We have a standard fireplace with a flue - we've never used in 5 years we've
lived in this house - now my girlfriend wants gas logs after our friends got
them - "they look so cozy" - so now I'm looking at the gas log sets - the
vent free sets provide decent heat AND I don't have to worry about
remembering to open and close the flue - the vented sets probably run more
heat up the flue than they provide in the room AND I have to open and close
the flue.

Pricing looks similar - why not go with the vent-free logs? Thanks!

"Just a citizen . . ." wrote in message
...
We have a standard fireplace with a flue - we've never used in 5 years
we've lived in this house - now my girlfriend wants gas logs after our
friends got them - "they look so cozy" - so now I'm looking at the gas log
sets - the vent free sets provide decent heat AND I don't have to worry
about remembering to open and close the flue - the vented sets probably
run more heat up the flue than they provide in the room AND I have to open
and close the flue.

Pricing looks similar - why not go with the vent-free logs? Thanks!

The vent free are something like 99.5% efficient. There are some people that
think the gas logs will give off too many fumes and burn up all the oxygen,
but that is not the case in my experience. Burning gas does give some
moisture to the air. In most houses, this is not a problem, especially if
you burn the logs for a couple of hours to look pretty. If you had a really
tight house and burned them on high day and night, it may be too much
moisture. They are no worse than using the gas range or the gas oven that
is in millions of homes.

I would suggest making sure you like the looks of the specific vent
free you are considering. Other than that, I believe Ed did a great
job.

On Fri, 5 Dec 2008 20:37:58 -0600, "Just a citizen . . ."
wrote:

We have a standard fireplace with a flue - we've never used in 5 years we've
lived in this house - now my girlfriend wants gas logs after our friends got
them - "they look so cozy" - so now I'm looking at the gas log sets - the
vent free sets provide decent heat AND I don't have to worry about
remembering to open and close the flue - the vented sets probably run more
heat up the flue than they provide in the room AND I have to open and close
the flue.

Pricing looks similar - why not go with the vent-free logs? Thanks!



Any kind of combustion will produce *some* carbon monoxide and other
by-products. How much toxic gas is produced in the living space can
be variable and it may (or may not) be safe. Personally, I would
prefer the vented type.

On Dec 6, 7:32�am, Phisherman wrote:
On Fri, 5 Dec 2008 20:37:58 -0600, "Just a citizen . . ."

wrote:
We have a standard fireplace with a flue - we've never used in 5 years we've
lived in this house - now my girlfriend wants gas logs after our friends got
them - "they look so cozy" - so now I'm looking at the gas log sets - the
vent free sets provide decent heat AND I don't have to worry about
remembering to open and close the flue - the vented sets probably run more
heat up the flue than they provide in the room AND I have to open and close
the flue.

Pricing looks similar - why not go with the vent-free logs? �Thanks!

Any kind of combustion will produce *some* carbon monoxide and other
by-products. �How much toxic gas is produced in the living space can
be variable and it may (or may not) be safe. �Personally, I would
prefer the vented type.

I looked into this years ago, for a home additrion that got shelved.

I BELEVE vent free ones didnt require a power line to operate, a
definite advantage in a power failure

Ed hit the high and low points already, but i work in the hearth
industry and I am not a fan of vented or vent free gas logs, even
though im pressed to sell both types. The reason most of our customers
have been displeased with them is this...

Vented gas logs require that we disable the damper during installation
(by building code and product instructions) and this is a huge heat
waster as you can imagine. We give the customer an option to have a
chimney balloon installed, but that must be removed when the firepalce
is used. Furthermore, even while you are using them they dont give off
usable heat.

Vent free gas logs are a better option if you want to actually get
heat from the gas logs, but they do effect indoor air quality (no
matter what the manufacturers propoganda says). As Ed said they put
excess moisture in the air and they do out put carbon dioxide and
carbon monoxide. So if you have infants or pregnant women in the home
it is not recommended. Your oven says "dont use as a heating device",
likewise vent free gas logs are not a heating device they just happen
to put out heat. If you have an old leaky house it is not an issue but
if you have a newer efficient home the vent free gas logs are not a
great option.

on 12/6/2008 7:32 AM Phisherman said the following:
On Fri, 5 Dec 2008 20:37:58 -0600, "Just a citizen . . ."
wrote:


We have a standard fireplace with a flue - we've never used in 5 years we've
lived in this house - now my girlfriend wants gas logs after our friends got
them - "they look so cozy" - so now I'm looking at the gas log sets - the
vent free sets provide decent heat AND I don't have to worry about
remembering to open and close the flue - the vented sets probably run more
heat up the flue than they provide in the room AND I have to open and close
the flue.

Pricing looks similar - why not go with the vent-free logs? Thanks!




Any kind of combustion will produce *some* carbon monoxide and other
by-products. How much toxic gas is produced in the living space can
be variable and it may (or may not) be safe. Personally, I would
prefer the vented type.


I have a vent free propane fireplace in my 20' x 20' Four Seasons
sunroom. I also have a Smoke/CO detector mounted in that room, just like
I have a Smoke/CO detector in my basement where the boiler and water
heater are located, and in the kitchen where the gas range is located.
The one advantage of a vent free gas fireplace is that all the heat
generated is going into the room, rather than having a part of it going
out the flue and having another access for cold air to come into the room.


--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

on 12/6/2008 8:33 AM said the following:
On Dec 6, 7:32�am, Phisherman wrote:

On Fri, 5 Dec 2008 20:37:58 -0600, "Just a citizen . . ."

wrote:

We have a standard fireplace with a flue - we've never used in 5 years we've
lived in this house - now my girlfriend wants gas logs after our friends got
them - "they look so cozy" - so now I'm looking at the gas log sets - the
vent free sets provide decent heat AND I don't have to worry about
remembering to open and close the flue - the vented sets probably run more
heat up the flue than they provide in the room AND I have to open and close
the flue.

Pricing looks similar - why not go with the vent-free logs? �Thanks!

Any kind of combustion will produce *some* carbon monoxide and other
by-products. �How much toxic gas is produced in the living space can
be variable and it may (or may not) be safe. �Personally, I would
prefer the vented type.


I looked into this years ago, for a home additrion that got shelved.

I BELEVE vent free ones didnt require a power line to operate, a
definite advantage in a power failure


Unless there is a blower mounted in the fireplace (either vented or vent
free), which won't prevent proper combustion, but just moving the hot
air around.

--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

Thanks, guys - I really appreciate you all taking the time to explain -
there's a lot that I don't know - thanks for helping me.
"69tbird" wrote in message
...
Ed hit the high and low points already, but i work in the hearth
industry and I am not a fan of vented or vent free gas logs, even
though im pressed to sell both types. The reason most of our customers
have been displeased with them is this...

Vented gas logs require that we disable the damper during installation
(by building code and product instructions) and this is a huge heat
waster as you can imagine. We give the customer an option to have a
chimney balloon installed, but that must be removed when the firepalce
is used. Furthermore, even while you are using them they dont give off
usable heat.

Vent free gas logs are a better option if you want to actually get
heat from the gas logs, but they do effect indoor air quality (no
matter what the manufacturers propoganda says). As Ed said they put
excess moisture in the air and they do out put carbon dioxide and
carbon monoxide. So if you have infants or pregnant women in the home
it is not recommended. Your oven says "dont use as a heating device",
likewise vent free gas logs are not a heating device they just happen
to put out heat. If you have an old leaky house it is not an issue but
if you have a newer efficient home the vent free gas logs are not a
great option.

Just a citizen . . . wrote:
We have a standard fireplace with a flue - we've never used in 5 years we've
lived in this house - now my girlfriend wants gas logs after our friends got
them - "they look so cozy" - so now I'm looking at the gas log sets - the
vent free sets provide decent heat AND I don't have to worry about
remembering to open and close the flue - the vented sets probably run more
heat up the flue than they provide in the room AND I have to open and close
the flue.

Pricing looks similar - why not go with the vent-free logs? Thanks!


Hmmm,
What I have is direct vent gas fire place with temp. controlled fan.
Vent free? How can anything burn w/o venting?

On Sat, 06 Dec 2008 14:49:09 -0700, Tony Hwang
wrote:

Just a citizen . . . wrote:
We have a standard fireplace with a flue - we've never used in 5 years we've
lived in this house - now my girlfriend wants gas logs after our friends got
them - "they look so cozy" - so now I'm looking at the gas log sets - the
vent free sets provide decent heat AND I don't have to worry about
remembering to open and close the flue - the vented sets probably run more
heat up the flue than they provide in the room AND I have to open and close
the flue.

Pricing looks similar - why not go with the vent-free logs? Thanks!


Hmmm,
What I have is direct vent gas fire place with temp. controlled fan.
Vent free? How can anything burn w/o venting?

Do a Google search.
You'll find many vent free gas logs and space heaters these days.
Even Rinnai is now selling them.

They have an oxygen depletion sensor and per lab tests, they don't
emit hazardous levels of CO, NOX or even water vapor. The water vapor
they emit is probably beneficial in winter.

Now, I'll admit that if you have a REALLY tight new home, you might
have some problems. Another problem would be putting an oversized vent
free heater in bathrooms and bedrooms. The building codes in my area
prohibit using a vent free heater of over 10,000BTU/hr in bedrooms or
baths.The idea is that there might not be enough make up air for the
combustion rate.

Doug