Ventless LP gas logs?

[mommicked]

Anybody have these? do they stink up the house? Thinking of getting a set for a masonry fireplace that currently has vented logs and a blower, but not alot of heat.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Ventless LP gas logs?

"ventless" gas anything don't make much sense to me. If it's a flame then it's producing carbon monoxide...No Vent!

 

[jkust]

Re: Ventless LP gas logs?

When we bought our house, the main floor fireplace had a gas log set installed I believe similar to what you are discussing. It looks nice but puts literally no useful heat out. We though no problem, lets remove it and go wood. Of course that lasted a season until the pain in the butt that wood is set in. The next season we had a gas insert put in. I think that may have been the best money I've ever spent. I see you are in a much warmer climate and so not sure exactly what you are wanting to accomplish. In MN we want as much heat as is possible on the really cold days.

 

[bigdee]

Re: Ventless LP gas logs?

I have the ventless logs in my fireplace plus I have a 40,000 btu ventless space heater. Pro's: 100% efficient because no heat loss through chimney. Con's: It is a wet heat that produces alot of humidity. For every gallon of LP that you burn you will create 1.642 gallons of water.....if your logs are rated at 40k BTU s, you will produce 3 quarts of water per hour!! In the winter the additional humidity can be beneficial but if you use the logs continually you will turn your house into a rain forest! I have had trouble with condensation forming on my windows. If your house is less than 20 years old it is probably built tight so it may be necessary to supply some primary air by cracking open a window or opening your fireplace damper just a little. The carbon monoxide is not an issue with LP but oxygen depletion is.....all gas logs built in recent years have a oxygen depletion sensor built in as a safety feature.

 

[mommicked]

Re: Ventless LP gas logs?

Thanks for the replies, Our house was built in the early 80s and the windows need replaceing, also previous owner fabbed some stupid ,paned interior french doors framed by stupid, trying to be homemade casement windows to an exterior sunroom , plenty of draft! . We used the gas logs we have on really cold days, and to warm the room in the evening after work in the winter, but most of the heat goes up the chimney. We're thinking about replaceing the old vented set w the ventlless to help w the high electric bills in the winter. I think it would heat the brick firelpace and stay warm after turning off for a while, and I may even try to put a duct and blower in the attic to blow warm air to the other end of the house through the attic. We would not leave the logs on all night. The vintage electric heatpump drys the air already and we have to use a humidifier in the living and bedroom or get dryed out sinuses, but that sounds like ALOT of moisture. Would ceiling fans help distribute the humidity through the house? I might have to move my deer mounts out of the fireplace room.

 

[bigdee]

Re: Ventless LP gas logs?

Thanks for the replies, Our house was built in the early 80s and the windows need replaceing, also previous owner fabbed some stupid ,paned interior french doors framed by stupid, trying to be homemade casement windows to an exterior sunroom , plenty of draft! . We used the gas logs we have on really cold days, and to warm the room in the evening after work in the winter, but most of the heat goes up the chimney. We're thinking about replaceing the old vented set w the ventlless to help w the high electric bills in the winter. I think it would heat the brick firelpace and stay warm after turning off for a while, and I may even try to put a duct and blower in the attic to blow warm air to the other end of the house through the attic. We would not leave the logs on all night. The vintage electric heatpump drys the air already and we have to use a humidifier in the living and bedroom or get dryed out sinuses, but that sounds like ALOT of moisture. Would ceiling fans help distribute the humidity through the house? I might have to move my deer mounts out of the fireplace room.

All that moisture will migrate to the cold areas and try to get outside.....most likely the windows. Mine stay wet with condensation on really cold days but I still enjoy the heat.

 

[Silly Seville]

Re: Ventless LP gas logs?

Anybody have these? do they stink up the house? Thinking of getting a set for a masonry fireplace that currently has vented logs and a blower, but not alot of heat.

I have a vent free fireplace (stand alone unit) and I love it! No they don't stink assuming there is normal activity in the house; doors opening occasionally, people moving around. Natural gas and LP are something like 99.5% efficient, which is why you can burn a gas flame indoors without outside venting and not suffer poisoning, such as you would with a wood flame burning, which is terribly inefficient. However, above poster is right, you can be killed by a lack of oxygen if your house is super airtight. If you are wanting to install gas logs in a previously existing fireplace with a flu and updraft pipe, you will lose LOTS of heat up the chimney that would other wise have been delivered into your room. If I may suggest, get a free standing model like this.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_309527-5150...br|0||p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&facetInfo=

 

[mommicked]

Re: Ventless LP gas logs?

I thought w ventless I could close the flue? and maybe fab a piece of sheetmetal up in the cone and under the flue, to put more heat into the room?

 

[Silly Seville]

Re: Ventless LP gas logs?

Absolutely! That is precisely what I would do in your situation if wanting to use an existing masonry fireplace. And of course, use the blower assembly if you have one to push that heat out into the room. I have the optional blower on my free standing unit that is thermostatically controlled, and it is wonderful. I initially purchased the fireplace for a source of backup heat in the event of a power or furnace failure in the winter. However, we've found the ambiance of a "live" flame a welcome bonus anytime. Sure beats the silly looking light show the electric fireplaces display. (No offense to electric fireplace lovers intended)

 

[dingbat]

Re: Ventless LP gas logs?

We have 3 fireplaces in the house. Converted the one in the living room from wood to vented gas insert with blower. Beats the heck out of feeding a fireplace all evening. Still have the big FP in the family room if we want the real thing.

 

[jkust]

Re: Ventless LP gas logs?

The only good things about our wood fireplaces are smores and the smell. Given the ceiling in the room where the wood fire was used prior to conversion is 20 feet, we may have had better experiences with standard 9 or 10 foot ceilings. None the less the gas logs put as close to zero heat out as is possible. We didn't have a blower on the gas log set however. The gas insert is furnace rated but we still don't get the full effect due to the ceiling height.

 

[mommicked]

Re: Ventless LP gas logs?

I grew up w a fireplace used every winter. We wore out several insert woodstoves over the years and you cannot beat good wood in a woodstove w blower for all day or night heat. I have an old, vented crappy LP set w crappy blower in our brick fireplace now and its always been marginal w heat output. Turn it up and it uses gas quickly while drying the room , We must use a humidifyer w it or its uncomfortably dry. It sounds like the ventless would be the ticket for warmth, and added humidity in our situation. I was concerned about the smell ( closed flue ) but it sounds like its not bad from the replies, Thank you all. Now I need to decide on btus. If I send air from the ceiling above the fireplace to the back of the house w a duct and a fan, I assume I could go a little larger than whats specified for the square ft. of the fireplace room? Or would all the moisture cause problems w that idea, like mold in the duct? Jkust , get a ceiling fan, or several, and it will make a huge difference in the felt warmth throughout the house w those high ceilings!

 

[bigdee]

Re: Ventless LP gas logs?

You really need some type of blower. My logs are 40k but my fireplace overall is massive so all those bricks are like a giant heat sink so I don't feel much heat unless I slide the logs close to the front....they actually sit outside the fireplace a few inches.....of course if you have a wooden mantle you could not do this.

 

[64osby]

Re: Ventless LP gas logs?

We installed a blue burner, ventless ceramic heater. It doesn't have logs. It puts out a lot of heat. Sealed the vent off with cement board.

I burn wood but had installed the blue burner for times when we have no power and need heat. Our wood burner will only last about 6 hours off one fill.