Pam, If you're using the polycarb ridge cap with the same kind of corrugations as the panels, you need to screw it down like the sheets. Or, you can just buy lengths of galvanized steel ridge and screw it to the corrugations and use filler strips to plug the spaces in between. I've used a vented ridge cap on some applications too. It allows hot air to escape through non-leaking vents in the pieces. Easy way to crawl on the structure is to cut a piece of 3/8" OSB to just short of where the ridge edge will go. Build a "stop" out of 2X that'll screw onto the top plate or exposed wall studs to hold the OSB. Screw that to the OSB. Ladder up to the platform and lay the pre-drilled cap in place. Come down and move the structure down the wall 4'. Don't forget to orient the seams away from the prevailing wind. Seal them with some silicone. Depending on the pitch of the roof, you may have to put some thin battens on the OSB sheet to keep from slipping off, or losing a drill...

macv - he was talking about using isokern for our other 5 fireplaces (2 in basement, one screened porch, one den, one keeping), not the fireplace in the small study, which is 12 x 12, where there is currently not one. I think he was talking about the depth difference between traditional masonry and isokern standard - he did say the fireplace was 2 feet (?), and the back to back isokern (in keeping and screened porch) is 4 feet. As one is on an interior wall and one is a back to back fireplace, we don't have the option of pushing the chimney outside, and our rooms are not very big so the 2 feet for the fireplace and 20 inches for the hearth make a difference I am finding! I think the plans are getting very close to being finalized and we were able to put two doors in the study (one from entrance hall and one connecting den and study with walk through butler's pantry like bar in the short hallway, which is a great place for the bar which we have been struggling with). I am going to have an interior designer look over the plans to be sure about room size as far as furniture placement, sight lines, flow, etc. and I will have her weigh in about the fireplace as well. How deep is a traditional b-vent? If we just have to find a foot for it that is less problematic. . . The hearth doesn't bother me as you can easily push an ottoman right up to the hearth (it will not be raised) if you need to. I still would like to have one but now that the room is not a dead end I feel much better about it not being necessary.

Thanks for your input, Renovator8. That fireplace has been through a few transitions. It was first an Isokern masonry like fireplace but to save some money we changed it to a b-vent on the plans. Once we placed the house on the lot, it became apparent that the b-vent pipe would be viewable from the street, and would have to be fairly high due to the slope of the roof. The initial hope was to hide the b/vent pipe from view behind the upstairs Isokern chimney, but the house is oriented in a way that it is viewable on approach, even though not seen in the front or back yard. We then changed to an direct vent. The whole reason for the direct vent was to not vent to the roof, so I would like to avoid that. We have a couple of options with the Montebello like running them behind a bookshelf in the dead space and then over a boxed bay bumpout, but the pipe is so big it may make it not feasible. I don't think we have enough rise available to run it over the master bedroom tray ceiling above, unfortunately, because that will vent out the side of a house above the a/c in a very inconspicuous place.

We are in the research triangle area and about a year ago go a DV gas insert for the same reason you are considering it. We went with the Jotul Katadin model and we're very pleased with it. It's manufactured in Norway but assembled in Maine. We opted for the remote control thermostat, which they charge too much for. But I strongly recommend it because the fire gets really hot after a few minutes, and it's good to have it go off automatically and then back on a few minutes later. I do not know that I would definitely recommend the Jotul brand -- their customer service 800# is really intended for contractors who sell and install them -- they don't like to take call from their retail customers. I would strongly urge you to look very carefully at the installer you hire. Installing an insert is an all-day project and pretty complicated. And make sure your gas line is installed in a way that is compatible with your insert -- how that's done differs slightly from an installation for a regular gas logs unit. There's a place in Hillsborough that sells DV inserts and does the gas line also. We didn't go with them because my DW insisted on the Jotul -- she worked in Norway and likes their products -- and the guy in Hillsborough does not carry Jotul. Also make sure your installation is within your local building codes. Let me know if you have any further questions. Good luck.