Glad to be of Service!
(Nothing worse than being at the mercy of a salesman)!!!

First question, Are you on Natural Gas or LP?
It makes a big difference in how low the fire can be turned down (LP can only be turned down about 50%).

The model Valor fireplace that I have had (Over 5 years now) is the Valor Horizon Series (534 xan).
Styling is called "Valor Classic Collection".
See it by visiting the link below.

http://valorfireplaces.com/media/pdfs/brochures/Valor_Horizon_Brochure.pdf

Here are some of the threads about Valor fireplace that are in Garden Web.

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/firepl/msg1019041427827.html

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/firepl/msg0800001523200.html

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/firepl/msg1208372219414.html?10

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/firepl/msg021447401240.html

As you will see from these posts, I'm my "Usual self" (IE quite chattie or should I say "Typie"? But I try to cover "All the bases" as far as info about the Valor.

The model I have has been replaced with this one.
New Model Horizon 534ILN
Go to the link below to see the info on the new model

http://www.valorfireplaces.com/media/Horizon%202009/horizon_brochure_web.pdf

More that likely You will be told
(You don't need a "Fan kit" for the fireplace)
I VERY Highly recommend the fan kit!!!
We had ours both ways, the whole exterior or the fireplace stays much cooler with the fan (except where the fire is),
When it's really a cold morning, the fan blows the heat right between your shoulder blades when ya stand next to the fireplace _that's important to "Senior citizen types"!

I think I have "covered all the bases" both here and my previous posts and if you have more questions, you may post them in the fireplace forum (If you like) as I visit that part of GW on a daily basis.

Good luck in your hunt, I hope you will be as satisfied with your purchase as we are, )_even after more than 5 years now)!

PS

Actually it is good you posted about the valor here in the "Appliance Thread". That will keep me too busy to do any more "Creative Writing" about Miele ovens and "Ticking Off"
Rococogurl I promise to do better "RG"!

Gary

We don't have NG available to us, so it'll be LP.

I read those posts before I posted here. ;) I was just wanting to see how the BTUs your model has compares to the BTUs recommended to me when I use their calculator. If I can't turn it down as much, I may want to be conservative on stove size?

That is great advice about the fan since Valor claims there is no need.

In one of those past discussions you linked a shop that listed prices. For estimate's sake, I priced an H4 model, which with the fan totalled nearly $4K, so my dh just laughed... I don't think that's a good sign... :-/

Thanks for your kind help! And behave yourself on those oven threads. :-D

The H4 has about the same specs as mine, EXCEPT, as I mentioned, the H4, like mine will only turn the heat about halfway down when used with LP.

Most of the reviews I've read, where folks said they wished they had bought the Valor instead of X or Z, their complaint was the fireplace did not put out enough heat, not that it put out too much.

There are NO Valor fireplaces, that I found that will turn down below half (Using LP), and I would have to do some searching to find if indeed there is such a gas fireplace, made by any company.

When I was pricing fireplaces back in 2006 or so, 4 grand seemed to be about the price by the time everything was said and done, unless I looked at some real "Cheapies" which would probably only decorate and not heat a room.

Gary

GOOD point.

I second dodge on the fan kit. I was told by the salesman that it only increaes efficiency by 3%. Balogna!!! I wasnthrilled with my valor before the fan kit.

Thanks for your input, too, tyguy!

You are very welcome rhome. One of the nice things with valor is that their zero clearance models can be vented co linear as well as the traditional direct vent. (I needed co linear)

Thanks for taking the time to add the extra info. Does that mean you vented vertically through an existing chimney? I don't have one, so will need direct-vent.