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Vent-Free

I would like to know what is involved in install a vent free fireplace from home depot or lowes in my basement.

thanks

jim

Reply to
Jim
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we have a 36k BTU vent free in our basement. we picked it out and had a plumber install the flexible gas line and make the proper connections. we had a 2" piece of limestone cut as a base to keep it off the floor in case of water in the future and it makes a nice look.

it works great and for safety sake, we bought a carbon monoxide dector to keep near the living area,and keep a fire extinguisher at the bottom of the stairs, just in case. we also keep an osillating fan to keep the air moving in the basement and distribute the warm air around nicely.

good luck and i think it's a great idea,

mike...........

Reply to
JerseyMike

Jim, BEFORE you purchase a vent free unit, Take a look at the first page of instructions that comes with the unit. In short it tells you to open the window when you are using it! Many Many warnings and cautions in there. They may burn "clean" (I would debate that) but why would you burn a gas appliance and let the combustion products go into your home? Do yourself a favor and get a VENTED unit. I wouldnt have anything "ventless" in my home. A gas stove with and exhaust hood is bad enough. Bubba

Reply to
Bubba

I agree. I would never buy an item like that for my home that had so many "cautions" and were not to be used in a bedroom. Use a vented one.

Reply to
Art

we've never had a problem w/ ours and it's 99 or 99.9% efficient. we keep a carbon monoxide dector in a central spot and it's never activated in the 3 or 4 years the fireplace has been in use. but to each their own, i feel completely safe and would never have bought it if there was a safety issue especially since my kids play downstairs all the time.

mike...........

Reply to
JerseyMike

I agree three! Non-vented gas fireplaces, wall heaters are noy allowed in our city. Get a vented unit! Greg

Reply to
Greg O

Bubba's point is well taken. I removed regular gas logs and replaced them with the "ventless". After about an hour of operation the smoke/fire alarm in the room (great room, 500+ ft/sq) alarms. Not the new wearing off the logs, either. I've tried it a few times when power was lost. So.... there's something in the air and it and Christmas. If I had it to do over I'd have the original logs and more money in my pocket. Ken

Reply to
Ken

On 12/23/2004 8:11 PM US(ET), Ken took fingers to keys, and typed the following:

I put a vent-free propane fireplace in my 400 sq ft sunroom. I also installed a smoke and CO detector in there. It's been there for 2-1/2 winters and no alarm for either smoke or CO. It does put a hazy film on the window glass though.

Reply to
willshak

This is Turtle.

You maybe talking about a different animal here. You probley have a Ventless Panel Ray heater and they are talking about Just a Ventless gas heater with a blue flame no panel ray type heater. I would not want any ventless gas heater in my house that has a blue flame in it. The only one I would accept is a Flameless Pannel Ray heater with NO flame at all but a 5,000ºF to 8,000ºF glowing ceramic pannel to glow and put off heat rays. It is 99.992% fuel effencent heater and has no flame and no CO for it burns so hot that no carbon can be left at the

5,000ºF to 8,000ºF ceramic grid that the gas burns in. It burns at 3 time a cutting torch temperature burns at. The Temp can be more that 8,000ºF for it burn at a color of white and not blue, red or other colors of heat. When a flame burns at white it leave NO carbon when it burns. So you can't have CO because it burns all the Carbon up in the ceramic fire grid and with all the carbon gone the O will attach it'self to the nearest H and form water vapor in the air. Now there will be very little of this left of the O for the grid is so hot it burns the O up also.

You just don't vent something that gives off NO CO at all. The all the warning is to keep it safe to watch out for. Now the leaving the window open is to keep it from cutting off during the nite when the Oxygen level drops below normal in the room. With the Oxygen level shut down set up you just can't burn up all the oxygen in the room with it or it will just turn off. I have checked out the Oxygen sencer on them and it is just about fail safe for it's design.

I would have to say Panel Ray Ceramic type Flameless heaters are good in a no vent room. Now anyother type would not be acceptiable at all. A blue flame will burn with a maybe high as as a 400 ppm CO content but the Panel Ray heater burns with a ZERO ppm out put of CO. Now the .002% fuel eff. rating or waisted fuel is there for the blue flame of the pilot lite that burns blue and not white hot.

TURTLE

Reply to
TURTLE

We replaced gas logs with a vented insert with ceramic glass. Now that was one heck of an improvement and I highly recommend it. The gas logs ate gas and gave off very little heat. THe insert is 85% efficient even though vented and the cat loves it. Don't even see it in the gas bills and if you have a blackout it will still run without the fan. Make sure it comes with ceramic and not tempered glass.

Reply to
Art

we have a Temco freestanding 99.9% efficient natural gas burning fireplace, w/ a oxygen depletation sensor built in. it works great it has never caused a single headache or made anyone feel sick in any way. it burns clean and there is nothing i would say has ever cause us to feel unsafe. it makes a natural looking fire from the burners.

all ican say is for this guy to do his homework and decide for himself, but there are plenty of excellent products on the market, but maybe Homedepot or Lowes wouldn't be the place to make a final decision.

mike...........

Reply to
JerseyMike

and what kind of haze do you think is now in your lungs? Bubba

Reply to
Bubba

While we are on the subject lets just look at those so called carbon monoxide detectors. Here is a good place for info and they sell CO detectors too.

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I have no interest in the company. Just read the first line of info on the first page. A UL listing isnt always a good thing. ANDDDDD, while we are making assumptions that "it works great and never has caused a headache or problem"........... I know people that have worked with asbestos for years and smoked for years, then one day they mysteriously have cancer and soon die a horrible death from it. Id say again, Id never burn a gas appliance in my home that is NOT VENTED (other than a gas cooking stove with a vented hood). The by products of natural gas, propane, oil, coal, wood and whatever else you want to burn does NOT belong in a home for you to be exposed to. Bubba

Reply to
Bubba

that's your choice, but it doesn't mean it's right.....or wrong.

mike..........

Reply to
JerseyMike

"JerseyMike" wrote

I'll agree with you Mike.

I understand everyone else's concern about them, but I have had mine for well over 10 years now and have never had a problem with it giving off an odor, or setting the CO detector OR the smoke alarm off. It IS in a firplace with the damper closed.

The only problem I see with it is trying to get a regulator for the tank. You can't buy them at Lowe's or Home Depot and I can almost guarantee you that the local gas company will not sell them too you......

Reply to
Dr. Hardcrab

Depends upon your location and what you mean by "vent free"

48 (49?) states now allow un vented gas heaters in some situations if they are equipped with an oxygen depletion sensor). These have been in use in Europe for over 40 years and have a very good safety record.

The sensor is a specially designed pilot/thermocouple assembly very sensitive to oxygen supply. They also are made of ceramic such than any attempt to modify them will destroy them.

In most states, they can not be used as primary heat and they have an altitude limitation. Above 5000' or so, oxygen is depleted!

MA just adopted the accepted code this year allowing the, but added restrictions.

In MA, they can't be used in bedrooms, most states restrict bedrooms to

10,000 BTU max. Also, MA requires a CO detector to be installed AND maintained in each room with an un vented heater.

So air quality pretty much comes down to the quality of the fuel. CO has been well addressed.

Contrary to some posts, the new code does NOT require an open window. That was for pre ODS units.

gerry

Reply to
gerry

This is Turtle.

You got me here. You are speaking of not getting a regulator for the tank. Are you speaking of the regulator for the big service tank to the house ? The Regulator for the heater inside it ? A step down regulator for the propane from the tank regulator to run at very low pressures ?

The Farm & Feed Stores and Farm Hardware stores here sells any regulator you want. I live in Louisiana and regulators can be bought anywhere. Now another one is if you buy your propane from just one supplier. They will install a new regulator for you on your propane tank for cost. My uncle got a new regulator and they installed it on his tank from his supplier of propane for $23.50+ tax.

What Regulator that is hard to get ?

TURTLE

Reply to
TURTLE

I would like add just a little bit more information. The fireplace would be in an unfinished basement in a house that was built in 1936 so it is not air tight plus has no insulation anywhere. Would like to bring up the temp up 10 to 15 degregrs in the winter time of Saint Louis any other thoughts or ideas would be appreciated.

jim

Reply to
ECKHARDT

No experience with the fireplace, but I do use a ventless propane heater in my garage/shop and have no problems with it. Anything that burns gives off some sort of products of combustion. It is a matter of degree. The ventless are supposed to be so efficient that there is no health hazard.

You would to better though, adding a lot of insulation in the house. The payback is very fast. If the basement is unfinished you can get up some framing and bats very fast, or sheets of insulation. Get the roof done asap also as that is usually the biggest heat loser.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

The only real problem is the price of the propane. Local suppliers charge and arm and a leg for propane being used for "luxury items" (I have no idea WHY they consider gas logs that, but they do). My local suppliers charge over $3 a gallon when you aren't using it for your main heating source or cooking.....

Reply to
Red Neckerson

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