Superior DRL2055 55" Linear Direct Vent Gas Fireplace
A 55" linear direct-vent gas fireplace with a 50" by 16-3/4" view of the fire. The Superior DRL2055 is sealed combustion — it draws its air from outside and vents out the top on 4-1/2"/7-1/2" Secure Vent rigid or Secure Flex pipe, vertically through the roof or horizontally through an outside wall. Natural gas runs 23,000 BTU/hr high and 19,000 low, with electronic ignition and four AA batteries backing up fireplace operation through a power outage. Reflective black crushed glass media ships in the carton, over a black painted interior. from $3,849.
Choose the DRL2055 if you want the linear look in a 55" wall with the firebox dressed your way — the glass media colors and the porcelain liner are separate choices over a standard black-on-black firebox, and the clean face with integrated tile stops finishes without a mantel or surround (though a surround is offered).
It is not right if you need a primary heat source — Superior designs these as supplemental heaters, and the DRL2055 tops out at 23,000 BTU/hr. For serious heat in the same linear format, step up to Superior's larger DRL4000 or DRL6000 series linears. It is also not the unit for an interior room with no path to the roof or an outside wall: this is a sealed direct-vent firebox, and a vent-free or electric linear model is the one to look at there instead.
Specifications
Frame a minimum opening 55-7/8" wide — Superior recommends an extra 1/8" per side — and hold 1/2" clearance to the wrapper at the back and sides (0" to the spacers). The 55" model must be framed with at least 12" of vertical vent rise directly off the unit before the first elbow, which sets a 42" minimum opening height. The fireplace sits directly on the floor — on a metal or wood panel if the floor is carpet or vinyl tile — or at least 6" up if you plan the decorative surround. It is listed by PFS TECO to ANSI Z21.88 (report F19-008), for bedrooms and manufactured homes, at elevations to 4,500 ft on the standard orifices.
How the DRL2055 compares to the other DRL2000 sizes
The three DRL2000 sizes share the same clean-face firebox design, standard reflective black glass media, and media and liner options; they differ in width and output. This 55" runs 23,000 BTU/hr high on natural gas at from $3,849, against the 35" at from $2,789 and the 45" at from $3,199. Frame to the size you pick — the minimum opening width steps 10" per size.
Features
- A 50" by 16-3/4" view of the fire in a clean-faced 55" linear firebox
- Sealed direct vent — combustion air comes from outside and vents back out the top, vertically through the roof or horizontally through an outside wall
- Zero clearance to combustible materials on all sides, so it frames straight into a stud wall
- Electronic ignition with four AA batteries backing up fireplace operation through a power outage
- Reflective black crushed glass media ships in the carton
- 23,000 BTU/hr high on natural gas, throttling to 19,000 on low
Answers to common questions
What’s included, what’s required, and what’s optional?
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Included in the box: 23,000 BTU/hr high / 19,000 low (natural gas); 21,000 / 17,000 (propane); Electronic intermittent pilot ignition; Battery backup (4 AA) for fireplace operation; Tempered glass; 50" W x 16-3/4" H glass viewing area; Reflective black crushed glass media (7.5 lbs); Painted black interior liner; PFS TECO listed to ANSI Z21.88 (report F19-008); 20-year limited warranty.
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Required to complete the installation, purchased separately: Control - an ON/OFF wall switch, wall thermostat, or remote control; the manual requires one and none ships in the box; Venting - Secure Vent rigid, Secure Flex or Z-FLEX Model GA 4-1/2"/7-1/2" pipe and a termination sized for your run; Gas Line and Electrical - a gas supply line and an unswitched 120 VAC, 60 Hz circuit to the junction box, run by a qualified installer.
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Optional: A floor media upgrade over the standard reflective black crushed glass, or the porcelain liner upgrade over the painted interior — the fireplace operates fully with neither; A decorative surround in Black Matte or Stainless, a blower kit, and wall or remote control kits; The HeatFlo convection kit, which redirects heat upward through hidden ductwork with no blower or electricity so the wall above stays cooler.
Will it work if the power goes out?
Yes — four AA batteries in the battery holder provide backup power and keep the fireplace operating through an outage. The electronic ignition normally runs on house power (a 120 VAC unswitched circuit is required), and the battery backup covers fireplace operation only — an optional blower will not run until power returns.
How do I vent it?
Out the top only, on 4-1/2"/7-1/2" direct-vent pipe — Secure Vent rigid, Secure Flex flexible, or Z-FLEX Model GA components are the listed systems, and no other manufacturer's vent may be used. The run can go vertically through the roof or horizontally through an outside wall. On this 55" model a minimum 12" of vertical rise directly off the unit is required before the first elbow. Send us your wall build-up and roof line and we will size the run with you.
How close can a mantel or a shelf sit above it?
Combustible mantel clearance depends on how deep the mantel is — see Figure 5 on page 16 of the installation manual, and Figure 5C on the same page for combustible side walls and mantel legs. You can also send us your mantel depth. We're here to help! A combustible utility shelf above the 55" unit (the spot people use for a television) must sit at least 62" over a Secure Vent rigid elbow, 64" over a Secure Flex flex elbow above the fireplace base, with no insulation in between; a non-combustible mantel can go at any height.
What comes in the box, and what does the firebox look like?
The carton packs the assembled fireplace with its standard crushed glass media for the firebox floor (7.5 lbs of Black Glass Media), 15 feet of switch wire, a non-combustible board with brackets, two vent restrictors and a vent baffle. The interior is Superior's standard black painted finish; the Reflective Blue, Platinum, River Rock and Driftwood Log Set choices above replace the media look, and the Black Porcelain kit lines the interior — all optional.
Can I switch it to the other fuel later?
Yes — Superior catalogues manual gas conversion kits for the DRL2055 in both directions, natural gas to propane (GCK-M-L2055NP) and propane to natural gas (GCK-M-L2055PN), and the conversion must be carried out by a qualified service agency. Buying the right dedicated model up front is still the cleaner path, so pick the fuel you have at the meter or tank today.
How does the warranty work if something goes wrong?
Superior covers the DRL2055 with a 20-year limited warranty, and The Torch Guys handles it for you — we register the appliance and, if you ever need to claim, we deal with the manufacturer on your behalf rather than handing you a phone number. Keep your invoice and the model number; we hold the rest on file.
