Gas Heaters in Bedrooms

[ChairMan]

In news:ofudnc_MHsLGXN_WnZ2dnUVZ [e-mail], mcp6453 spewed forth:

Ol Dearborns are great, no venting required

[mcp6453]

What kind of gas heater can be installed in a bedroom? I'm pretty sure that an unvented one cannot. Since some bedrooms have gas fireplace logs, there have to be some style of heater than will be permitted under the code. I want a supplemental heater.

For vented heaters, can the vent open into the attic space, or does it have to go all the way outside? The attic has open gables on each end and a roof vent at the top.

I have a wall-mounted gas heater in my bedroom now, but I would never run it while I'm asleep.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Direct vent gas fire place can be vented thru the wall. It has sealed glass front cover and fan circulate hot air.

[ransley]

The old tall wall gas heaters I have seen are vented outside, is yours vented, maybe some are not vented.

[ChairMan]

True, but you can still find units at flea markets, propane dealers, etc. Just depends what part of the country your in. I see them alot here in Tejas Btw: I did say Ol

[mcp6453]

Apparently Dearborn is out of business.

[Existential Angst]

This ole house or some such had a good show on installing vented gas fireplaces -- trickier than I thought, but with neat solutions. One is, two SS or alum flex hoses are dropped through the chimney -- one the vent/exhaust, the other the inlet air. The other is done through the wall, with concentric ducting for the inlet/outlet, which is neat because the exaust pre-warms the inlet air.

I'll bet a similar thing could be done with the chimney flex hosing, but at a cost.

These things aren't cheap, tho. My neighbor paid like $5 K for his.

Venting into an attic is an inneresting idea, with no yea or nays here so far. If the attic itself is well vented, it would seem to be an OK idea, but I'll bet dollars to donuts few codes would allow it -- if they knew about it.... You would have to be careful about insulating the stack, combustibles, etc.

When all is said and done, given that considerable heat is lost up the flue, I wonder how much cheaper gas heaters (and all the attendant drama) are than a simple electric heater. I sort of like radiant heaters, as they can be focused.

There ought to be an objective rating system, based on the cost per therm of gas, and the cost per kwhr of electricity -- iow, what ratio of price between the two is equivalent heating cost?

[HeyBub]

Why not? If you're paranoid, get a CO detector.

I grew up with natural gas space heaters and it didn't affect me [Look! A Squirrel!].

It makes sense to not heat the whole house for 6-10 hours while you're asleep, so heating only the bedroom is a good idea. There are alternatives, however:

1. Wooly pajamas.
2. More blankets (worked for our pioneers).
3. Electric blanket.
4. More dogs.

[Lp1331 1p1331]

Sounds to me like the perfect applicaton for a "HeatSurge" or "EdenPure".

[Tony]

Only if you want icicles forming inside your attic.

[terry]

Suggest NOT vent anything into an attic. Too much chance of problems. One product of any combustion is water vapour! The last thing one needs to do is fill up the attic (in a cold climate anyway) with cooling moisture. Quite a good recipe for mould and rot? Also combustion may not be complete and/or smelly (fumes). Make sure any gas burning appliance has a 'source' of combustion air. You don't want to wake up dead some morning due to the appliance using up all the oxygen ............ it's happened! Even in a closed up tent on one occasion! Nearly happened to our whole family, once, in a camper; when something was inadvertently left burning overnight!

[mcp6453]

Good suggestions.

New twist. Our propane company just informed us that it is legal to put a vented gas heater in a bedroom. However, the will not run a gas line to it. Huh?

[Existential Angst]

Suggest NOT vent anything into an attic. Too much chance of problems. One product of any combustion is water vapour! The last thing one needs to do is fill up the attic (in a cold climate anyway) with cooling moisture. Quite a good recipe for mould and rot? Also combustion may not be complete and/or smelly (fumes). Make sure any gas burning appliance has a 'source' of combustion air. You don't want to wake up dead some morning due to the appliance using up all the oxygen ............ it's happened! Even in a closed up tent on one occasion! Nearly happened to our whole family, once, in a camper; when something was inadvertently left burning overnight!

============================================

Yeah, good points. That water vapor is indeed a pita. I had to remove my ventless shop units after 1 week. Great heat, but soaked the walls/ceiling. Also made the air smell and taste funny.

[Chris Hill]

That's what a good hvac outfit or a plumber is for. Our propane company won't run gas lines except to the side of the house as far as I know.

[hrhofmann]

Agreed with Terry. A small electric heater with built-in thermostat would be much cheaper and MUCH SAFER!

[Acf]

I have a electric heater ,the oil radiator type, no noise, no fumes ,no vents, 2 stage 500watts or 1500 watts, made by Delonges( might be mispelled) and can be moved from room to room on wheels. Best product I have found and does the job!

[Stormin Mormon]

Wow! That's! Surprising! You! Don't! Say!!

[Paul]

My .02 ... get one of the little Vornado electric heaters (Bed Bath & Beyond is the retailer near me that stocks them)... I use them at home and at the office, they work great distributing warm air throughout the room, safe, no funny smell, on board thermostat, very quiet.

-- Paul