Fireplace Installation

• Install the fireplace in a location that meets the clearance requirements between the fireplace and combustible materials, such as a wall or bookcase. If your fireplace is required to have a hearth you need to know some basic information, such as the minimum distance a hearth must extend from the back wall, which is 18 inches. Read the owner's manual for guidelines.
  
  

Gas & Electrical Connections

• For most installations, a gas supply will be required at the unit. The typical gas pipe system is installed in threaded-black gas pipe. Read the manufacturer's instructions for the pipe size. A gas shut-off valve is usually a requirement near the fireplace. The electrical aspect of a DYI fireplace installation may necessitate the installation of an outlet, switch or thermostat to operate the fireplace.
  
  

Venting

• A traditional masonry chimney must have a flue that is structurally sound. The flue is the vertical piping or tube inside a masonry chimney. The flue draws smoke fumes and gases from inside of the fireplace to the outside air. Often, the clay tiles that make up the flue may be damaged, especially in older masonry chimneys. The most common solution is to reline the chimney, which entails inserting a new flue. Either stainless steel pipes are put down the chimney or a pour-in liner, which cures in 24 hours.
  
  Another venting option is an insulated chimney. Also referred to as Underwriters Laboratory (UL) approved Stainless Steel Class A Chimney, pipe is stacked vertically through the roof. Class A pipe can also be routed through an adjacent wall and up an exterior wall to the required height.
  
  Direct venting is an option for people who would like the benefits of a fireplace without the hassle and expense of installing a chimney. A fireplace can be vented horizontally out an adjacent wall or vertically through the roof. Direct vent is a two-in-one pipe, which vents the combustion exhaust and simultaneously heats the air it brings into the fireplace.
  
  Natural vents, or B-vents, are fireplaces that operate on natural gas or propane. The combustion process uses air from the inside; the exhaust is vented through a B-vent exhaust pipe. This system is not very efficient as heat escapes through the chimney.
  
  Vent-free gas fireplaces do not require a chimney, vent of flue. This allows a modern vent-free energy efficient fireplace that uses gas or propane and can be installed in almost any location.