Superior DRL3555 55" Linear Direct Vent Gas Fireplace
A 55" linear direct-vent gas fireplace that ships with the blower, the floor lighting and the multi-function remote already in the build. The Superior DRL3555 is the largest Pro Series linear — a 50" by 16-3/4" view of the fire over standard Platinum crushed glass media, running 28,000 BTU/hr high and 19,000 low on natural gas, with four AA batteries backing up the electronic ignition through a power outage. It 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. from $5,119.
Choose the DRL3555 if you want the widest DRL3500 with the fire to match — 50" of glass and the series' highest output — delivered complete, with the blower, floor lighting and remote factory-standard. It also takes the HeatFlo kit, the route to a TV or artwork above the fire.
It is not right if you need a primary heat source — Superior designs these as supplemental heaters, and the DRL3555 tops out at 28,000 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 minimum opening height is 42" with a 12" vertical vent section then an elbow, and on this 55" model a minimum of 1 ft of vertical rise is required directly off the unit; a HeatFlo installation frames to its own table, with 81-1/2" minimum from the appliance base to the ceiling. 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 DRL3555 compares to the other DRL3500 sizes — and the DRL2055
The three DRL3500 sizes share the Pro Series standard kit — blower, floor lighting, Platinum media and remote; they differ in width and output, and the HeatFlo kit fits the 45" and 55" only. This 55" runs 28,000 BTU/hr high on natural gas at from $5,119, against the 35" at from $3,999 and the 45" at from $4,499. The same-width Superior DRL2055 (from $3,849) is the value build of the two — it leaves the control, blower and lighting as separate options and ships black glass media — where the DRL3555 carries all three standard.
Features
- Factory-standard blower and interior floor lighting — the spec sheet's own model description reads "Lights, Blower"
- The multi-function remote ships in the carton — on/off, thermostat, flame height, blower and lighting control
- A 50" by 16-3/4" view of the fire over standard Platinum crushed glass media
- 28,000 BTU/hr high on natural gas, throttling to 19,000 on low
- Sealed direct vent — combustion air comes from outside and vents back out the top, vertically through the roof or horizontally through an outside wall
- HeatFlo-ready — the 45" and 55" models take the convection kit that moves heat above a TV or artwork with no electricity required
Answers to common questions
What’s included, what’s required, and what’s optional?
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Included in the box: 28,000 BTU/hr high / 19,000 low (natural gas); 27,000 / 21,000 (propane); Electronic intermittent pilot ignition (SIT Proflame II); Battery backup (4 AA) for fireplace operation; Tempered glass; 50" W x 16-3/4" H glass viewing area; Platinum crushed glass media (7.5 lbs); Painted black interior liner; Factory-installed blower and interior floor lighting; Total Comfort Control multi-function remote (batteries included); 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: 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; the 55" requires at least 1 ft of vertical rise directly off the unit; 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 Platinum 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, the HeatFlo convection kit for mounting a TV or artwork above, and stepper gas conversion kits in either direction.
Will it work if the power goes out?
Yes — every DRL3555 has battery backup built in. Four AA batteries in the battery holder provide backup power for fireplace operation during an outage; the blower is the exception and stays off until line power returns. The electronic ignition normally runs on house power — a 120 VAC unswitched circuit is required — and the book calls the arrangement "electronic IPI/CPI ignition with seamless battery back-up."
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, and on this 55" model a minimum of 1 ft of vertical rise is required directly off the unit before the first elbow. Send us your wall build-up and roof line and we will size the run with you.
Can I mount a TV above it?
Yes — the HeatFlo kit is the route, and it fits this 55" model. In a HeatFlo installation the TV sits at least 12" above the fireplace opening on a flush wall, or in a recessed wall pocket at least 18" above the opening (maximum pocket depth 3-1/2"). The kit redirects heat through hidden ductwork to a register higher on the wall by natural convection — no electricity or blower required. Without HeatFlo, a combustible shelf for a TV must sit at least 62" (rigid elbow) or 64" (flex elbow) above the base of the unit, and Superior defers to your TV maker's own temperature limits either way.
How close can a mantel sit above it?
Combustible mantel clearance depends on how deep the mantel is — see Figure 5A on page 16 of the installation manual, with Figure 5B on the same page for installations that use the accessory HeatFlo kit, 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 non-combustible mantel can go at any height.
Do I have to buy the media or the liner upgrades?
No — the firebox is complete as it ships, with 7.5 lbs of Platinum crushed glass over the burner and Superior's black painted interior as the standard finish. The upgrades only change the look. On the media bed that means two bags of Reflective Black or Reflective Blue crushed glass (the 55" firebox takes two), the 25-piece River Rock kit, or the Driftwood Log Set sized for this 55" firebox; on the interior it means the Black Porcelain Liner Kit in place of the painted walls.
Can I switch it to the other fuel later?
Yes — Superior catalogues stepper gas conversion kits for the DRL3555 in both directions, natural gas to propane (GCK-S-L3555NP) and propane to natural gas (GCK-S-L3555PN), 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 DRL3555 with a 20-year limited warranty on the body, firebox and barrier — one year on the burner and gas components — 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.
