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How to Choose a Gas Fireplace Insert
for Your Mantel

When it comes to gas fireplaces, there are so many options on the market. How do you know which one is perfect for your home? In this blog post, we’ll walk you through the different styles of fireplaces and help you choose the best one for your needs. So sit back, relax, and let us show you how easy it is to find the perfect gas fireplace!

The French Country is a timeless design that appeals to any interior space. For all our examples we’ll be referencing the French Country mantel which is our most popular concrete fireplace mantel.

The French Country comes in 2 standard lengths (60″ and 72″) and 2 standard heights (53 3/4″ and 60″). The French Country can be customized to suit.

Marquis Fireplaces (Bentley Series):

-Available size 34″, 39″, 42″ and 48″

-No clearance requirements

Valor Fireplaces (Square H3 to H6):

-Viewing area ranges from 26 1/2″ to 36 /8″

-Zero clearance requirements

Town and Country Fireplaces (TC Series):

-Available size 30″, 36″, 42″, 54″

-Max mantel depth to non-combustible material 4 1/2″, 1:1 ratio

HeatNGlo Fireplaces (True Series):

-Available size 36″, 42″, 50″

Napoleon (Ascent Series):

-Available size 30″, 36″, 42″, 46″

-Max mantel depth to non-combustible material 4 1/2″, 2:1 ratio

Enviro Fireplaces (G Series):

-Available size 39″, 42″, 50″

Kingsman Fireplaces (Direct Vent IDV34/IDV44):

-Available size 28″, 32″

-Zero clearance requirements

A lot of the fireplaces have Zero clearance requirements for non-combustible mantels, such as the Marquis, Valor, kingsman, and Enviro fireplaces. They come in various sizes which can be paired perfectly with either of our standard-size French Country mantels. However, there are some series of fireplace that is available in large sizes (46″ to 50″ ). If you are interested in getting a bigger fireplace insert, customization will need to be done on the French Country in order for the fireplace to fit the interior width of the French Country.

However, keep in mind that there are still some fireplaces that have clearance requirements for non-combustible mantels, such as the Town and Country and the Napoleon fireplaces. The French Country can still work, however, modifications will need to be made in the French Country in order to meet clearance requirements.

Although the French Country is the mantel of your choice, the placement of the fireplace insert or if the fireplace insert requires a hearth will alter the design of the French Country. For example, the HeatNGlo True 42, requires a hearth, if the flooring is of combustible material. Thus the insert will be raised and that may or may not fit within the interior dimensions of the French Country. Check the dimensions of the French Country first (both exterior and interior dimensions) and then work around from there.

Please note that changes to the gas fireplace insert may change. Please check with the manufacturing company or contact our design/sales team for additional help.

Here is the information on how to choose a gas unit for your fireplace in a convenient printable PDF format. Includes all the useful diagrams and charts, so you can easily refer to it later.

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Marquis Bentley, Valor (square H3 to H6), Enviro (G Series), and Montigo are good options to consider since we do not need to adhere to any clearance restrictions for non-combustible materials. So a standard-size French Country 72 will work. Be sure to take a look at the dimensions specs to ensure that it will fit within the interior dimensions of the French Country. Some of the fireplace inserts also have “decorative fronts”, so if you want to have “decorative fronts”, please let your Dreamcast Sales rep know so that they can take that into consideration.

Other than that, the Marquis Bentley gas fireplace insert doesn’t require any customization on the French Country. If you are considering placing the insert higher from the floor, a hearth is required depending on how far you’ve installed the insert. The French Country tall can work if it is installed xx distance from the floor, but let your Dreamcast Sales rep know, and they can help you figure it out. It is pretty simple to find the dimensions on the manual, usually, it would say “xxx specs” or “fireplace dimensions” like this one of Marquis Bentley 39.

Another thing to look for is the clearance requirements:

Although the mentioned gas fireplace inserts above work with the French Country and does not have clearance requirements for non-combustible materials, it is worth keeping note that these are subject to change per the manufacturer. Be sure to check with the sales rep you’ve purchased the gas fireplace insert from or check with your Dreamcast Sales rep for further help.

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The other fireplaces that have yet to be mentioned are the HeatNGlo, Town and Country, and the Napoleon. The reason why it wasn’t mentioned above is that these gas fireplace units do have clearance requirements for non-combustible materials. Keep reading below for more information.

The first thing you should do is to take a quick look at the table of contents.

That way you can find the necessary information and just go directly to that page. Look for anything that says “Minimum Clearances to Combustible Material or Non-Combustible Materials.” Usually, the dimensions of the gas fireplace insert are also in the installation manual, but it can also be on a different PDF, so look through the webpage thoroughly.

HeatNGlo Fireplaces (True Series): If you are considering the HeatNGlo True Series, then the first thing to take a look at is the specs – it is available in a 36″ and a 42″ which will fit a standard French Country 72. You can consider the 50″, but customization will need to be made in the French Country in order to fit. After taking a look at the specs, go ahead and read through the manual for any clearance requirements.

The HeatNGlo True Series requires a hearth if your flooring is of combustible material – so if you see something like this, read through it and check with your builder/contractor about the requirements. Everything else will then be fairly straightforward.

Town and Country Fireplaces (TC Series): When considering the Town and Country fireplace, the TC series, it is a little difficult to tell if there are clearance requirements for non-combustible materials. This is what their “Minimum Clearance to Combustible Material” looks like

Although there doesn’t seem to be any clearance requirements for non-combustible materials if you take a look at the bottom left corner

This means that the non-combustible material can not exceed more than 4 1/2″. So be sure to read the manual with your licensed gas fitter or builder/contractor. If the mantel exceeds more than 4 /2″, it requires to increase the space by 11″ for every additional 1″ it exceeds. So the French Country does need customization in order to meet the clearance requirements of the TC series. Consult with your Dreamcast Sales Rep for additional info.

Napoleon (Ascent Series): The Napoleon gas fireplace insert is a popular fireplace. However, there are strict clearance requirements for non-combustible materials. As you can see here
Non-combustible material must not project more than 4″. If the mantel projects more than that, increase the clearance to the sides, bottom, and top by 2″ for every additional 1″. So it is a 2:1 ratio. The French Country will require customization in order to meet the requirements of the Napoleon Ascent. Speak to your Dreamcast Sales rep for further details and information. The product information provided is not complete and is subject to change without notice. Please consult the installation manual for the most up-to-date installation information. Should you need further assistance, please reach out to your Dreamcast Sales rep.

If you have any questions about fireplaces, need a quote for a custom project, or just want some help planning your fireplace mantel, give us a call today.

If you’re not ready to make any decisions right now, why not take a look at our product gallery for more inspiration, or follow us on Instagram to keep up with the latest trends and promotions.

Thanks for reading! We hope this has been helpful.