How Does a Gel Fireplace Work?

Basics of Gel Fireplace Installation

A gel fireplace is designed to function in environments where normal fireplaces, even gas units, may be impractical. They use an environmentally friendly gel that burns a flame clean enough to be used indoors or outdoors, often without the need for a chimney fluke or other ventilation system. When people refer to a gel fireplace, they usually mean one of two things: using gel in an existing fireplace, or using a fireplace constructed specifically for the flammable gel.

If you already have a fireplace present in your home, you can upgrade it to a gel fireplace through several easy steps. Existing gas or ventilation lines must be closed, and the fireplace is often re-designed to include ceramic logs or other atmospheric materials similar to modern gas fireplaces. You can then purchase gel in canisters and set them strategically in the back of the fireplace where they are ready to be lit. Up to three canisters can be used at one time, the fire spreading from one to the other for a more realistic and longer-lasting flame.

How Gel Fuel Works

Fire gel is created with an alcohol substance, usually isopropyl alcohol that has been treated to be as environmentally safe and slow-burning as possible. Each company has their own gel recipe, and the gels vary slightly in productivity and cleanliness. The thicker the gel, the longer the flame will last, while the faster-burning gels tend to produce hotter and brighter flames. Before being mass-produced, the gel must be cleared by OSHA and the EPA for use, proven to be both safe enough and clean enough for households.

When mass-produced, the gel is carefully injected into can, each holding enough gel to last about 2 1/2 or 3 hours when burning. According to some estimates, this works out to approximately one dollar per on-flame hour. When it comes to heat, gel fuel produces around 3,000 BTUs per hour, per can.

The gel flame is not perfectly clean, but it is designed to produce minimal odors and a small amount of carbon dioxide, unavoidable by-products that cannot be fully removed.

Gel Fireplace Construction

A fire gel fireplace uses gel exclusively, and you can buy kits to put them together yourself at the desired location. Most gel fireplaces begin with a metal shell that includes the decorative ceramic logs and grating. The shell is covered with some type of wood, often a cheap base such as pine. The final layer can then be added on top of this, such as a layer of finer wood like mahogany or an enamel. If the fireplace is intended for outdoor use, a stronger ceramic or metallic shell is used instead.

Fire gel fireplaces are designed to function with either fuel gel canisters or a system where fuel is injected into a tank. Sometimes you can buy and trade out the tanks themselves, depending on company and model.