Gas Fireplace Installed in Existing Home

DEAR TIM: My home is three years old, when it was built I had the builder frame out for a fireplace to be installed at a later date. What else besides cutting away the drywall would it take for a contractor to install a prefab fireplace? I am looking for gas logs ventless or vented. I just want to get the feel of a more realistic fireplace not something stuck out in the room.
Phil H.

DEAR PHIL: When you say frame out, I assume the house has a wooden chimney chase installed up to and out of the roof. This means you need to purchase a prefabricated fireplace that has a metal chimney pipe that is approved for such instances. If there is no chimney chase, you are still in great shape as you can purchase a direct vent fireplace that exhausts out a nearby wall or directly behind the fireplace.

I am not a huge fan of ventless or vent-free fireplaces or gas fireplace logs. A by-product of burning natural gas is water vapor. If you burn vent-free gas logs for extended periods of time, you inject vast amounts of water vapor into the inside air of your home. This water vapor can condense on cooler surfaces, such as exterior walls or attic spaces unless you have excellent vapor retarders and fantastic attic ventilation.

Pick a fireplace that will fit your current conditions and read the installation instructions cover to cover. Then start to get bids from contractors who will install it exactly that way. Put wording in the contract that says they must follow the instructions to the letter.