 Thanks in part to the Internet and design magazines, many are becoming aware of the potential of custom gas fireplaces, or simply, gas flames. We have now seen gas flames set in bowls, long linear flames set into walls, multi-sided fire pits of various sizes, and much more. While mainline manufacturers are becoming less equipped to deal with custom gas equipment (their products continue to reflect a more traditional preconceived notion of what a fireplace should be), Vancouver Gas Fireplaces has been fielding and executing an increasing amount of requests for designing, fabricating, and installing different variations of custom gas flame setups.
Surprisingly, the biggest stumbling block we experience when proceeding with a custom project has little to do with the technical aspects of the fireplace itself. In most cases there is always a technical solution to achieve the gas flame ideas of the designer or owner. In fact, the biggest obstacle is often the approval process and the extra time and cost that this can add to the budget.
The easiest way to ensure that an approval is obtained is to have an accredited agency fully test the equipment under the specific installed conditions, using a set of tests pre-approved by the governing jurisdiction. This full-testing cannot be avoided if the main body of the custom fireplace is fully custom fabricated, however to do this for all installations would be cost- prohibitive, as testing can easily exceed $10,000 per project. Despite rigid requirements for testing gas equipment, most jurisdictions have procedures for dealing with custom equipment and installations, which can affect your timeline considerably.
Production fireplaces and components are tested and approved prior to production and marketing through a protocol developed by the Canadian and American Gas Associations as well as the Canadian Standard Association, UL, and numerous other testing agencies. These guidelines, which include various regional gas and building codes, are in place to protect the end users from improperly designed and unsafe products.
With careful planning and documentation well in advance of proceeding, most jurisdictions will allow a hybrid form of approval without full testing. Vancouver Gas Fireplaces has helped clients achieve this short-form style of approval. It cannot be emphasized enough that allowing as much time as possible to receive some sort of preliminary approval is key. Most approval authorities are either direct government agencies or some form of partial privatized set up. In any case, in these days of perennial cut backs, they are usually overworked and understaffed. Trying to push through approvals at the last moment usually does not engender a spirit of cooperation.
When submitting for pre-approval or agreement in principle to proceed, it is important to provide complete written and schematic specifications along with the material list of the equipment proposed. This way, there will be less ambiguity for the approval authorities, as they are likely to be familiar with many of the techniques and equipment components mentioned. An initial consultation with them followed by an agreement in principle for the proposed installation is important for finalizing the design, but this does not guarantee final approval. It will usually only be granted once the installation is designed, completed, and found to be running safely.
There are numerous specific elements that can go into designing a custom installation, along with different regional issues that will be addressed in a subsequent article. For now, just remember to allow plenty of lead-time and provide complete specifications. If you have any questions regarding this process, contact Vancouver Gas Fireplaces where we will be more than happy to help.
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