# Gas Fireplace selection and clean face installation



## Karjudd (May 14, 2020)

Hello all,
First time posting so hope I'm doing it correctly. We had to tear down a masonry chimney that was in poor shape in a house that we purchased a few years ago (no maintenance, painted brick, undersized footing). A new footing was poured, a framed chimney chase constructed and now trying to determine which gas fireplace to install. Even before coronavirus complicated things it was difficult to get information, now even more so. Showrooms are not open to view units or they don’t have the model you’re looking at and nobody in the showroom is able to answer specific questions except how much the FP costs. Anyway, we are looking at 3 different fireplaces.  

FPX 564 Deluxe Clean Face
Regency P33E or P33 CE
Mendota FV34 Décor
I have downloaded all 3 manuals to try and foresee any issues ahead of time and to help determine which one will work in our available space.

For the FPX 564 I don’t understand how you would change out a blower or the batteries for the transmitter for the remote if you covered the perimeter (mainly the bottom access panel) of the fireplace with tile? The dealer was no help (We don’t have to have battery back up in the showroom, in fact he couldn’t tell me where it is located ) The manual doesn’t even mention the blower, just the electrical requirement. On page 39 it just shows the batteries for the backup and the batteries for the remote. No picture of where this is actually located. Once that lower access panel is covered with tile how the heck do you get under there to replace batteries or replace a blower?? Especially when they say the blower get a lot of dust which you should vacuum periodically. What am I missing?? I did think of placing the tile that would go in front of the lower access panel on durock and then using rare earth magnets to attach that to the lower part of the FP to try and get around this issue.

The Regency and the Mendota *seem *to have those components accessible. The Regency models, even with their Vingette faceplate and trim can be removed to access the blower and battery box but it looks pretty tight in there and cant imagine getting a vacuum hose in there so maybe someone who’s installed one can comment.

The Mendota with the grace front has the battery backup receiver installed in a single gang box, which I like and seems much easier to access and the blower access panel on the right of firebox. Blowers wear out or go out so that’s why I’m asking about ease of access on these units.

Thanks for any comments on the 3 units we are looking at and answers to questions about clean face installations.
Karen


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## seanbot (Jul 22, 2020)

I know I'm a bit late on this, but maybe this will be helpful if this comes up again.

Any of the Travis (FPX) clean face units will have a removable tray you pull straight up that sits in the lower 'lip' of the fireplace instead of a traditional access panel that pulls out on the front.  This allows you to put your facing material right up to the opening of the fireplace. I've attached the related page from the manual. Your clean face would be the illustration on the left.


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