I too have a Mendota so I know about the restrictions and it does get warm above the fireplace itself. I just laid a marble hearth but I am still uncertain as to what I am doing with the surround. I do have a somewhat tradional flammable wooden mantel with a 6' piece left to right (hope that makes sense)with two legs approximently 4' high. Whatever the exact measurements are, it falls within the acceptable guidelines. This of course, leads me to a decision as to what I want to put for the surround - as you said the area from the fireplace and mantel must be covered with a nonflammable material. I have yet to make up my mind but some of the things I have considered are 1)marble like the hearth - boring!, 2)a glass mosaic or possibly a stone mosaic i.e. onyx or soapstone that would compliment and not compete with the marble hearth. But that's just my personal preference and it may not apply to what you are trying to accomplish. The best advise I can give you is to google fireplace surround images and you will get thousand and thousands of images to consider. Good luck. Lynn fr CT

I bought my Mendota 44I in March, 2011. I replaced the batteries this fall, when the ignition system would not work. Long story short, the pilot light can be lit manually, but only stays on about 24 hours. The ignition system (electronic spark generator for lack of the proper term) does not work at all. When the pilot goes out the system goes into lockout after it tries to relight three times. (Makes me nervous that the pilot light gas flows about 30 seconds each time, for three times, before it locks out.) (No the pilot flame is not "dancing" or otherwise being pulling off the electrode.) Its taken forever for the dealer and installer and to get their acts together. The dealer claims Mendota has just put out a modification, which the dealer does not even have yet, that requires the electronic module, apparently the pilot light assembly, and god knows what else, to be relocated, because in their current position, the control module overheats, and stops functioning. The dealer has no one trained to do this modification, and is not sure who will do it. All of this while my one year warranty is running out in a couple of months. The electronics and valves (Proflame made by SIT) is an Italian company. Proflame by SIT is used in several different inserts by other manufacturers, and most of them have a much better manual, available online, than Mendota's, with better troubleshooting and color coded wiring schematics in the manual. On the other hand, Mendota seems to believe that nobody should take the glass off this fireplace except for an authorized servicer. For sure, it is impossible to work on this, or even check the electrical connections on the wiring harness, without completely removing the insert from the fireplace, including detaching the flue, etc etc. This insert had the best looking fire, logs, etc. while burning when I was looking for an insert, , but I too am wondering if I made a huge mistake buying the FV-44i!!!!!!!!!!

Just realized an error in my earlier post. Our fireplace is top vented and not rear vented so the 2nd paragraph of my post no longer applies. I'd still like help on the first part of my post;i..e, the excessively large and hot pilot light. Thanks

Boy, talk about a thread coming back from the dead! If you are still looking, Msmico, the mendota 42 and 45 take the same log sets. It falls a couple inches short of the ends of the firebox on each side, which seems to bother a lot of people. Once its installed and burning in your home, I doubt anyone would really notice. I'm leaning towards Mendota just because their burners are more controlable: you can actually turn them way down, whereas on most gas FPs, turn them dosen't use less gas, it just dumps heat outdoors, not a good choice environmentally or economically, IMO.