Empire Innsbrook 20" Vent-Free Gas Fireplace Insert - Model VFPC20IN
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This is a vent-free model — check your local code first
Vent-free fireplaces are excellent in the right home and not permitted in others. It takes about ten minutes to confirm, and it is much cheaper to do it now than after installation.
What “vent-free” means
This unit burns gas with no chimney or flue, so all combustion products stay in the room. It is built and listed to ANSI Z21.11.2 and carries an oxygen-depletion sensor (ODS) that shuts off the gas if the oxygen level in the room falls.
Model fuel-gas code caps a vent-free heater at 40,000 BTU/h, limits the combined input of all unvented appliances to 20 BTU/h per cubic foot of room volume, and does not allow it to be the sole source of heat for a home. Your room size genuinely matters here.
Where it is restricted
- California — state law prohibits the sale of unvented heaters designed for use inside a dwelling. Vented decorative gas logs are expressly exempt.
- Minnesota — unvented room heaters and unvented decorative appliances may not be installed in any dwelling or occupancy. No exceptions in the rule.
- Wisconsin — permanently installed gas-fired unvented heating appliances may not be installed; unvented space heaters are separately prohibited in one- and two-family dwellings.
- Massachusetts — allowed only with a permit from the head of the fire department, inspection by the fire department and the gas inspector, a 40,000 BTU cap per room, a CO detector in the room, and never as the primary heat source.
- Manufactured (HUD-code) homes, anywhere in the US — federal rule requires fuel-burning heating appliances to be vented to the outside.
How to confirm for your address
Your city or county can be stricter than your state, and these rules change. That is why we do not publish a state-by-state map — the decision is made locally, by a person, not nationally. Call in this order:
- Local building department. Ask: is a vent-free gas fireplace permitted here, and do I need a permit? They know the adopted code edition and any local amendments.
- Fire department or fire marshal. Required in Massachusetts before the unit may be operated, and commonly the deciding authority elsewhere.
- Local or state gas / plumbing inspector. This is who signs off on the final inspection.
- Your gas utility. Some will not set or upgrade a meter for an unvented appliance.
We cannot give legal advice and we cannot approve an installation — only your local authority can. If you tell us what they say, we will help you match the right unit to it.
Based on primary sources: Cal. Health & Safety Code §19881 · Minn. R. 1346.5621 & 1346.5602 · Wis. Admin. Code SPS 365.0621 & SPS 323.04(2)(b) · M.G.L. c.148 §25A with 248 CMR 5.10 and 527 CMR 1.05 · 24 CFR 3280.707(b) · IFGC §621 and §303.3. Last reviewed August 2026.
The Empire Innsbrook 20" Vent-Free Gas Fireplace Insert is a vent-free gas fireplace, rated 20,000 BTU/hr. No chimney or flue — combustion products discharge into the room, so room volume and local code both apply. Vent-free appliances are prohibited or restricted in several states — confirm with your local building department before ordering. Venting components are sold separately; the configurator lists what your run needs.
Options & Features
- 14,000-20,000 BTU/hr on natural gas - no venting or liner required
- Hand-painted ceramic fiber log set with banded brick liner included
- Blower included for better heat circulation
- Millivolt or electronic ignition; natural gas or propane
- Compact 29-1/4" W x 19-1/8" H x 13-9/16" D insert body
Empire Innsbrook 20" Vent-Free Gas Fireplace Insert
| Brand | Empire |
| Model | VFPC20IN |
| Fireplace type | Vent-free (unvented) |
| Configuration | Insert (retrofit) |
| Installation | Indoor |
| Nominal size | 20" |
| Heat output | 20,000 BTU/hr |
| Fuel | Natural gas (propane conversion available) |
| Ignition | Millivolt / standing pilot |
A built-in gas fireplace is sized by the manufacturer’s framing (rough opening) spec — the exact framing drawing for this model is in the manufacturer’s installation manual — see the Manufacturer Documents tab.
- New installs (direct-vent & vent-free) — confirm your wall or chase has the width, height, and depth the framing spec calls for, and plan the vent route for direct-vent models (through an exterior wall or the roof). Vent-free models need no vent at all.
- Inserts — measure your existing firebox in four places: front width, rear width, height, and depth, plus your chimney height. Compare against the insert’s minimum opening in Specifications.
- See-through & corner models — check the required wall depth between finished faces on both sides.
Not sure which model fits your space? Take the 60-second Fireplace Finder quiz, or talk to a fireplace expert — free help 7 days a week.
Official documents from Empire. These are the drawings to check before you frame the opening — they are the manufacturer's current revision, hosted on their own site.
Documents are published by the manufacturer and can be revised without notice. If anything in them conflicts with what you see here, the manufacturer's document is the one that governs the install.
Buying online and hiring a local installer is standard practice — the manufacturer’s warranty applies in full. Line up your installer before you order: send them this model’s spec sheet, agree the venting route, then add the exact venting and accessories they specify in the configurator so everything arrives together.
Typical professional installation runs $800–$2,000 for inserts and simple direct-vent runs, up to $3,500+ for complex venting (labor and permits vary by region). Vent-free models with an existing gas line run less.
How to find an NFI-certified installer, the questions to ask, permits, and what to do if a local dealer won’t touch online-bought equipment: read the installation guide.
Free freight shipping within the contiguous US (Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada by quote). Fireplaces ship factory-new via FedEx, UPS, or AIT freight — you’ll receive tracking by email, and for freight deliveries the carrier calls ahead to schedule. Typical transit is 3–6 business days once shipped.
At delivery: inspect before you sign. Note any damage on the delivery receipt and contact us within 24 hours with photos — confirmed transit damage is repaired or replaced at no cost to you. Full walkthrough: how freight delivery works.
Returns: fireplaces and their configured accessories (log sets, liners, venting) are ordered from the manufacturer to your specification. You can change or cancel within 48 hours of ordering; after shipment, returns are handled with the manufacturer case by case — contact us first and we’ll make it right. Full details in our refund policy.
Every fireplace we sell is factory-new from an authorized dealer and covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. Empire warrants key components like the firebox and heat exchanger for extended periods — many with limited lifetime coverage on the combustion chamber — with shorter terms on burners, glass, electronics, and finishes (see the owner’s manual for this model’s exact schedule).
Keep your order confirmation as proof of purchase and register your unit with the manufacturer after installation. Need help with a claim? Contact us — we’ll coordinate with the manufacturer for you.
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Frequently Asked
Does this fireplace need a chimney?
No. A vent-free fireplace burns gas without a chimney or flue, so all of the heat stays in the room. It is listed to ANSI Z21.11.2 and carries an oxygen-depletion sensor that shuts off the gas if the oxygen level in the room drops. Because nothing is vented outside, room size matters and some states restrict these units — see the code notice on this page before you order.
Is a vent-free fireplace legal where I live?
It depends on your address, and you should confirm before ordering. Some states restrict or prohibit indoor vent-free appliances outright — California bans the sale of unvented heaters designed for indoor use, Minnesota prohibits installing unvented room heaters and unvented decorative appliances in any dwelling, and Wisconsin prohibits permanently installed gas-fired unvented heating appliances. Massachusetts allows them only with a fire department permit, an inspection, a 40,000 BTU cap per room and a CO detector, and never as primary heat. Vent-free is not permitted in HUD-code manufactured homes anywhere in the US. Your city can be stricter than your state, so call your local building department and gas inspector — they are the ones who decide, and we cannot decide it for you.
Can I install this myself?
Plan on a licensed professional for the gas work. In most jurisdictions connecting gas is permitted work that has to be done by a licensed gas fitter and signed off at a final inspection, and doing it yourself can void both the manufacturer warranty and your homeowner insurance. Manufacturers say the same thing — FireRock, for example, instructs installers to "consult with local building and zoning authorities regarding the need for proper permitting" before construction starts. Framing and finish work is often owner-supplied; the gas connection and the final inspection are not.
Will this fit my existing fireplace?
An insert is designed to slide into an existing masonry or factory-built firebox and convert it to gas, so the answer depends on your firebox opening — width, height and depth, measured at the front and again at the back, because most fireboxes taper. Do not order from the outside dimensions of the surround. Send us those measurements and a photo and we will confirm the fit before you buy.
Can I mount a TV above this fireplace?
Sometimes, but it depends on the model and how you finish the wall. There is no blanket ban — manufacturers frame it as a clearance and heat question. Napoleon's manual puts it plainly: keep clearances to combustibles when building a mantel or shelf above the unit, because "elevated temperatures on the wall or in the air above the appliance can cause melting, discolouration or damage to decorations, a TV or other electronic components." Check that model's mantel-clearance chart before you commit to a TV location.
Can this be my main source of heat?
No, and this is a code requirement, not a preference. Model fuel-gas code states that unvented room heaters may not be used as the sole source of comfort heating in a dwelling unit. Code also caps a vent-free heater at 40,000 BTU/h and limits the combined input of all unvented appliances in a room to 20 BTU/h per cubic foot of room volume. Treat it as supplemental warmth for the room it is in.
What else do I need to buy to make this work?
A gas supply line run to the fireplace by a licensed gas fitter, and the correct fuel type — natural gas and propane are not interchangeable without the matching conversion kit. Framing and the finished surround are supplied by you or your builder. A carbon monoxide alarm in the same room is required in some jurisdictions and is a good idea everywhere with an unvented appliance.