Valcourt Dallaire II EPA 2020 Wood Burning Fireplace
Retractable cast-iron doors that slide out of the way of the fire. The Valcourt Dallaire II (FP18R) is an EPA 2020-certified non-catalytic wood fireplace rated 85,000 BTU/hr maximum on dry cordwood at 71.6% optimum efficiency, 1.9 g/h, for 750 to 2,500 square feet. It frames 41-7/8" wide by 49-5/8" high by 24-1/2" deep with zero clearance to the enclosure, vents through a 6-inch Class A chimney, takes 20-inch logs, and ships with its 176 CFM variable-speed blower. Choose the faceplate and louver style above, both priced on top; from $5,289 for the fireplace alone.
Choose the Dallaire II if you want a certified heater that still looks like an open fireplace: the double doors retract to the sides instead of swinging into the room, the blower is already in the box, and the same 8-inch and 6-inch knockouts take Valcourt's gravity kit or thermostat-controlled forced-air kit when you want to move heat up to 50 feet to another room. Pick a louver style to match the room — Classique, Arabesque, Urban, Mission or Crown — on the black square faceplate; the faceplate is required, not decorative, and it is priced on top of the fireplace.
It is not right for an open-door fire in the United States: burning with the doors open behind a rigid firescreen is prohibited wherever a particulate limit applies, so the optional firescreen is for provinces that allow it. It is not for a manufactured home in the USA (mobile homes are approved in Canada only) and not for an alcove. It needs a full 6-inch Class A chimney at least 15 feet tall, an 80-inch ceiling above its base, and a 16-inch deep non-combustible floor in front — there is no vent-free or short-flue option. If you want a moulded-brick interior, the Dallaire II does not offer one.
Specifications
Frame the enclosure 41-7/8" wide, 49-5/8" high to the first header and 24-1/2" deep, add the thickness of your finishing material, and leave the space above the fireplace empty to 80" from its base; with the fresh-air kit plan on 60-3/4" of width and with the forced-air kit 72-3/4". The back, sides and floor of the enclosure are zero clearance; the chimney keeps 2". A combustible mantel may project up to 3" and sits at least 8" above the door opening; a combustible side wall stays 21" from the opening; a combustible shelf needs the metal heat shield 5" below it and sits 48" up for a 6" shelf, 54" for a 12" shelf. Floor protection is 16" deep and 36-3/4" wide, R 1.00 unless the fireplace stands on a base of 4" or more. The chimney is a 6" ULC-S629 / UL 103 HT system from the approved list — at least 15 feet from the base to the cap, at most two offsets (Valcourt recommends 18" of straight pipe before the first one), and one support at least. The 176 CFM blower is wired by an electrician; nothing else is electrical.
Features
- EPA 2020-certified non-catalytic firebox: 1.9 g/h emissions, 71.6% optimum efficiency, 85,000 BTU/hr maximum output and up to 8 hours per load
- Retractable cast-iron double doors with ceramic glass slide to either side of the firebox for an unobstructed view
- 176 CFM variable-speed blower is in the box — no blower kit to buy
- Takes 20-inch logs (16-inch recommended) east-west in a 2.61 ft³ usable firebox, rated for 750 to 2,500 ft²
- Zero clearance to the enclosure at the back, sides and floor; frames 41-7/8" wide x 49-5/8" high x 24-1/2" deep
- Ready for Valcourt's fresh-air kit, traditional gravity kit and thermostat-controlled forced-air kit — the adapter for the fresh-air intake ships in the box
Answers to common questions
What chimney does the Dallaire II need, and is any of it included?
None of the chimney is in the box. The fireplace vents through a 6-inch factory-built chimney listed to ULC-S629 / UL 103 HT (2100 °F) from Valcourt's approved list — DuraVent Dura Tech and DuraPlus, Selkirk CF Sentinel, Super Pro 2100 and Super Vent 2100, Security Chimney S-2100+, Olympia Chimney / SBI Ventis, Nexvent, Champion and Rockford, Metal Fab Temp Guard, American Metal HS/HSS — starting with a 6-inch anchor plate on the fireplace. Plan on at least 15 feet from the base of the fireplace to the cap (17 feet if you use four elbows), no more than two offsets (18 inches of straight pipe before the first one is recommended), at least one support, 2 inches of clearance around the pipe, and 3 feet above the roof. A lined masonry chimney is also approved. The chimney maker's manual governs the run itself.
How close can a mantel, a shelf or a side wall be?
A combustible mantel may project up to 3 inches and must sit at least 8 inches above the door opening. A combustible side wall stays 21 inches from the door opening, and the wall facing the fireplace stays 36 inches away in the USA (48 in Canada). A non-combustible shelf 6 to 12 inches deep can go 48 inches above the base; a combustible shelf needs Valcourt's metal heat shield 5 inches below it and goes 48 inches up for a 6-inch shelf, 50 for 8, 52 for 10, 54 for 12 (add 42 inches to any other depth). The ceiling is never lower than 80 inches from the base. Send us your mantel or shelf depth if you want it checked — we're here to help!
What goes on the floor in front of it?
A continuous non-combustible surface at least 16 inches deep and 36-3/4 inches wide — 8 inches past each side of the door opening — such as ceramic on a non-combustible panel, concrete board or brick, never over carpet. When the fireplace sits on the floor or on a base under 4 inches, that surface needs an R-value of 1.00 (4 inches of brick plus 1 inch of Durock gets you 1.32); on a base of 4 inches or more no R-value is required. A folded metal strip at least 2 inches wide protects the joint between the protection and the fireplace, and it is not supplied.
What’s included, what’s required, and what’s optional?
-
Included in the box: The fireplace with its refractory panels, C-Cast baffle and four secondary air tubes; 176 CFM variable-speed blower with rheostat and AUTO/MANUAL switch, mounted under the firebox; Retractable cast-iron double doors with ceramic glass; Log retainers, Kindling Ignition Enhancer, top/side/back standoffs and the faceplate springs; 4-inch fresh-air adapter, intake plate and screws (for the optional fresh-air kit); EPA 2020 certification, ULC S610 / UL 127 listing and the Valcourt limited lifetime warranty.
-
Required to complete the installation, purchased separately: Faceplate and Louver - the black square faceplate and faceplate louver, one of the five louver styles, chosen above; the fireplace cannot be finished or run without a faceplate installed; Venting - an 6" listed factory-built chimney from the approved list (see pg 19 in the installation manual) or a lined masonry chimney; Floor Protection - a continuous non-combustible surface 16 inches deep and 36-3/4 inches wide in front of the fireplace (R 1.00 unless the fireplace sits on a base of 4 inches or more) with a 2-inch folded metal strip at the joint; Electrical - a house circuit for the included blower, wired by a qualified electrician with the ground on the fireplace frame.
-
Optional: The forced-air kit (its 6-inch insulated flex pipe is a separate purchase, not in the kit), the traditional gravity kit, the fresh-air intake register and 4-inch insulated duct, the firescreen door, the heat shield for a combustible shelf, carrying handles and NightFlame glass — the fireplace burns wood fully without any of them.
Is the blower included, and does the fireplace need electricity?
The 176 CFM variable-speed blower is included, already mounted under the firebox with its rheostat and AUTO/MANUAL switch. It needs a house circuit run by a qualified electrician, with the ground attached to the fireplace frame. Nothing else on the fireplace is electrical — it burns and drafts on its own in a power outage; only the blower stops.
Can I burn it with the doors open?
Only where the law allows. Valcourt sells a firescreen door (AC01226) that hangs in the opening, but in the United States, and in any province with a particulate emissions limit, running the fireplace open with a rigid firescreen is prohibited, and it is never allowed in a mobile home. Where it is permitted, never leave the fire unattended with the screen in. With the doors closed the Dallaire II runs as the certified heater it is tested to be.
Do I need an outside air kit?
It is optional. The fireplace ships with the 4-inch adapter, intake plate and screws; to connect outside air you add the 4-inch fresh-air intake register with its airtight damper and an insulated 4-inch HVAC-class duct at least 10 feet long (at most 30, with a P-trap loop against condensation). The register goes outside, above the snow line, away from exhausts and other inlets, no more than 10 feet above or 3 feet below the base of the fireplace, and a mechanical shutter that closes the inlet when the fireplace is not in use is mandatory.
Does buying from The Torch Guys affect my Valcourt warranty?
No. Valcourt's limited lifetime warranty covers products bought through an authorized Valcourt dealer, and The Torch Guys is one — we register the appliance and, if you ever need to claim, we deal with the manufacturer on your behalf. The combustion-chamber welds, castings and ceramic glass are covered for life on parts (one replacement) with 4 years of labour; the C-Cast baffle and secondary air tubes 5 years; the blower and its controls 2 years; gaskets, paint and refractory bricks 1 year. It applies to the original purchaser, requires installation by a qualified technician, and is void if anything but cordwood is burned. Keep your invoice and the serial number from the plate on the back; we hold the rest on file.
