Linear Gas Fireplaces

Linear gas fireplaces are the long, low format that reads as a band of flame rather than a hearth, which is why they suit a wall you want to feel modern. The range splits on venting before anything else: sealed direct vent models that draw and exhaust outside, and vent free models that need no flue at all, with see-through versions in both.

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Linear Gas Fireplaces and the Wall They Ask For

Linear gas fireplaces are built long and low, so the fire reads as a horizontal band rather than a hearth. That proportion is why they suit a modern room: the fireplace becomes part of the wall instead of an object placed against it.

Venting splits the range before anything else

Direct vent models are sealed. They pull combustion air from outside and exhaust outside, so nothing from the fire enters the room, and the glass front is structural rather than decorative. That is what makes them suitable for bedrooms and tightly built houses, and it is why they are available everywhere vent free is restricted.

Vent free models need no flue at all, which puts a fireplace in places a vented unit cannot reach, and nearly all of the heat stays in the room. In exchange they carry real regulatory limits: vent free appliances are prohibited or restricted in some states and cities, and some codes bar them from bedrooms. Check local code before ordering.

Browse the wider categories in direct vent gas fireplaces and ventless gas fireplaces.

See-through, and what it asks of the wall

A good number of these open on two opposite faces, so one firebox finishes the rooms on either side of a wall. It needs a wall deep enough to hold it, which usually means a wall built for the fireplace rather than an existing partition. See see-through fireplaces for every fuel in that shape.

Settle the vent route before the width

A gas line, a framed opening to the manufacturer's dimensions, and on a direct vent model a route to an exterior wall or roof. Of those, the vent route is what most often decides whether the installation is possible at all, so establish it first. Choosing a width before knowing where the vent can go is the order that causes the expensive surprise.

Real heat, and a television above

Gas radiates directly to people and objects, so the warmth is felt immediately rather than after the air catches up. That is the difference from an electric fireplace of the same shape, which warms air instead.

A television above one is possible but not automatic. It needs a model with a manufacturer heat management system to move the warm air away, and the clearance figure has to come from that model's manual. See fireplaces for a TV above for the ones that qualify. For the whole category, see gas fireplaces, and our gas fireplace guide covers types, costs and safety in full.

Frequently Asked Questions about Linear Gas Fireplaces

What is a linear gas fireplace?

A gas fireplace built long and low rather than square, so the fire reads as a horizontal band across the wall. The proportion is the whole point: it sits under a television or above a media unit without dominating, and it suits a room where the fireplace should look like part of the architecture rather than a hearth added to it.

Direct vent or vent free, and how do I choose?

Direct vent is a sealed appliance. It draws combustion air from outside and exhausts outside, so nothing from the fire enters the room, and its glass front is structural rather than decorative. Vent free burns cleanly enough to need no flue at all, which puts it in places a vented unit cannot reach, and it puts nearly all its heat into the room. Vent free also carries real restrictions in some states and cities, so check local code before you choose it.

Can a linear gas fireplace be see-through?

Yes, and a good number here are. A see-through model opens on two opposite faces and lives inside a wall, so one firebox finishes the rooms on either side. It needs a wall deep enough to hold it, which in practice usually means a wall built for the fireplace rather than an existing partition.

What does the installation involve?

A gas line, a framed opening to the manufacturer's dimensions, and for a direct vent model a route to an exterior wall or roof. The vent route is what most often decides whether an installation is possible, so establish it before choosing a width. Vent free skips the vent route but not the gas line or the framing.

Will it heat the room, or is it just the look?

Can I put a television above one?

Only with the right model and the right clearances, and it is not automatic the way it is with electric. Some gas fireplaces carry a manufacturer heat management system that redirects warm air away from whatever is mounted above; without one, the wall above gets too hot. Take the clearance from your model's manual rather than a general figure.