B Vent Fireplace Vs Direct Vent

Vented fireplaces are further divided into two subcategories natural vent and direct vent.

B vent fireplace vs direct vent.

In general b vents do produce less heat than direct vent models. Direct vent appliances are typically higher in efficiency than b vent appliances and put out a lot of heat even with a low flame setting but still do not produce as much heat as their vent free counterparts. A b vent must be vented vertically and uses fresh air from inside the home to provide oxygen to the fire. Natural vent models resemble conventional wood burning fireplaces.

If you desire a realistic looking flame a b vent may be a good choice for you. Direct vent appliances are typically higher in efficiency than b vent appliances and put out a lot of heat even with a low flame setting. Well visually some people prefer b vent units because their open they have access to a lot of oxygen and you can generally get a nice big visual flame but you can also get a nice flame on a direct vent. The b vent pipes used in natural vent fireplaces are however smaller than the a class chimneys used in traditional wood stoves.

Direct fireplaces have a sealed glass front and typically a smaller flame than a b vent fireplace or a vent free fireplace. A direct vent has a sealed glass front and pulls all of its fresh air from outside the home. Natural vent or b vent gas fireplaces and stoves use the air that is already contained inside of a room for combustion. Even the vent pipes are almost the same.

Gas vent fireplaces exhaust their fumes through the roof via a pipe. This makes b vents an optimum choice for small rooms since the energy output of a direct vent fireplace can overwhelm a small space. Because the design of a b vent system is simple it is typically less expensive to install than a direct vent fireplace system. Direct vent systems use indoor air for combustion.

Direct vents can be vented vertically or horizontally through an exterior wall. Direct fireplaces have a sealed glass front and typically a smaller flame than a b vent fireplace or a vent free fireplace.