Valor Retrofire (Extra Small)

Quick Facts

• Heating Capacity: Approx. 500–1,000 sq ft
• Efficiency: Up to 70% (EnerGuide), depending on venting and fuel.
• Viewing Area: 21½" wide
• Fuel: Natural gas or propane.
• Controls: Remote control included; thermostat and wall-switch upgrades optional.
• Fan: Optional

Who It's For

The wood-burning fireplace in your living room sits cold because the opening is small, arched, or shaped like nothing an installer has seen before. You need an insert that fits the opening you already have. If you want real warmth from that hearth without tearing out the masonry or stone around it—and without the cost of a renovation—this is the one to look at. Most inserts make the decision for you by simply not fitting; the RetroFire's modest size and accommodating shape let it fit into more existing fireplaces than any other.

What Makes It Special

Small on purpose, the RetroFire goes where other inserts can't—arches, boathouse builds, and small chimneys that would rule anything else out. The brick, tile, or stone you already have stays exactly where it is, and the fireplace you stopped using becomes a working heater.

Underneath, it's essentially a high-efficiency gas log set built for your safety and performance, with a firebed tried and tested across the Valor line. It warms by radiant heat—the way the sun warms your face—so you feel it the moment you sit down, no blower required. And at up to 70% efficiency, most of the gas you pay for becomes heat in your room, not heat up the chimney.

Possible Downsides

• The fan is optional, not included. Without the add-on Circulating Fan Kit, there's no blower to push warm air down a hallway.
• The included remote is not thermostatic. Set-a-temperature-and-hold-it control is an optional upgrade.
• It's sized for a room, not a whole floor. Approx. 500–1,000 square feet covers a living room, not an open floor plan.

If you've been told your fireplace is too small or too odd for a gas insert, the RetroFire is the right decision. The fireplace you walked past all winter becomes the room everyone ends up in.

Choose a Driftwood or Traditional log set, dress the front with an optional Ventana or Traditional black fret, and add the circulating fan kit or a thermostat remote upgrade if you want them.