Gas Fireplace Efficiency

The average fireplace, chimney and all, is horribly inefficient for producing heat by current standards. With a combustion area open to the room, the fire consumes the warm air your furnace has diligently provided and exhausts it straight up the chimney to the outdoors, along with a majority of the heat created from the burning of wood or natural gas. Even when the fireplace isn’t in use, it’s costing the homeowner money: conditioned air continually escapes through the chimney, and most natural gas fireplaces have a pilot light that constantly consumes fuel.

The Green Homes Program includes a few requirements that will increase efficiency for gas-fuelled fireplaces. For instance, all gas-fuelled fireplaces must now use electronic ignition; Terasen Gas estimated this change to save around $120 in natural gas every year over pilot-lit fireplaces. Furthermore, all gas-fuelled fireplaces are now required to be direct vented. Direct venting ensures that the fireplace only consumes outside air and eliminates the need for a chimney by drawing both the combustion products and make-up air directly through a wall vent.

By-law Language:

12.2.2.5. Gas-Fuelled Fireplaces

1) Gas-fuelled fireplaces shall use electronic ignitions.

2) Gas-fuelled fireplaces shall be direct vented so that all products for and of combustion circulate to and from the dwelling unit without the use of a chimney.

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