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Gas Fireplace Installation in Seattle, Tacoma & Everett
A new direct-vent or B-vent gas fireplace, planned around your venting, gas supply and clearances, installed by our qualified technician. Free quote.
- Free 2nd-opinion quotes
- Price match + 10–25% discount
- Same-day service often available
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Installing a gas fireplace is mostly a planning job. The unit itself goes in quickly; what takes thought is how it will vent, where the gas will come from, what clearances the framing needs, and whether the room you want it in can support the model you want. Get those four right and the fireplace lights cleanly for years. Get one wrong and you have a unit that soots, shuts itself off, or cannot pass an inspection.
This page covers a new gas fireplace where there was none, or a factory-built gas unit replacing an old one: direct-vent and B-vent fireplaces framed into a wall or chase, and the venting that goes with them. If you already have a wood-burning fireplace and want to run gas in it, that is a different job; see gas fireplace conversion for a full changeover, gas log installation for a log set in the existing firebox, or gas fireplace insert for a sealed unit inside the masonry. For a new wood fireplace, see fireplace installation.
Our qualified technician plans, vents and sets the unit; gas piping to the appliance is handled by a qualified gas fitter. We serve Seattle, Tacoma, Everett and the road-accessible Puget Sound from our Renton office. The quote is free, and we price match a written quote and take 10–25% off. Call 206-453-2045.
Symptoms
Signs you need gas fireplace installation
- You want a fireplace in a room that has never had one
- An old factory-built fireplace is rusted, unlisted or no longer safe to use
- You are remodeling or adding on and want heat that does not need a masonry chimney
- You want a fireplace you can run as everyday heat without hauling wood
- A builder-grade unit never worked well and you want it replaced with a proper one
- You want a fireplace on an exterior wall where a short horizontal vent is possible
- You are unsure whether direct-vent, B-vent or vent-free is right for your house
Common causes
- No existing chimney, so the fireplace must bring its own listed venting
- A previous prefab unit past its service life or missing its listing plate
- A remodel that opened a wall and made a fireplace practical for the first time
- A desire for sealed-combustion heat that does not pull room air up a flue
- An older open fireplace removed and the space reworked for a gas unit
How It Works
Our gas fireplace installation process
Our technician comes to the house before anything is ordered. We look at the wall or chase where the fireplace will go, measure the framing and floor, trace a vent route to the outside that stays within the manufacturer's length and termination limits, check where gas can be brought in, confirm the unit's clearances to combustibles, and look at how the termination will sit relative to windows, doors, decks and the neighbor's property line. You get a written plan and a free quote that names the unit, the venting and the finish work, so there are no surprises on install day.
Site visit and free quote
Our technician measures the space, plans the vent route and gas path, and quotes the unit, venting and finish work in writing.
Permits and scheduling
A new gas appliance and its vent may need a permit; we tell you what applies to your city and handle the paperwork.
Framing and rough-in
The opening or chase is framed to the unit's clearances, the vent run is set with the required rise and supports, and the termination is cut and flashed.
Gas supply
A qualified gas fitter runs the gas line to the appliance and pressure tests it before the unit is connected.
Set, connect and vent
Our technician sets the fireplace, connects the vent and gas, installs the logs and media to the manufacturer's pattern and seals the glass.
Fire-up, test and walkthrough
We light the unit, check flame pattern and vent draw, confirm there are no leaks at the connections we made, and show you how to run it.
Options
Repair and service options
The first decision is the vent type, and it shapes everything else:
- Direct-vent fireplace: a sealed unit that draws combustion air from outside and exhausts through a coaxial pipe out a wall or roof. The most common choice for new installs because it does not use room air, can terminate horizontally, and keeps the glass sealed.
- B-vent fireplace: an open-front unit that uses room air and vents vertically through a double-wall metal vent to the roof. Lower cost, a more traditional open-flame look, but less efficient and it needs a vertical vent run.
- Vent-free fireplace: no vent at all. These are restricted or not permitted in many jurisdictions and we generally do not recommend them; our technician will tell you what applies where you live.
- Built-in vs. wall-mount: a framed unit with a surround and mantel, or a linear unit set into an existing wall.
- Finish work: surround, hearth and mantel can be done with the install or left for your contractor; see fireplace remodel.
We quote each option separately so you can compare them. If you are not happy, we are not done, and we come back at no charge.
Pricing
What affects the price
- Vent type and the length and number of turns in the vent run
- Unit size, brand and features such as blower, remote or thermostat
- Whether a new chase or wall opening must be framed and finished
- Distance from the existing gas supply to the fireplace location
- Whether the termination goes through a wall or up through the roof
- Surround, hearth and mantel finish work, if we do it
- Permit fees where they apply
Every chimney is different, so you get a written quote after we look at the system. Ask about our price match and free second-opinion quote.
Safety & Seattle Conditions
Safety considerations
If you ever smell gas, leave the house, do not switch anything on or off, and call your gas utility or 911 from outside. That is the only step a homeowner should take. Everything else on a gas fireplace, including the gas connection, the valve, the pilot and the vent, is done by our qualified technician or a qualified gas fitter.
A gas fireplace is only as safe as its venting and clearances. We install every unit to its listing and the manufacturer's instructions, keep combustibles at the required distance, and terminate the vent where it cannot pull exhaust back into a window or intake. NFPA 211 recommends an annual inspection of chimneys, fireplaces and vents, gas units included, and we recommend a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a gas appliance.
Seattle & Puget Sound conditions
Most new gas fireplaces in the Puget Sound go into homes that never had a masonry chimney. Renton's median home dates to 1988, Redmond's to 1993, Bothell's to 1992 and Gig Harbor's to 1998, and factory-built and prefab fireplaces are common in homes from that era, so a direct-vent unit that brings its own vent is usually the natural fit. In older stock like Seattle's 1976 median or Tacoma's 1967, a new gas unit is often part of a remodel.
The vent termination gets the same weather the rest of the house does: 40.34 inches of rain a year at Sea-Tac, with October through March carrying about 73% of it. We flash and seal the wall or roof penetration with that in mind, because a leak at a new vent is the kind of problem that shows up in November, the wettest month at 6.31 inches.
Our Work
Gas Fireplace Installation in action
Planning a gas fireplace? Start with a free site visit.
Direct-vent and B-vent installs planned and set by our qualified technician. Free quote, price match plus 10–25% off. Call 206-453-2045.
☎ 206-453-2045 Request a QuoteQuestions
Gas Fireplace Installation FAQ
Do I need a chimney to install a gas fireplace?
No. A direct-vent gas fireplace brings its own sealed vent pipe and can terminate through an exterior wall or the roof, so it can go in a room with no chimney at all. A B-vent unit needs a vertical metal vent to the roof but still does not need masonry. Only a gas log set or insert uses an existing chimney.
What is the difference between direct-vent and B-vent?
A direct-vent fireplace is sealed behind glass, pulls its combustion air from outside and exhausts through a coaxial pipe; it is more efficient and can vent horizontally. A B-vent fireplace is open to the room, burns room air and must vent vertically. Direct-vent is our usual recommendation for a new install; B-vent suits someone who wants an open flame and has a straightforward vertical vent path.
Can I install a vent-free gas fireplace in Washington?
Vent-free units are restricted or not permitted in many jurisdictions, and the rules vary by city and county. We generally do not recommend them because they release combustion products into the room. Our technician will tell you what applies at your address and, in most cases, a small direct-vent unit is a better answer.
Who runs the gas line?
A qualified gas fitter runs and pressure tests the gas piping to the appliance. Our technician plans the route with them, sets and vents the fireplace, and makes the final connection and fire-up. The whole job is coordinated through us, so you have one point of contact and one free quote.
Do I need a permit for a gas fireplace?
A new gas appliance and its vent may need a permit, and the requirement depends on your city or county. We tell you what applies before the work starts and take care of the paperwork where a permit is needed, so the install is documented if you sell the house later.
How long does installation take?
It depends on framing and the vent route. A direct-vent unit going into an existing framed opening with a short wall termination is often a one-day job once the gas line is in. A new chase, a long vent run or finish work adds time. Our written quote includes a schedule, and same-day site visits are often available.
Will you remove my old prefab fireplace?
Yes. We remove the old unit and its vent, check the framing and clearances behind it, and fit the new fireplace to the opening or reframe as needed. Old builder-grade units are often replaced with a higher-efficiency direct-vent model in the same footprint.
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