GBA Logo horizontal Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter Instagram YouTube Icon Navigation Search Icon Main Search Icon Video Play Icon Plus Icon Minus Icon Picture icon Hamburger Icon Close Icon Sorted

Community and Q&A

Sealed gas see-through fireplace to outdoors

NormanWB | Posted in Energy Efficiency and Durability on

My wife loves a nice fire and wants a fireplace in our new home. One model we are considering is see-through, which would allow us to have the fireplace in the great room and the screened porch. This unit does not have a flue, since it exhausts to the outdoors from the top of the outside glass.

So, that would mean we have a metal connection from the outside to the inside with no thermal break. Although the glass is double paned (one inside and one outside), the 2 ft. separation pretty much negates any R-value.

It’s obviously not a good idea, thermally, but what can I do to insulate around this and air seal it more effectively, if she decides this is what she wants?

It looks like I can put insulation underneath, within a 1/2 of the sides and 9.5″ from the top. I need ideas on what will not melt or deform over time in this space.

Here are the specs: http://downloads.hearthnhome.com/installManuals/2368_970.pdf

Thanks,

Norman
CZ 3A

GBA Prime

Join the leading community of building science experts

Become a GBA Prime member and get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

Replies

  1. user-2310254 | | #1

    Norman,

    I can't answer your question, but I did find a number of product reviews on Houzz (https://www.houzz.com/browseReviews/heatandglo/heat-glo-fireplaces-designed-to-inspire). From what some owners are saving, this sounds like a problematic product. Plus, I wouldn't want combustion gases venting into the same space where I'm sitting--even if that space is outdoors. Just seems like a not green or healthy design.

Log in or create an account to post an answer.

Community

Recent Questions and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |