I'm doing a family room remodel and am trying to choose a gas (propane) fireplace. I've narrowed it down to these 2 units (see the title)
One dealer who carries both and seems impartial (no commissions) thinks I'll be happier with FPX 864 because the room is on the smaller side and its tempered glass front will prevent it from overheating the room. I played around with the display in the store for a bit and agree that you really need to use the blower if you want to throw heat. Otherwise, you can enjoy the nice flame with the blower off without the fear of overheating. This is good if the "ambiance" is an important factor in the decision.
Another dealer only carries Mendota says:
- FPX is cheaper and generally lower quality
- FPX uses the older proflame 2 controller instead of the newer proflame 3 used by Mendota
- tempered glass is and indicator of lower quality
- just turn down the flame if it gets too hot
I played with the Mendota a bit as well and observed that even with the blower off, it throws a lot of heat due to the ceramic glass front.
The room is 13.5' x 21.5', with 7.5' walls and a vaulted ceiling 10.5' high with 2 skylights. The fireplace will be on the short side, near the entryway to the rest of the house. I have baseboard heat and this room tends to be cooler because the thermostat is in a different room (more centrally located) and this room is above the garage.
I like the flame on the FPX better, and I like the idea that I may be able to enjoy the view on high for longer periods due to the lower effective heat output. I'm not as crazy about the fact that I'll probably have use the blower (at least on low) if I really want to warm up by the fire. Since the unit is 22" deep, installation may be more complicated because I'll probably have to bump it out (at least partially) to avoid taking up too much space in the room
I like that the Mendota is shallower, because I can probably get away without a bump out. I think the flame is kind lazy looking compared to the FPX, which I view as a negative.
Opinions?
One dealer who carries both and seems impartial (no commissions) thinks I'll be happier with FPX 864 because the room is on the smaller side and its tempered glass front will prevent it from overheating the room. I played around with the display in the store for a bit and agree that you really need to use the blower if you want to throw heat. Otherwise, you can enjoy the nice flame with the blower off without the fear of overheating. This is good if the "ambiance" is an important factor in the decision.
Another dealer only carries Mendota says:
- FPX is cheaper and generally lower quality
- FPX uses the older proflame 2 controller instead of the newer proflame 3 used by Mendota
- tempered glass is and indicator of lower quality
- just turn down the flame if it gets too hot
I played with the Mendota a bit as well and observed that even with the blower off, it throws a lot of heat due to the ceramic glass front.
The room is 13.5' x 21.5', with 7.5' walls and a vaulted ceiling 10.5' high with 2 skylights. The fireplace will be on the short side, near the entryway to the rest of the house. I have baseboard heat and this room tends to be cooler because the thermostat is in a different room (more centrally located) and this room is above the garage.
I like the flame on the FPX better, and I like the idea that I may be able to enjoy the view on high for longer periods due to the lower effective heat output. I'm not as crazy about the fact that I'll probably have use the blower (at least on low) if I really want to warm up by the fire. Since the unit is 22" deep, installation may be more complicated because I'll probably have to bump it out (at least partially) to avoid taking up too much space in the room
I like that the Mendota is shallower, because I can probably get away without a bump out. I think the flame is kind lazy looking compared to the FPX, which I view as a negative.
Opinions?
