The estimated annual market for the 2008-2009 heating season is 8,200 to 13,750 direct vent gas fireplaces. We will be glad to give you an overview. It's also possible to heat a house with hydronic radiators served by a water heater, a vented wood stove, or with an air-source heat pump (for example, a mini-split). So depending on how much the fireplace is used it could indeed keep the house warm for most of the winter. In such a system, he said, two vent pipes are connected to the fireplace -- an intake vent that brings combustion air in from the outside and an exhaust vent that directs the products of combustion from the inside out. Wood stoves can provide style, ambiance – and of course, heat – to your home. Ms. Carson said that the combustion gases that are pumped back into living space are not a problem. This is what causes issues with carbon monoxide and oxygen deletion. In this case I am not convinced that a 20K unit is sufficient to heat an old home, which has only R-30 in the attic, apppears to have nothing in the walls, and a partially insulated sub floor. However, on a really cold day they may not be as comfortable or be using portable electric heater. So from a cost of energy and comfort level it would be advisable not to rely on the fireplace for the sole means of heat. Vent-free fireplaces are accepted in 47 states, including New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, said Mary S. Carson, program director for the Vent-Free Gas Products Alliance, an industry organization based in Arlington, Va. The US Fire Administration estimates that more than one-third of Americans use fireplaces or wood stoves as a primary heat source in their homes. . One of the primary benefits of an unvented gas fireplace is that you don't lose any heat up the flue. That's one of the main reasons supporters of unvented gas fireplaces use to sell a product that's banned in California and Canada. Top Do ventless pr… Many homeowners end up asking chimney sweeps to take out their vent-free gas logs due to problems they find associated with the appliance. ... At one time an essential source of heat for warmth and cooking, they remain a gathering spot for family and friends, a symbol of romanticism and comfort, and a visually attractive addition to many homes. I see two drawbacks: 1) You'll need a blower on it. It definitely will not be as efficient as a furnace. So, you must have a conventional heating source in that room already, such as gas, electric, or oil heating. The heater is then a consistent radiant heat source for 12 to 24 hours, which can actually heat a home as the primary heat source. 5. Ive seen and inspected many one and two bedroom homes here with a lot less than that for a furnace. Under ordinary circumstances -- when oxygen levels are within the acceptable range -- the pilot light burns steadily and keeps the thermocouple hot. What is a "ventless" gas heating product? Once the appliance of choice for home heating, wood stoves are making a comeback of sorts thanks to higher-efficiency, cleaner-burning pellet stoves. The better you prepare your home to retain heat, the less fuel you will need to use to heat it. Very Good. Because fireplaces are often not an effective source of heat, these are mostly for ambiance and décor. A traditional wood or gas fireplace won’t heat your entire house so why would you expect an electric fireplace to do so? Gas fireplaces have become popular features in new and renovated Canadian homes. It’s important to ensure that the new model is also EPA certified. Yes, a gas fireplace can be an attractive and important part of a home’s zone heating system. And that's where a direct vent system comes in.''. They also cannot be the primary source of heat in the room they are installed in. I am wondering if anyone has information that can help on this one. circulation system to force the heat into the room), and fireplaces without inserts. I am certain it is OK when it is 50F outside. ''So the O.D.S. . Secondary heating sources like fireplaces, wood burning stoves, space heaters, or electric blankets can produce comfortable heat for smaller, more targeted areas of your home at a fraction of the cost of turning up the thermostat for the entire home. ''You don't want an amateur messing around with gas lines in your house. Furnace repair service heating installation HVAC ac repair heating rebate Hot Water Tanks, Boilers BC Furnace Vancouver Burnaby Surrey Coquitlam Richmond White Rock Maple Ridge Port Moody Delta Abbotsford Aldergrove Pitt Meadows North Vancouver West Vancouver Gas fireplace The downside of gas fireplaces is that they do not have vents to carry the heat that is created to all the areas of your home. rely on their fireplaces as a major heat source; data suggest this proportion is even higher outside of the Portland metropolitan area. While gas fireplaces can burn either natural gas or propane, she said, it is necessary to make sure the appropriate burner nozzle is installed for the fuel being used. I inspected a 1,100 square foot single story home yesterday, built in 1905. As revealed by United States census data from 2011, this interest has not died. They also acknowledge that, while residents of some regions traditionally use ventless heaters as their primary sources of heat, the appliances are NOT designed for this purpose. She is also doing her own due diligence on the matter. Ilyse Fink, a spokeswoman for the New York City Department of Buildings, said that although vent-free gas fireplaces may be legal elsewhere in New York, they cannot be used in the city because they violate the city's Administrative Code. Air Source Heat Pump with electric backup HP 70% load $389 EH 30% Load $417 Total $806 There is another way to get heat inside the house without chopping logs, and a chimney. . Top Aren't there limited sizes and shapes for ventless products? Best Overall: Duraflame Infrared Quartz Fireplace Stove. Information on heating equipment is provided in Table 1-4 of each metropolit an area repo rt. Select one room to heat and isolate it from the rest of the home. — A Romantic Setting. We do get some very cold weather down to 10 below F regullarly and some times colder . When the winter design temperature in Table R301.2(1) is below 60°F (16°C), every dwelling unit shall be provided with heating facilities capable of maintaining a minimum room temperature of 68°F (20°C) at a point 3 feet (914mm) above the floor and 2 feet (610mm) from exterior walls in all habitable rooms at the design temperature. Having a wood burning fireplace or wood stove as the only heat source would not meet this guideline because it would be necessary to monitor the fuel and temperature. But the vent-free fireplace is not approved for use in New York City, which has more stringent requirements. Certainly fireplaces are a mainstay in many homes in the U.S. and while we don’t suggest deconstructing them, we do not recommend they be used as a primary heat source. The vent-free fireplace is ''the fastest-growing gas appliance on the market today,'' said Ed Hahn, sales manager for DESA, a gas-fireplace manufacturer in Bowling Green, Ky. Mr. Hahn said that about 8 million vent-free heating appliances have been sold in the last 20 years. Since the logs are powered by natural gas or propane, your gas bill may rise a bit, but sometimes homeowners turn their primary heat source … . Appendix Determining How a Gas Fireplace Will Affect Your Heating Bill . ''There has never been a death attributed to the use of a vent-free product since the O.D.S. Using it as the sole heating source works best when the temperature rarely dips below 40° outside. jesse | Posted in Energy, Heating & Insulation on October 27, 2007 07:02am The house we are currently in is about 1100 square feet, fairly well insulated, and has electric baseboard heat. Mr. Hahn, the sales manager for DESA, said that a standard vent-free fireplace sells for from $800 to $2,400, including the logs, a mantle, some wood trim and a base. This certifies that they operate within the safety tolerances already in place. Top Can ceiling fans be installed in rooms with ventless fireplaces? And keep in mind that this heater still presents … Fireplaces can be fueled by wood or natural gas. Keep in mind that a furnace should be size to run almost continuously;y on the coldest day of the year. Assessing Secondary Heating Sources to Reduce Energy Bills. They recommend only using appliances listed to the ANSI Z21.11.2 standard. Most fireplaces, whether masonry or low mass, are not used as a primary source of heat; their function is primarily for ambiance. The system can be vented straight through an exterior wall, eliminating the need for an existing chimney. Ventless products can be used with either natural gas or propane, and are intended to provide supplemental heat to a home. - ASHRAE position paper cited below There is a risk of lack of oxygen or of fatal carbon monoxide poisoning (CO) when un-vented heaters are used in homes, particularly when the total space is small. Courtesy of Amazon Even though few homes today rely on fireplaces as their primary heating source, many homeowners still enjoy the ambiance of a warm fireplace. Does anyone know of any documentation, codes, or other standards that can be used to support or refute the conclusion that this stove is too small, or OK…besides the obvious statements I already made to the buyer inidcating that I am pretty sure it is undersized given the conditions. The home had electric baseboards that had been removed, and this happens to be the only source of heat left. Direct-vent fireplaces are closed systems; this means it pulls outside air into the firebox to feed the flame rather than pulling air from inside your home. They don't produce a lot of warmth, and they introduce a fire hazard into the house.However, if you don't have any other source of heat and you need some type of heater, you can build a simple candle heater with a couple of clay pots. I inspected a 1,100 square foot single story home yesterday, built in 1905. The installation of one or more space heaters shall not be used to achieve compliance with this section. But, if your primary source of heat is from a central heating system, a fireplace can waste the fuel it consumes along with the fuel used by the central system. This allows them to turn down the thermostat on their central furnace and use the gas fireplace as a supplemental heat source. Direct-vent systems are from 75 to 80 percent efficient, Mr. Hahn said. Top What are the benefits of ventless heating products? Wood burning or gas fireplace. I am used to seeing these as supplemental to an electric heat source, and/ or just plain used as a decorative appliance. . Buy on Amazon. My attempts to locate information from a local dealer have also been fruitless. Alternative Heat Sources. When oxygen levels fall below 18.5 percent, Ms. Carson said, the ignition flame ''jumps off the pilot light looking for a fuel source.'' Steve Plaff, a product manager for Lennox Hearth Products, a gas-fireplace manufacturer in Fullerton, Calif., said that a minor drawback to vent-free fireplaces is that they burn so cleanly the flame they produce is usually an uninspiring deep blue. The room that the fireplace is in will get warm but the further away from the fireplace that you get the colder your home will be. She said vent-free fireplaces are safe primarily because they are fitted with an oxygen detection safety-pilot, or O.D.S. Except in the very smallest of dwellings, it’s not usually recommended that a fireplace be the sole source of heat, simply because it’s hard to heat every corner of a home evenly or well. An EPA-certified wood fireplace insert may fare better for heating than a freestanding wood stove for your home. In fact, the majority of the heat from a wood burning fireplace can be lost up the chimney, rather than making its way into your home. There is another way to get heat inside the house without chopping logs, and a chimney. Gas fireplaces come in three categories: B-vented, the oldest and least efficient; direct vented, which is much more efficient, and vent-free, the most efficient of all. Probably won't be able to watch TV if it's sitting next to the fireplace. When looking for a gas-fired unit, be sure to look for the "BTU" rating. As the central heating supply, furnaces distribute heat across the entire house including rooms that are not in use. Consider a hybrid system; a heat pump paired with an electric air handler or furnace to ensure you always have heat. We are in Montana, but the mildest winter part of the state. Gas Fireplace Heat Output. Fireplaces are typically very inefficient … Utility bills are lower when they can turn down the thermostat on a central furnace and use the gas fireplace as a supplemental heat source. You can use a gas fireplace quite safely as a primary source of heating small apartments or homes. Bob (Hearthman) is correct about verifying if that fireplace is listed to be operated with a thermostat. Top How many ventless products are in use today? That means for the rest of the season it is over sized. . Yes, a gas fireplace is an excellent heating-source, and it’s also an attractive unit. The biggest is getting the air moving but with a small fan it could be enough . Fireplaces can be fueled by wood or natural gas. 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