# Basement installation for gas fireplace



## Ray123 (Sep 9, 2006)

I am finishing off my basement and have decided to install a gas fireplace in one corner of the room. I will be venting the 6" direct vent pipe into the ceiling, making a 90 degree bend into 3 horizontal feet before entering into the terminator horizontally. My question is, would this be a safe installation to have a 90 degree bend and 3 feet run horizontally inside a closed ceiling space?

Ray


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## Homefire (Sep 9, 2006)

Ray123 said:
			
		

> I am finishing off my basement and have decided to install a gas fireplace in one corner of the room. I will be venting the 6" direct vent pipe into the ceiling, making a 90 degree bend into 3 horizontal feet before entering into the terminator horizontally. My question is, would this be a safe installation to have a 90 degree bend and 3 feet run horizontally inside a closed ceiling space?
> 
> Ray



For this one I think you better ask the fireplace maker for their instructions.


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## BrotherBart (Sep 9, 2006)

Ray123 said:
			
		

> I am finishing off my basement and have decided to install a gas fireplace in one corner of the room. I will be venting the 6" direct vent pipe into the ceiling, making a 90 degree bend into 3 horizontal feet before entering into the terminator horizontally. My question is, would this be a safe installation to have a 90 degree bend and 3 feet run horizontally inside a closed ceiling space?
> 
> Ray



I am sitting in my as yet unfinished basement office looking up and thinking about this. If you are thinking about doing what I think you are it is scary. I figure you are going to run the pipe between the floor joists past the top of the foundation and out. If your floor joists are on sixteen inch centers then you are going to have just three and a half inches max clearance between that pipe and the floor joists. If the pipe is up between the joists then you will have an inch or less clearance to the sub-floor above. And then that heat is going to be contained by the basement ceiling. As well as doing its best to rise.

Even if the floor joists or sub-floor don't eventually smolder, you will buckle that subfloor in very short order once you start using the stove. The glue they put on top of the joists to hold down the subfloor is a goner real quick.

Ain't no builder or inspector. Just a guy looking up at his basement ceiling.


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## BikeMedic2709 (Sep 10, 2006)

No. That could get nasty in a real hurry. If it is a possible ignition point, it will be concealed and have poor access. IMO it is a disaster looking to happen.


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## elkimmeg (Sep 10, 2006)

The first most important info needed to to know make model and  fuel collar and venting requirements. If able to use standard 4" 
 double wall B-vent only requires 2" clearance to combustiables You will also require the proper ceiling flange and exit flange.
 you cannot pass threw the ceiling without the manufactures flanges. This also means no insulation withn 2" of that pipe. That two
inches is need for the pipe to dissipate heat.  Since you are concealing pipe  check the manufactures specs you may need tripple wall in concealed spaces. Also remember this B-vent has a alumium core the cheaper brands las only 10 years. Alumium does oxidise and break down. Last thing I would want  concealed


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## Shane (Sep 10, 2006)

Direct vent pipe typically requires 1" clearance to combustibles.  Many fireplace manufacturers will require 1" to sides & bottom & 2-3" to the top.  Varies by manufacturer.  So long as these clearances are met I cannot see any problem with such an installation.


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## BrotherBart (Sep 10, 2006)

He said six inch direct vent Elk.


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## MountainStoveGuy (Sep 10, 2006)

Shane said:
			
		

> Direct vent pipe typically requires 1" clearance to combustibles.  Many fireplace manufacturers will require 1" to sides & bottom & 2-3" to the top.  Varies by manufacturer.  So long as these clearances are met I cannot see any problem with such an installation.



exactly, its common to run direct vent, which is actually 6 5/8" od pipe, through floor joists and out the exterior rim joist. The manufacture will state the required clearances, usually its one to two inches in the horizontal, and 2-3 on the verticle, like shane said. What you need to check is the venting graph in the manual, and make shure your rise to run ratios are in check. Direct vent works like this. the hot exaust runs up the center flue, and the cold combustion air runs in the out flue, making it a air tight system, there very safe, and the only appliance approved for bedrooms. You would typically need at least 2x12 floor joists to do this. the exterior of the pipe usually stays cool enought to hold your hand on. I have never heard of any life expectancy's on DV pipe, and pipe is inclosed in chases all the time. So by code and by the book your installation would work fine.


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