting directly in front of the fireplace. The direct-front heating range helps create a sense of a wood-burning fireplace and the heat you would feel from burning logs.

Stand at various angles to a test model and see if the fire display looks like a real, wood fire. Direct-vent fireplaces burn from gas, so they contain simulated, fire-proof logs. High-quality direct-vent fireplaces look and glow like actual wood whereas poor-quality fireplaces display tiny, gas flames around the wood and ruin the illusion of a fire.

Snap a photo of the actual fireplace and compare it to the decor and style of your living room. Rather than taking a picture, you might also compare a sales manual photo, but you should compare the fireplace's finish and fixtures to the color and style of the room in which it will go.

Check the specifications for American Gas Association (AGA) or Underwriters Laboratory (UL) certification. AGA compatibility ensures the fireplace meets your city's safety codes, and UL certification ensures the manufacturing meets UL's safety criteria.