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Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to your burning questions are available here in Napoleon Fireplaces’ FAQ’s section. If you need to know about safety, what something is, or how to, when it comes to your Napoleon Fireplace, this is the right place.

A: Pellet quality is important, please read the following:
Your Wolf Steel Ltd. Pellet Appliance has been designed to burn premium hard or soft wood pellets only. Do not use any other type of fuel such as fire logs or fire starting pellets.
The performance and heat output of the pellet appliance is directly related to the quality and moisture of the pellets. Store pellets in a cool dry area to prevent moisture absorption. If the fuel does not comply to this standard the appliance may not operate as designed.
We recommend the use of premium grade (1% ash content) for longer appliance life and less frequent cleaning.

Vent free gas fireplaces, gas stoves and log sets are not legal for use in Canada.

Upon changing the batteries in the remote and the receiver, it may be necessary to replace the remote system. Remote systems are warrantied for one year.

  1. If you have an existing wood fireplace you may be looking for a gas or wood insert. Bring all dimensions of the fireplace cavity (width x height x depth) along with the depth of the lintel (the thickness of the material that crosses above the fireplace opening).  Also bring photos of the fireplace inside and outside of the building.
  2. If you do not have an existing fireplace then you may be looking for a free standing stove.  For wood stoves, measure the diameter of the wall thimble (opening into the chimney) and bring a picture of the outside chimney.
  3. If you are looking for a freestanding gas stove, bring a picture of the preferred location along with one of that location from the outside of the house.
  4. If you are interested in a factory built wood burning fireplace to be built into a wall. Bring a photo of the wall where you intend to have the fireplace installed along with a photo of the outside where the venting will be located.  A picture of the roof above this location would also be useful.
  5. If you are interested in a gas burning fireplace to be built into a wall or enclosed in a cabinet bring a photo of the wall where you intend to have the fireplace installed along with a photo of the outside where the venting will be located.
  6. Do you want gas ,wood or electric fireplace.
  7. Do you want this fireplace for heat for its aesthetic value or both.
  8. If you want it to heat, how large is the room (width, length and height) it is to be installed into.  Is the room well insulated.  How many outside doors or windows are in the room?
  9. Will the fireplace be installed in the basement, main or second floor.
  10. Do you want a traditional or a modern contemporary look for your new fireplace?
  11. If it is to be installed on the floor then what material is covering the floor?
  12. Is the fireplace to be located flat on the wall or in a corner and will it sit at floor level or do you want a raised hearth.
  13. What type of finishing do you want around the fireplace?  Wood mantel, stone or tile.
  14. For gas fireplaces stoves or inserts determined the nearest location of the gas supply in your home and the distance to the new fireplace.
  15. Is there an electrical source close to the new fireplace location.
  16. Determine distances from windows , doors and gas supply close to where the terminal vent will be located on the outside of the home.
  17. Type of wall construction in your home where vent will penetrate.
  18. If venting through the roof you should know the type.  Pictures of the general area where the vent will penetrate can also be helpful.
  19. Single or two storey chimney and is it inside or outside your home.
  20. Have as many photos of your home available to convey your ideas along with pictures from magazines of fireplaces you like.

Authorized dealers of Napoleon Fireplaces are identified on our ‘Where to Buy‘ page. They are there to answer all of your questions, ensure that your fireplace is properly installed as well as providing a regular service program to protect your investment. Napoleon recommends an annual inspection of your gas fireplace or gas stove and that you call the store directly if you are requiring servicing. The requirement of annual inspection and/or service is dictated in the National Fuel Codes for both Canada and the United States.

Yes! All of our gas fireplaces (except The Torch – GT8) incorporate a self generating millivolt system that operates independently from any outside electrical current. Only accessories such as blowers and some hand held remotes rely on house current for power and our fireplaces do perform effectively, even without them.

Unfortunately, no. All of our fireplaces are sold through dealers who are trained to provide you the very best service available. This is the best method that we as a manufacturer can employ, to ensure that your fireplace is best suited to your needs and that it is installed and serviced properly.

NOTE: You can use the ‘Where to Buy’ Dealer Locator at the top of every page on this Website to find your nearest Napoleon Dealer.

Yes! all of our gas fireplaces must have the ability to shut off the flow of gas if there is no flame to burn it off. This is where the self generating millivolt system comes in. The millivolts energize a magnetic coil within the gas valve which holds the valve open. Should the pilot flame extinguish, the millivolts will stop generating, releasing the coil and closing the gas valve. Every Napoleon fireplace we manufacture is tested prior to shipping to ensure a 100% effective system.

Maximum steady state efficiency is determined by specific test conditions that include burning the fireplace until the fireplace and flue gas (exhaust) temperatures reach equilibrium, which means that there is no further change in temperatures. Temperatures, taken from a specific location, reflect the amount of heat being exhausted, which is then subtracted from the predetermined input of the burner. The remaining amount of heat represents the highest amount of heat that the fireplace can transfer into the surrounding area. Example, our natural gas stove, the GDS50 has a BTU input of 44,000 BTU. The maximum efficiency is 84%. 44,000 x 84% = 36,960 BTU output.

The internet is an outstanding means of gathering information and sourcing a local authorized Napoleon dealer from whom the purchase should always be made. Long distance purchasing over the internet is NOT the avenue to obtain a fireplace – any apparent savings may soon be consumed in freight damage, installation charges and service calls which would no longer be covered under warranty.

Only your local dealer is aware of building and gas code requirements within your area and only your local authorized Napoleon dealer can assure your satisfaction by installing it correctly, explaining its function adequately and deal with inspection, service and warranty issues.

Our Phazer® logs are produced by a unique process where ceramic fibers are melded together in the form of a variety of log shapes. They are then hand painted and accented to create the most realistic looking logs available. The properties of the ceramic fibers allow the logs to withstand the extreme temperatures that they are exposed to within the combustion chamber of the fireplace. It is for this reason that our Phazer® logs are guaranteed for life!

All of our wood stoves and fireplaces require a chimney, either a masonry or A vent stainless steel chimney. The diameter of the chimney must match the size of the fireplace flue collar to effectively vent the products of combustion. Consequently, an existing chimney may need to be lined with a stainless steel liner to meet venting requirements of a specific fireplace. Gas fireplaces that fall under the category of B vent or natural draft fireplaces, also require either a chimney that is lined with a flexible aluminum or stainless steel liner, or they can be vented using B vent if no chimney exists. Direct vented or vent free fireplaces do not require a traditional chimney.

BTU’s (British Thermal Units) are a standard of measurement which represent the heat value of any type of energy used to create heat. The amount of fuel that a fireplace will consume per hour is calculated with the BTU value of the fuel it uses to determine the input of that fireplace. BTU values of any type of energy are determined by the actual amount of heat required to increase the temperature of one pound of water, by one degree Fahrenheit.

  • Direct Vented Fireplaces can be installed almost anywhere in your home as they don’t require a pre-existing chimney to vent them. They can be built into a combustible surrounding.
  • The size of the fireplace and the amount of space it will take up in your room
  • On the main floor, the overall appearance may be more important than high output.
  • Basements are normally colder and therefore heat output and appearance are both important.
  • The size of the room. High heat output models will heat a small room quickly but may, as a result be turned off more often than a lower heat output unit.

Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency is also determined by the results of some specific test conditions but these results are further calculated with other influences such as average daytime and nighttime temperatures, heat loss due to the standing pilot and from cold start up. All sorts of data is calculated to provide the overall average efficiency of the fireplace throughout the year.

This is easily calculated provided that you have the local price of the fuel to be used. 1 cubic foot of natural gas will produce *1000BTU per hour, 1 litre of propane will produce *29,059 BTU per hour and 1 US Gallon will produce *110,000 BTU per hour. (*values may vary slightly, depending on location) The BTU of the fireplace is divided by the BTU value of the fuel to determine the amount of fuel consumed per hour. Example: A natural gas fireplace that has an input of 30,000 BTU per hour consumes 30,000 / 1000 = 30 cubic feet/hour. If the price of natural gas is .35 cents ($0.0035) per cubic foot then 30 cubic feet x .35 = 10.5 cents ($0.105). Therefore the cost of operating one of our 30,000 BTU Natural Gas Fireplaces such as the new GDS28 Gas Stove for one hour is 10.5 cents.

Radiant heat is transmitted from a heat source via rays just like rays of sunlight. These rays pass through the air without heating it since only solid objects can absorb the heat they transmit. Dark colours absorb more radiant heat than lighter colours which reflect more of it. This is why light coloured clothing is cooler than dark coloured clothing. All our Napoleon Fireplaces are designed to generate radiant heat into your living room.

This is the transfer of heat through a body or substance. All of our fireplaces conduct heat to the air as it comes into contact with the hot glass and firebox surface.

This describes the transfer of heat by heating, then moving a substance. Simply put, the heat from our fireplaces is distributed via convection. This is when the air in front of the fireplace absorbs heat, becomes buoyant and rises to the ceiling. This draws cooler air behind it, mostly along the floor, which in turn, absorbs the heat and rises up, pushing the already warmed air along the ceiling. As long as there is a source of heat, this cycle will continue, constantly raising the overall temperature of the room.

Yes, aside from the fact that all our fireplaces radiate heat from their fronts, there is still heat that can be withdrawn from the parts of the fireplace  body that are closed in behind the wall. While there is an air channel that allows air flow around the firebox, allowing it to absorb the heat via conduction, this channel is somewhat restrictive by its size. Using a blower increases the airflow through this channel, thereby maximizing the heat being conducted from the back and sides of the fireplace.

The term Zero Clearance indicates that the particular fireplace can be enclosed using combustible materials. Depending upon the limitations of a specific zero clearance fireplace, These combustible building materials may allowed to be installed against the body of the fireplace without fear of combustion or heat damage. However, some fireplaces may require installation using non-combustible materials such as metal studs and framing for the parts of the enclosure in the immediate vicinity of the fireplace. Please have a professional install your fireplace following the parameters presented in the installation instructions to ensure that it is installed using the correct materials.

Zero Clearance does not mean that you can place objects like furniture in front of or against the front of your fireplace. Furniture and curtains, etc. should remain at least 48-inches from the front of your fireplace for safety.

Direct vent is a term used to describe a specifically designed fireplace that performs differently from the traditionally vented fireplace which use a chimney. This type of fireplace has a completely sealed combustion chamber which allows it to vent directly out a side wall of the home. One of the benefits of this type of design is that it must draw air necessary for combustion from the outside since the sealed combustion chamber does not allow air to be drawn in from around the fireplace. The co-axial vent system has the exhaust pipe within the air intake pipe which protects any surrounding combustible material from the high temperature of the flue gases as well as preheating the outside air prior to it being introduced to the combustion process.

These type of fireplaces do not have a sealed combustion chamber and relies on the buoyancy of hot gases to vent effectively. They must be installed either with an existing chimney that meets the local building code standards or they can be installed using a B vent which is a vent pipe that must be installed to the same parameters of a masonry chimney but can be enclosed in combustible material. They draw air (oxygen) necessary for combustion from the area surrounding the fireplace. The combustion by-products or flue gases are hot and naturally rise up through the chimney which provides a route for these hot gases to escape from the house. As the fireplace continues to vent these flue gases up the chimney, the walls of the chimney heat up, which allows the flue gases to retain more of their temperature and buoyancy thereby increasing the speed with which they exit the chimney.

Vent free fireplaces are fireplaces that do not require any type of vent system. Instead, they are designed to burn clean and the combustion by-products allowed to flow into the room the fireplace is located in. Stringent requirements ensure that these fireplaces not only burn cleanly, but that they are located in rooms of sufficient size to ensure an adequate supply of fresh air is always available for the combustion process. A highly sensitive sensor is employed to turn off the gas to the fireplace should the level of oxygen within the area begin to deplete. The most obvious benefit of this type of system is that no heat is lost through the venting system making the fireplace virtually 100% efficient. Currently, these type of gas fireplaces can only be installed in some areas of the United States. They are not approved for use in Canada.