As a single heat source, I think you'd be more comfortable with a vented wall furnace with a blower. It would also be cheaper.

Are these 24K gross BTU input, or output? If output and if you're in Canada or somewhere else so very cold, I'm not sure that a 24K BTU input unit is going to provide enough heat.

Rinnai makes a modulating unit (different levels of operation, controlled automatically), that might be a good choice.

We unfortunately do not have vented wall furnace as an option. After consulting heating and cooling professionals, this was the best option for the cost. As a furnace requires duct work which is difficult to install in our crawl space for an acceptable price. They're both 24K BTU, but only about 70% efficiency, which is about average for most gas fireplaces. Both fireplaces I mentioned are both modulating as well, they go down to different levels of BTU depending on the temperature set. So it works similar to a standard furnace. And it should heat the main area no problem, since its set for 1000 sq ft, which is more than the whole 1 floor house. And we have baseboard heaters in the bedroom as backup as needed but would love to avoid using those for as long as possible.

Just more curious if anyone has experience with either of these companies for gas fireplaces, as its a big decision.

We have had a Valor fireplace since 2006.

The only repair it ever needed was during the first year. The remote control box, which is inside the fireplace, would turn itself on, all by itself, We replaced it and we've never had a problem with it since.

We ordered the fireplace without the fan kit and ran it that way for a while, but later added the fan kit, which really does increase the fireplace's efficiency by distributing the hot air around the room faster, we highly recommend the fan, and other reviews concur. The Valor fireplace does have the ceramic glass face.

The fireplace heats the whole downstairs of our 2700 sqft house rapidly, alto we live in Southern Calif, so No BIG challenge here, but the fireplace does indeed throw out a lot of heat, (if turned full on) and would quickly run us out of the house!

In fact, the main reason we chose the Valor was due to its "Outstanding control of the flame". The flame can be adjusted from just barely above a pilot light, to a "raging inferno", with really tall flames. And all of this can be done with the remote control.

Since our fireplace is a "circa 2006 model", I won't go into the details of all the remote can do, except to say that it is "Full featured" even compared to today's remotes, except it does not control the fan.

I want a small fireplace for our master bedroom, and if Valor made one, I would buy it, but unfortunately they do not.

Hope this Helps!

Gary

Gary, just reading this and you might be interested in the Valor Portrait Series, here. This was a helpful discussion for me as I'm choosing between a Napoleon, Valor, and Mendota fireplace!

https://www.valorfireplaces.com/gas-fireplaces/portrait.php

Thanks for the comment Betsey. We ended up buying:Napoleon GD19-1NSB Compact Wall Mount Direct Vent Natural Gas Fireplace with Safety Barrier from the Vittoria Series.

It works great and heats up the bedroom real fast. It has a thermostat that you set for your desired temp and it shuts the fireplace on/off to maintain the desired temp.

Gary

Hi Gary, great glad to hear you like your Napoleon! I am in the market for a fireplace and am choosing between a Napoleon and a Valor. Hard to know about reliability!

We have the Valor Horizon in the family room since about 2006.It has been trouble free except we had to replace the remote control before it was a year old, but no problems since. I think the newer valors have an RF remote instead of a sub audio one, (like the first TV's had, years ago). The Valor remote is the only fireplace where you can vary the flame from just barely on to a raging inferno. The Napoleon remote is merely on/off alto to tell the truth that is really enough at least for the bedroom.

I think long term reliability I would go with the Valor. I would see who has the best service in your area, Napoleon or Valor. We did have to replace the fan control on the Napoleaon and it took a while to get one. I HIGHLY recommend that with either fireplace that you order the extra cost fan and also get the best remote.We ran the Valor for a while without a fan, and it is much more efficient at heating the house with the fan kit.

Gary

@Betsey Biggs Hi Betsey, which brand/model fireplace gas insert did you end up selecting? We are also in the process of deciding between Napoleon, Valor, and Mendota! Thanks!

@jag1929 Sorry, just seeing this. I ended up splurging and getting a Mendota FV34 and I love it. I was not expecting to use it to heat my house, but I now pretty much keep the heat at 64 and turning on the fireplace every once in a while heats the whole floor it's on. It's much more expensive, but if you can swing it I'd think about the Mendota. (I didn't love the look of the Valor when I finally saw it).

@Betsey Biggs Hi Betsey, thanks so much for your reply! We've narrowed it down between the Valor and the Mendota but I haven't been able to see either. I know they both heat well so at this point I'm hoping to pick the one that most resembles a traditional wood burning fireplace.

@jag1929 I love the way my Mendota looks. I was set to buy a Valor and by the time the showroom set it up for me I had already paid for it, but I felt like it was dim -- though realistic, it seemed like the highest the flame could go still felt like a fire at 2am at the end of the night. I love the birch logs of the Mendota and think the high flames are more realistic. But it was also almost three times the price.

@Betsey Biggs Thank you!!

For those with gas inserts on this thread, has anyone experienced a "burn off", "chemical" or "waxy" odor after installing a new unit or at the beginning of a season. There is a whole thread about this elsewhere on Houzz. My understanding is since the unit is enclosed and vents directly, there should be no smell inside the house.