Vent free fireplace logs
 

Looking to replace my gas logs in the house with vent free models for emergency heat.

Anyone used these? What were the results? How much did you pay?

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...ctId=100485870

Something along those lines (hopefully cheaper)..

Re: Vent free fireplace logs
 

As someone with lung "issues" I read "vent free" different. The phrase should be restated unvented which doesn't sound as cool, as "vent free" is good marketing language. You get to suck all the exhaust into your lungs with unvented.

Vented doesn't heat well. Unvented heats well but you get to suck the unvented exhaust into you and your family's lungs.

For us, we decided to go with "direct vent". In direct vent the fresh air to allow combustion comes from outside, and the exhaust also goes back up the chimney and vents outdoors. It is a decent compromise as you get decent heat (especially if the fan is working for you), but the system doesn't suck the fresh air out of your home and the exhaust doesn't release into your breathing space. I believe there is some controversy over the safety of breathing in the fumes. Different sources disagree on the health issues of that.

For me it was no question, I erred on the side of lung safety.

We bought a "Fireplace Extrordinaire" and are pretty happy about it. At least look into that. The direct vent system is sealed from your home in terms of air flow. It uses a kind of dual channel vent up your chimney that allows the fresh air in one channel, and the exhaust is vented up and out the other channel.

It made sense for us. Worth a look.

Re: Vent free fireplace logs
 

I have used the vent free propane heaters for about 12 years now with no problems. I have installed a couple sets of vent free fireplace logs and everyone seems happy with them also.

Some people say they can smell the gas, but I only smell it sometimes when it first lights up.

The heat is great, my girlfriend's kids both have asthma and they have not had any problems being around the heaters over the last 3 winters. The wall heaters and fireplace burners are almost the same. I have gotten all my heaters from Northen. I have had to sand the thermo coupler every couple of years when I first light them.

They all have O2 sensors which turn the heater off if the oxygen level in the room drops too low.

Re: Vent free fireplace logs
 

Anything that burns consumes oxygen. Think about that for a while.