Fireplace Safety
If a combustion fireplace exists: seal, vent, provide makeup air, and install a CO detector. (At Platinum, no combustion fireplaces indoors — electric only.)
Spec
Applies uniformly from Certified upward.
Scope
Any combustion-based fireplace (wood, gas, pellet) installed in the dwelling — both new and existing.
Requirements
- 01.
The fireplace must be a sealed, vented unit. Open-hearth wood fireplaces are not permitted at any tier (they backdraft and release dangerous PM2.5).
- 02.
Provide dedicated makeup air to the fireplace, sized per the manufacturer's specification.
- 03.
Install a hardwired CO detector within 10 feet of the fireplace.
- 04.
At Platinum: no combustion fireplace permitted indoors — electric fireplaces only.
Documentation
Evidence the inspector / Institute will need.
- 01.
Fireplace manufacturer spec sheet showing sealed/vented design and makeup-air requirement.
- 02.
Photo of the installed makeup-air duct + termination.
- 03.
Photo of the CO detector near the fireplace.
Guidance
Why open-hearth wood fireplaces are excluded
A traditional open-hearth wood fireplace operates at ~10% efficiency and releases PM2.5 indoor concentrations that frequently exceed EPA 24-hour limits within an hour of lighting. Modern sealed/vented inserts (EPA-certified to <2.0 g/hr) are dramatically cleaner and more efficient.
Note
Even sealed gas fireplaces should not be the primary heating source — they have lower combustion efficiency than a furnace, more potential for CO incidents, and contribute to depressurization issues. Treat them as decorative/supplemental.