Flueless Gas Fires

Advise he buy a co alarm too!

Natural gas is principally methane (CH4). The products of combustion are

CH4(g) + 2 O2(g) = CO2(g) + 2 H2O(l) (g=gas, I=vapour)

carbon dioxide and water. This is what you will be exhausting into your living space. If your living space is well ventilated then I suppose it could be claimed there is no problem although the introduction of clean air will require more gas to be burned to heat that air.

My view is this type of heater is best to be avoided. Corgi qualified fitters have no specific expertise in this matter. It is simply a matter of chemistry!

We discussed this a couple of years back. What put me off was:

The report linked in one of the posts says that the maximum concentration of CO was 22ppm. This was under extreme use that nobody would normally put the fire to, and without the ventilation that the fire requires.

If the fires are installed in accordance with the instructions and the regulations there should not be a problem. Many registered fitters who feel the need to defend their careers and livings simply won't go near open flued or flueless appliances. There is no requirement that they do work that they do not wish to do, most have more than enough work without taking on extra "risks" [1].

The + for flueless are: simple installation inherent reliability inherent high efficiency

The - are: possible odours may aggravate condensation [1] These risks, IMHO, are perceived rather than significant.

Wouldn't touch them with a bargepole, mainly because when I did my training we didn't do anything about them, and one article in Gas Installer and the Manufacturer's instructions don't give me sufficient confidence in my my competence to install one safely that I'd risk a customer's neck and my profession on it when there's plenty other work to do.

Thanks all for the feedback, will pass it on. F

---8

See the thread called "what's occurring"

I assume for CO (carbon monoxide) read CO2 (carbon dioxide). I would be surprised that a device that emitted any level of carbon monoxide in a home would be judged as 'safe'.

I don't know but hope that the composition of natural gas is controlled by legislation. Even if it is the emission into a living space by flueless devices depends entirely upon the gas meeting the specified composition.

If the gas is pure methane then the likelihood of problems in a ventilated room is likely slight, however, if any impurities are included into the gas supply by design or by accident the resulting emissions could be poisonous. Are you prepared to accept this risk, I don't think I am.

So would you outlaw gas cookers?

Not comparing like with like. People don't normally put their feet up and doze off in the kitchen. F

They would if the cooker is pouring out carbon monoxide.

No, I know the difference. Whilst I can and do make many typos I mean CO.

The danger in these devices is that they are not inherently safe enough to continue using if they are neglected and begin to burn badly.

The composition of gas is controlled by various standards and is mostly CH4, some C2H6, some N2 and some CO2 + various other trace things. There is little or no CO in the gas. The CO is generated by poor combustion.

I agree with you that the inherent safety of these devices is questionable although I thought your position was the "risks are perceived rather than actual".