How to Pick the Right Size Burner for Your Fireplace

With the weather finally starting to cool down, especially here on the normally sunny and warm West Coast, the allure of a cozy fireplace is getting harder and harder to resist. And with more homes and businesses trading in their wood burning fireplaces for the gas variety--due in large part to the convenience they offer--we hear one particular question asked quite often: what size fireplace burner do I need? In this article we’ll break the answer down into two simple parts.

Part 1: How Large is Your Fireplace?

_{Knowing these four measurements of your fireplace are the first step in selecting the right size burner for your space.}

The most essential step in determining your burner size is measuring the dimensions of your fireplace, as this will give you a basic measurement for what the max burner size is that your fireplace will fit. For this you’ll need any ol’ measuring tape, and you’ll want to get the front width, rear width, depth, and height of the area you’ll be installing your burner in. Note that your front width and rear width are most likely different, so it’s important to measure each.

In our example, let’s say that you’ve measured your fireplace and have come up with the following: Front Width is 30”, Rear Width is 26”, Depth is 13”, and Height is 18”. Once you have this info, there are some general rules that dictate the size of burner your fireplace will fit. Burners are pretty consistently sized between brands, and tend to be available in 16/19”, 18/20”, 24”, 30”, 36”, 42”, 48”, and sometimes as large as 60” models. Each brand provides guidelines on the minimum fireplace size for their burners, which are normally located in the owner’s manual under “Documents” on our product pages.

If we look at the chart above for the best-selling G45 burner from Real Fyre, the biggest size you’d be able to fit in your fireplace is the 24” model, G45-24. How do we determine this? Going through each column, we compare our measurements with the minimum. If our measurement is below the minimum, the burner is too big. If our measurement is above the minimum, the burner will fit into our space. The 30” burner model requires at least 30” of rear width, so it is too large for our 26” fireplace. The 24” burner model requires only 24” of rear width, so it will be the best option.

Part 2: Which Ignition Are You Using?

_{There are a variety of ignition systems available, such as this Deluxe Variable Remote Control by Real Fyre.}

It might seem like you have everything you need in order to purchase the right burner for your fireplace. If you’re just looking to purchase a match lit system, without a standing pilot or anything else, you’re correct. However, most customers want the convenience of a more advanced ignition system, and that adds this extra step into your calculations. Why does the ignition type matter, we hear you ask. A fantastic question! The short of it is that different ignition systems take up additional amounts of space, and depending on the type you choose, you’ll need to downsize the size of your burner.

Tip: If you’re looking for some help deciding on which ignition type is right for you, read through our handy fireplace ignition systems explanation guide from last month.

Most brands take the match lit system into account with their size recommendations, and your burner will fit centered in your fireplace. For any upgraded system, however, you need to allow yourself some extra space to keep your burner centered, even with the addition of an ignition system on one side. Using the same Real Fyre G45 burner as before, the addition of a more convenient ignition system increases the minimum fireplace size, as shown on this revised chart.

So where in Part 1 we determined that the 24” model would best fit our fireplace with a rear width of 26”, by adding an ignition system the new burner model we need is the 18/20”. Why is that? By adding the ignition system, we increase the amount of space we’re filling by approximately 4”, which means we must downsize the burner to accommodate for the burner plus the ignition system. The same concept should be applied to all fireplace burners when you choose to upgrade to any ignition system other than match lit.

Now It’s Time to Pick Your Burner

_{A finished gas fireplace adds warmth to any home, especially when paired with decor and accessories.}

General sizing in hand, you’re well on your way to enjoying a cozy fire. With so many brands and fireplace burner models available, if you should run into any questions, please don’t hesitate to give our friendly and helpful sales staff a call at (866) 578-8538, live chat with us by clicking on the orange icon on the bottom right of your screen, or contact us by filling out this simple form. Happy shopping!