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Napoleon Luxuria Linear Series Turns Down Temps By Turning Up the Technology

The following post is brought to you by Napoleon Fireplaces. Our partners are handpicked by the Design Milk team because they represent the best in design.

10.30.17 | By
Napoleon Luxuria Linear Series Turns Down Temps By Turning Up the Technology

Walk into a room warmed by the rhythmic luminescence of a fireplace and our innate desire to inch near the source awakens. Fire presents an atmospheric and relaxing invitation, emotionally rich with memories: family festivities, the camaraderie of a campfire, the promise of holiday cheer during winter. This relationship with the hearth of the home survives today, notably in the form of linear fireplaces – dramatic, multi-flame fireplaces that draw the eyes across the expanse of a room.

Interior designers will appreciate the Dynamic Heat Control system’s ability to redirect heat, away from traditionally combustible framing finishes, opening a whole new world of design aesthetic options previously inadvisable.

Napoleon Luxuria™ Linear Series exemplifies the latest in modern fireplaces – a collection designed by North America’s largest privately owned manufacturer of quality fireplaces, gourmet grills, and HVAC equipment. Conceived to appeal to discriminating luxury market customers – both for residential and hospitality environments – Luxuria™ sports a myriad of modern design options, engineered safety features, and customization choices all invisibly incorporated to permit the flicker of flames to hold center stage.

Popularized as an interior showpiece, the linear fireplace has established itself as a categorical mainstay in the hearth industry, but one historically challenged by technical issues related to its size. How do you contain an extremely hot and dynamic heat source situated in close proximity to materials prone to degrading over time, including decorative finishes and interior features like flat panel televisions?

We spoke with David Shulver, Vice President of Research and Development of Hearth Products for Napoleon, to better understand the challenges and eventual solutions of engineering the modern fireplace, version 2.0.

Napoleon’s Luxuria series was recognized as “Best-In-Show” at the 2017 Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA) Expo in March.

“Linear fireplaces are a very popular design trend today. They look amazing. But here’s the thing: a lineal design needs a lot of flames inside to make that expanse look reasonable – we’re talking about up to 70” wide of space that needs fire lit across it. What do you with all that heat?,” said Shulver. “The fundamental problem we wanted to solve was one of heat. How do we keep the heat surrounding the fireplace in a safe range? Temperatures can rise up to 200 degrees above a fireplace, which can cause damage to surrounding architectural finishes.”

“Other manufacturers use a safety barrier, a safety requirement that isn’t always so safe. The glass itself can get so hot it could cause burns, and we noticed the fans our competitors were using weren’t just loud, but would cause the inside of the fireplace to get dusty and dirty… something they don’t tell you but you have to deal with as an owner. We’ve solved that problem.”

The Glass Guard System permits easy access for cleaning. The entire front slides out and can be cleaned in just 30 seconds, all without risk of dropping the glass panels.

Napoleon’s solution is a micro-chimney engineered to pull in air from the bottom of the glass front – a feature they call, Dynamic Heat Control – and swiftly move the majority of heat upward, preventing the interior from reaching unsafe temperatures. The resulting design doesn’t require a special enclosure or safety screen inhibiting enjoyment, nor a noisy air circulation fan so often marring the experience and maintenance of existing linear fireplaces.

“Because you do not need a special enclosure, the cost to install one of these new designs is less than existing competitors’ solutions,” explained Shulver. “You also don’t have to turn it on and off to regulate the temperatures, a common issue with fan-regulated models.”

Because the exterior remains safe to touch, those apt to hang flat panel displays and sound bars will also benefit greatly from a fireplace that doesn’t slowly toast their electronics to premature obsolescence. Moreover, this feature is comforting to families with small ones or pets running around.

Combine all these engineering improvements with the choice of four different sizes ranging from 38 to 74 inches long, a Bluetooth enabled eFIRE app app allowing remote control/customization (flame height, LED ember bed colors, and the blower), and up to 50,000 BTUs of heat, and Napoleon believes their latest linear fireplace series is the most versatile fireplace for modern homes available today.

“The future of fireplaces is cleaner, quieter, customizable, and decor-friendly. There are no longer compromises with the Luxuria™ Linear Series.”

Learn more about the Luxuria™ series at napoleonfireplaces.com.