Prefab Fireplace Vents

[OhBoyItsFire]

Our wood framed fireplace (prefab - Preway BI36-SEM Type A) has two vents above the roofline (just above the cricket) facing the roof.
From reading, it seems these may be combustion air intakes?

I'm being told that these vents should be below the roofline facing away from the roof by a contractor.
More less this would be just moving them down about ~3 feet and to the non-roof side of the chimney.
There wasn't any combustion testing performed to make this hazard assessment.
Otherwise the actual exhaust vent is ~3 feet above those intakes.

The rationale I'm being told is that it's a back draft risk (I'm assuming because they are relatively high in the chase and could cool down the exhaust gases).

Is this change actually a safety improvement or is this just a way for them to say something is wrong to make some bucks?

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Aside from that the chimney has been there for ~35 years and was installed by reputable fireplace vendor that's still around today. Thus part of me has trouble believing that it's really of concern.

Thanks in advance for any advice on this!

 

[bholler]

Our wood framed fireplace (insert) has two vents above the roofline (just above the cricket) facing the roof.
From reading, it seems these may be combustion air intakes?

I'm being told that these vents should be below the roofline facing away from the roof by a contractor.
More less this would be just moving them down about a foot and to the non-roof side of the chimney.
There wasn't any combustion testing performed to make this hazard assessment.
Otherwise the actual exhaust vent is ~5 feet above those intakes.

The rationale I'm being told is that it's a back draft risk (I'm assuming because they are relatively high in the chase and could cool down the exhaust gases).

Is this change actually a safety improvement or is this just a way for them to say something is wrong to make some bucks?

---

Aside from that the chimney has been there for ~35 years and was installed by reputable fireplace vendor that's still around today. Thus part of me has trouble believing that it's really of concern.

Thanks in advance for any advice on this!

We would need pics and the make and model of your fireplace to give much of any input.

 

[OhBoyItsFire]

We would need pics and the make and model of your fireplace to give much of any input.

Added photos and insert info to the initial post.

 

[bholler]

Added photos and insert info to the initial post.

You should be able to locate the manual. It will tell you where those vents can be installed.

Also what you have is not an insert it is a prefab fireplace

 

[OhBoyItsFire]

I'm reading differing things.

The manual says any distance away, but not above the roof.
But then when I look at other sources online, it says it shouldn't be within 10 ft of a driveway (which it would be if it was below the roofline on the other side).

I guess the question then - is which is the better/safer way?

I'm not an expert, but it doesn't seem like the decision was entirely arbitrary - it likely would have been more work/piping to have run it all the way to the cricket vs. just to the backwall or even just straight out to the side.

 

[OhBoyItsFire]

Someone else came out today and said they'd he'd normally prefer it lower too, but for most installs as long as it's at least 3ft away from the exhaust, it's within spec.

Does that sound accurate?