EPA Certified Zero Clearance Fireplaces

EPA certified zero clearance fireplaces compared

Every figure below comes from the specifications on our own product pages. Heating areas are the manufacturers' own ranges; actual results depend on your climate, insulation and layout.

Prices at Dreamwood Living as of October 2026. "Not listed" means the figure is not on our product page; call us and we will check the manual for you.

What zero clearance means, and what it doesn't

"Zero clearance" means the fireplace body can sit against wood framing. The Valcourt Lafayette II, for example, is zero clearance at the back, sides and floor, and the Superior WCT6920 lists 0" to the sides and back at its standoffs. It does not mean the fireplace has no clearance rules at all. Every model here still has:

• A listed chimney. Most use a 6" chimney listed to UL 103 HT. The Superior WCT6940 takes a 7" IHP Snap-Pak chimney and the Empire St. Clair 4300 an 8" solid-pack chimney. Osburn, Valcourt and Empire call for at least 15 ft from the base of the fireplace to the chimney cap.
• A non-combustible hearth extension in front of the door. Its size and insulation value depend on the model and on how high the fireplace sits above the floor.
• Mantel and ceiling limits. These are the figures most often missed. The Osburn Horizon and Valcourt Waterloo, for example, need 84" from the base of the fireplace to the ceiling and allow a combustible mantel no deeper than 6".
• Side wall clearances from the door opening. The Valcourt Dallaire II needs 21" to a side wall, against 13" for the Lafayette II, so it needs a wider wall than its framing width suggests.

The installation manual for each fireplace sets these figures. Read it before the framing goes up, and call us if you need a copy.

Why EPA certification matters

The EPA treats an open fireplace built mainly for looks differently from a wood heater. Open fireplaces carry no emissions rating. The fireplaces on this page are tested as heaters, and since May 15, 2020, a new wood heater must emit no more than 2.0 grams of particulate per hour, or 2.5 g/h under the cordwood test option. The models above that publish a figure are rated between 1.2 and 1.9 g/h. Our guide to types of wood burning fireplaces explains the difference in more detail.

Empire notes that in the United States, and anywhere a particulate emission limit is enforced, its EPA certified fireplaces may not be run with the door open and a fire screen in place. If you want to burn with the doors open, look at our open wood burning fireplaces instead.

Same firebox, different face

Several of these fireplaces publish identical heating figures, so the choice between them comes down to the look:

• The Valcourt Lafayette II, Lafayette IIS, Mundo II and Osburn Stratford II all list 80,000 BTU, 750 to 2,200 sq ft, an 8 hour burn and 1.2 g/h. Arched or square faceplate, a contemporary face, or Osburn's classic one.
• The Valcourt Dallaire II and Osburn Everest III both list 85,000 BTU, 750 to 2,500 sq ft and 1.9 g/h.
• The Valcourt Waterloo, Waterloo Arched and Osburn Horizon all list 95,000 BTU, 1,000 to 2,800 sq ft, an 11 hour burn and 25" logs, the longest burn on this page.
• The Majestic WarmMajic II and Pioneer II both list 68,200 BTU, 1,000 to 2,600 sq ft and a 2.7 cu ft firebox.

Two models stand apart. The Superior WCT6940 is the only catalytic fireplace here, with a bypass damper and the largest log on the page at 30". The Buck Stove ZC21 is a Buck Model 21 wood stove inside a zero clearance cabinet that frames into 2x4 walls, a corner or an outside chase, and at $3,377 it is the lowest priced fireplace on this page.

Moving heat beyond the room

Most of these fireplaces take a kit that sends warm air to another room. The Osburn and Valcourt models take gravity or forced air kits (the Mundo II requires its hot air gravity kit), the Superior WCT4920 and WCT6920 take Superior's HeatFlo convection kit, and the Majestic Pioneer III supports up to two Heat Zone ducts. One caution: Superior's optional forced air heating kit was not part of the EPA emissions testing, and Superior states that a fireplace with that kit installed cannot be sold as EPA certified. Our guide to fireplace heat management explains how these kits work.

EPA certified zero clearance fireplace FAQs

What is the difference between a zero clearance fireplace and a wood insert?

A zero clearance fireplace is built into a new framed wall with its own chimney. An insert slides into an existing masonry or factory-built fireplace and vents up a liner in the old chimney. If you already have a fireplace, see wood burning fireplace inserts; if you are building new or adding a fireplace where there isn't one, a zero clearance fireplace is the right category.

How much heat do I need?

Start with the manufacturer's heating range and the size of the space you want to heat, then adjust for your climate and insulation. A smaller firebox such as the Superior 20" models suits up to about 1,500 sq ft, while the Waterloo, Horizon and Pioneer III are rated for 2,800 to 3,000 sq ft. Oversizing means running the fire low, which burns less cleanly, so call us if you are between sizes.

Do I need outside combustion air?

Some US jurisdictions require an outdoor combustion air supply. Empire offers a fresh air kit for the St. Clair 4300 and recommends a carbon monoxide alarm when one is installed, and Superior includes an outside air kit as standard on the WCT4920 and WCT6920. Check with your local building department.

Are any Valcourt fireplaces not EPA certified?

Yes. The Valcourt Antoinette, Frontenac, Manoir and St. Laurent are decorative or low mass fireplaces, not certified wood heaters, and the St-Louis has been tested but its EPA certification is still pending. They are in our Valcourt collection rather than on this page.

Talk to us before you frame

Call us at 888-486-2909 with the size of the space, your ceiling height and where the chimney will run, and we will help you pick a fireplace and check its framing and mantel limits. We are here 9am to 9pm CST.

Related collections

• Wood Burning Fireplaces
• Wood Burning Fireplace Inserts
• Wood Stoves
• EPA Approved Wood Stoves
• Valcourt Fireplaces
• Osburn
• Mantels and Non-Combustible Surrounds