Empire Vail 26" Vent-Free Gas Fireplace & Mantel Combo - Model VFD26FM
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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 That is why we do not publish a state-by-state map — the decision is made locally, by a person, not nationally.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 Vail 26 Special Edition packages a 20,000 BTU vent-free fireplace with a furniture-grade mantel in your choice of cherry or white, plus the Flint Hill ceramic fiber log set. It is the all-in-one route to a finished fireplace wall with no chimney, no...
| Brand | Empire |
| Product Type | Fireplaces |
| Title | Default Title |
| SKU | VFD26FMXX |
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.
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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