Valcourt Fireplaces

Heater or decorative fireplace?

Start here, because it decides everything else. The high-efficiency models are rated to heat between 750 and 2,800 square feet depending on the model, with maximum burn times of 7 to 11 hours. They are what you choose when the fireplace is expected to carry real heating load through a winter.

The decorative models are rated for smaller areas — under 1,000 square feet for the St. Laurent, Frontenac and Antoinette, under 1,500 for the Manoir — and burn wood faster. They exist for the view and the open-fire experience. Buying one as a primary heat source is the common mistake; buying a heater when what you wanted was a big open fire is the other one.

The high-efficiency models

The Waterloo is the largest heater in the range and takes logs up to 25". The Lafayette II and IIS share the same specifications; the II is arched and the IIS is square. The Mundo II is the contemporary one and requires a hot air gravity kit. The Dallaire II has cast iron doors that retract to each side. The St-Louis figures are as tested; its EPA certification is pending.

The decorative models

The Frontenac (FP11D) is the largest fireplace Valcourt makes, with a 9.4 cubic foot firebox that takes 30" logs and a guillotine glass door and fire screen. The St. Laurent (FP16D) is the linear one — a wide, low rectangle with a 6.4 cubic foot firebox, also taking 30" logs behind a guillotine door. The Antoinette (FP7D) is the smaller guillotine model at 5.3 cubic feet.

The Manoir (FP1LM) is different: double glass doors that retract into each side of the fireplace rather than lifting, a 4.25 cubic foot firebox, and a 176 CFM fan included.

Valcourt questions

Which Valcourt fireplace heats the largest area?

The Waterloo. It is rated for 1,000 to 2,800 square feet with a maximum output of 95,000 BTU/h, from a 4.73 cubic foot firebox with a maximum burn time of 11 hours. It is EPA 2020 certified and is listed as the Waterloo (FP15) or, with an arched faceplate, the Waterloo Arched (FP15A). The Dallaire II is next at up to 2,500 square feet.

What is a guillotine door on a wood fireplace?

It is a glass door that slides straight up and down instead of swinging open on hinges, so it lifts out of the way without taking up room in front of the hearth. On the Valcourt St. Laurent, Frontenac and Antoinette both the glass door and the fire screen work this way, which lets you burn with the glass raised and only the screen down. The Manoir uses retractable double doors that slide to the sides instead.

What chimney does a Valcourt fireplace need?

The Lafayette II, Lafayette IIS, Mundo II and Dallaire II use a 6-inch flue and the other models an 8-inch flue. All call for a factory-built chimney listed to UL 103 HT (2100 °F), with a minimum chimney height of 15 feet on most models and 18 feet on the Frontenac. The St. Laurent can also connect to a masonry chimney. Confirm the approved chimney systems in the installation manual on the product page before you order pipe.

What do the gravity kit and forced air kit do?

Both move heat away from the fireplace. A gravity kit lets hot air rise through ducts to outlets higher on the wall with no fan, and a forced air kit uses a blower to push heat through a duct to another room. The Mundo II requires a hot air gravity kit, and the Waterloo lists a forced air distribution kit as an option. Each kit is listed for specific models, so check the fireplace's product page before ordering one.

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