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Vent-less fireplace?

DaveNay

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Does anyone have any experience with a vent-less fireplace? Not direct-vent, but vent-less.

We are considering installing a gas fireplace in the living room, but I'm not sure if we can squeeze in a direct-vent due to limited wall space and the distance to the nearest windows.

Are the vent-less fireplaces actually fireplace looking with logs, etc., or are they more like the vent-less blue flame heaters?

I need to check the county code still, because I'd really prefer the direct-vent, but I'd like to have more info on the vent-less just to be sure.
 

muleman

Gone But Not Forgotten
GOLD Site Supporter
Check the NFPA code. IIRC it is 4 ft. to any window opening into the structure. That is in a radial sweep from center of exhaust pipe.
 

Galvatron

Spock and Galvatron < one and the same
This is the type of thing i have installed in the past(with a final connection made by a registered gas fitter)....is this the type of thing your thinking of http://www.fef.uk.com/ check out the "fire instructions" but as i say thats UK regs.


I hope this helps.
 

DaveNay

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Guys, I'm familiar with the clearance regs, that is why I am looking for more info on the vent-less units. I would like to know if they actually look/feel like a fireplace, or are simply a room heater.
 

thcri

Gone But Not Forgotten
As a company that use to install and vent fireplaces I cannot tell you much about the ventless ones. Of all the insurance companies we have had in the past none of them allow us to install anything Ventless. Make sure the one your looking at meets your local codes and I would question with your inspectors about the unit and being Ventless. Many of the Ventless products I have seen they require some type of ventilation other than what the unit can provide. Just my 2 cents.
 

Galvatron

Spock and Galvatron < one and the same
Sorry Dave....with what i have installed and the feed back is yes you get that cozy feeling....but to be honest it far from gives the warming glow you would get from a log fire....but at the same time it does give as good as a Gas fire in a slightly more gentle way.....never had a person say it's crap.....but it all depends on what you want from it,if you want a roaring log effect forget it....if you want a Gas fire thats warming and gentle with good looks it's great.


I know i sound confusing.
 

DaveNay

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As a company that use to install and vent fireplaces I cannot tell you much about the ventless ones. Of all the insurance companies we have had in the past none of them allow us to install anything Ventless. Make sure the one your looking at meets your local codes and I would question with your inspectors about the unit and being Ventless. Many of the Ventless products I have seen they require some type of ventilation other than what the unit can provide. Just my 2 cents.

That's good info Murph. A vent-less unit that required a vent would be kinda silly, huh? That's the type info I need.

Further research is showing that I only need 12" from the vent to an openable window. Even if I find that I need double that, I should be good. I have a wall that has almost 60" between two windows.
 

Galvatron

Spock and Galvatron < one and the same
Can i ask if your windows have "trickle vents"??....ours do and allows ventilation to assist with this type of thing.
 

DaveNay

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Can i ask if your windows have "trickle vents"??....ours do and allows ventilation to assist with this type of thing.

I am unfamiliar with the term "trickle vents". Our windows are just typical double hung sash windows.
 

muleman

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Dave as long as you have enough air volume per NFPA 54 you can use the ventless type. If adjoing rooms have open doorways without doors they are included in the volume.
 

k-dog

Member
I have a ventless stove and the flames look just like the ones from my brother's vented gas fireplace. I bought mine from Harbor Freight and use it mainly for a back up. It is basically a gas fireplace enclosed in a complete metal frame except for the front which is open to see the flames. I have a large room in the basement that it is located in (it is around 700 square feet with 8 foot ceilings). I wouldn't want to use it all the time except to knock the chill off or something. It does have the low oxygen sensor shutoff on it.
 

thcri

Gone But Not Forgotten
That's good info Murph. A vent-less unit that required a vent would be kinda silly, huh? That's the type info I need

Just to clarify I am not talking about the vent-less unit itself having a vent but the room it is in being ventilated.

Dave if I was you I would install a vented one even if the costs are greater. I am thinking of the little guy in your house.
 

DaveNay

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Dave if I was you I would install a vented one even if the costs are greater. I am thinking of the little guy in your house.

That has always been my first choice, and after my research this morning, it looks like I will have no problems with clearances.
 

thcri

Gone But Not Forgotten
That has always been my first choice, and after my research this morning, it looks like I will have no problems with clearances.


When you say clearances to me your talking about the distance from the unit itself to combustionble materials? Has nothing to do with ventilation?? All gas burning appliances have a rating on them for front, back, sides, top and bottom for distance to combustibles. I am concerned about the ventilation in the room the fireplace is heating.
 

DaveNay

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When you say clearances to me your talking about the distance from the unit itself to combustionble materials? Has nothing to do with ventilation?? All gas burning appliances have a rating on them for front, back, sides, top and bottom for distance to combustibles. I am concerned about the ventilation in the room the fireplace is heating.

No, I was concerned with the distance from the exterior vent device to the two windows on either side of where I want to place the fireplace.

In this picture, the fireplace will go where the entertainment center is located, centered between the two windows. There are minimum requirements for the distance from the exterior vent location to the operable windows on either side. My concern was that there is not enough distance, but after researching this morning, I believe I have more than enough distance.
 

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thcri

Gone But Not Forgotten
No, I was concerned with the distance from the exterior vent device to the two windows on either side of where I want to place the fireplace.

Exterior vent?? I guess I must have missed something here because I thought you were talking about a Vent-less fireplace. One that has no vent to the outside.

With your Vented fireplace if you meet the distances to the windows then you should be fine. Operable windows the fear is having the window open while burning the fireplace and monoxide coming in the house.

Vent-less Fireplaces

This fireplace will provide you with the coziness and ambiance of real flames that actually pops and crackles as if you were burning real wood! Forget about your worries of a vent or chimney
 

DaveNay

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Exterior vent?? I guess I must have missed something here because I thought you were talking about a Vent-less fireplace. One that has no vent to the outside.

You missed the point that I was considering the ventless as an alternative in case I could not meet the clearance requirements for a direct vent unit. After my research this morning, I no longer have that concern and I plan to go with a direct vent unit.
 

XeVfTEUtaAqJHTqq

Master of Distraction
Staff member
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Dave, your direct vent would be fine by WA standards. Ours is really close to a window and I'm pretty sure it is within code.

Ours works pretty good for back up heat. I run the fan off the generator when the power is out and it keeps the main floor warm and the upper floors from freezing.

Remember to get a screen for the front so the little goober doesn't burn his hands. Yes, the screen is ugly but you can take it down in a few years. I just wrapped two conventional folding fireplace screens around mind. I'll probably take them off next year.
 

BigAl

Gone But Not Forgotten
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It really doesn't matter now that you decided to go vented , but one thing I have noticed on the emergency ventless heaters we use at the ranch is a soot type film that collects on the inside of the windows over time . It ain't much but it is enough to notice .
 

jwstewar

Active member
Doesn't really matter now that he decided to go with a direct vent, but this is the Vent-less fireplace we had installed when we built the house. We don't use it much, but it sure was nice last year when we were without power for a couple of days. Only problem is, when it is on high, you can't really stay in that room as that room gets really warm, really quick. The way our house is laid out, it even kept the upstairs warm so we could sleep in our beds. Thought we were going to have to sleep downstairs.

Guess I need to get a picture of the logs actually installed huh?
 

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joec

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I have had one similar to this one http://www.lowes.com/pd_309526-51507-SSFBD23T-5-HM_4294929249_4294937087?productId=3082431 that I got at Lowe's some time ago. We have natural gas in the house and I just had to have a line run to it. It actually heats our apartment with out using the AC/Heating at all. It is also thermostat controlled. We have had it now for going on 8 years. It looks and feels like a real wood type without the burning wood or chimney problems.
 

Doc

Bottoms Up
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So, the vent-less ones are safe? Since they have no vent wouldn't they also be more efficient? I didn't know you could get them with a thermostat. In the planning stage of a basement finishing project and need a couple thermostat controlled gas heaters. I prefer not to vent, if they are safe and efficient.
 

joec

New member
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The thermostat on mine is where you light it. You set it like a stove knob and when it gets to that temperature it shuts off until the comes back on. I'm sure it is nothing more than the old style gas heaters many have had in their homes over the years with a fancy fire place mantle and frame around it. Now my place is only about 1200 sq. ft of living quarters so it does do the job. It also sits right beside the return vent for my AC system. We have smoke and gas detectors hard wired installed and they have never gone off due to the fire place.
 

jwstewar

Active member
Like Joe's, ours is also thermostatically controlled. If you want to call it a thermostat. Basically you turn a dial and it shuts off when the controller thinks it is warm enough. In this room that is pretty quick unless you have it all the way up. As far as efficiency goes, my thinking is they have to be 100% efficient since none of the heat leaves the room.:whistling:

I've never had our carbon monoxide detector to go off. Ours says not to be the sole heat source in the house, but is approved for back-up heating in the event of a power outage:unsure:

Good luck on the basement finishing project. I've been working on ours for over a year. Took most of the summer off for grass mowing, but I'm down to finish installing the drop ceiling and the trim. Gettin' close.:w00t2:
 

Doc

Bottoms Up
Staff member
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Thanks guys.
I know I'm looking at a year or more on this one. Daughter is an architect and she has come up with some unique ideas for walls and ceiling. She suggested using peg board for the ceiling. :eek: Then she showed me pics of a room done with the brown peg board for a ceiling. It looks great. And would be easy to take down if overhead access was needed. Still trying to figure it all out. Hope to drive the 1st nail sometime in March.
 
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