OT...Propane fireplace, direct vent or vent free?

House was built in 96, so it's fairly air tight. Currently has a zero clearance wood fireplace that we never use.

So I'm thinking ripping that box out and putting in a set of propane logs and firebox.

It's main function will be heat....emergency if we lose power, and use it to keep the family room warm while leaving the rest of the house cooler in the winter.

I've read the pro's and con's of vent free, not sure I want them, although they are installed all the time. And my emergency heat now is a couple kerosene heaters, probably worse than vent free gas logs as far as indoor pollution goes.

Been reading about direct vents, they claim 80% of the heat gets radiated through the glass front, but I'd like some real world feedback.

Do the direct vents really put out heat, or are they more for looks?

Thanks

Fred

We have (had) a food burning fireplace. We converted it to gas logs after about 2 years. No need to rip out what you have, just install the gas logs and run an LP line to it. We usually run the gas logs with the damper closed, but we can open it if we need to(never have). We use it mostly for supplemental heat when needed and occasionally for ambiance. It will put out a lot of heat when on high. We really like it and there is no mess.

Direct vent

we have a vent free gas log in the first floor. very tight no drafts ect. vent free adds water to the air lots of humidity. On a really cold day condensation forms on the inside of the double pane windows. You also have to keep them really clean and not use chemicals like bore solvent for guns. It will make the air bad.

Do you have one? Does it put out heat?

I've read you need to leave the flue damper open because of the heat build up if you're running vent free logs...the heat gets trapped up top and it gets too hot...and that would defeat the purpose, all the heat going out the flue.

Fred

PS my better half was sitting here with me when I read your reply and I said "huh...he's got a food burning fireplace...guess it's like your stove"...I got slugged, sometimes my mouth is a couple steps ahead of my good sense

As dry as the house is in the winter, wonder if that would be such a bad thing.

Fred

We had a vented one in the basement of our last house. That house was always cool down there even tho it was heated. The fireplace worked good to keep the small family room and 2 small bedrooms warm. I'm not sure it would be a good source for heat in a whole house tho. And make sure you get the fan kit to move the heated air as it was an option with ours and was needed to get good heat.

If the house is REALLY tight, you should go with a propane fireplace that is not only vented, but will also bring in outside air for combustion. That is what I would do if I were to do it.

Back in the 90's they were building houses that I think, were wrapped too tight. I would definitely go with a vented fireplace that draws it's air from outside.

you'll want a vented one with propane, lots of moisture, your windows will collect the water and the sills will get wet..is there a reason you don't use wood??

Yeah Fred; You had that slug coming, I'd have thought you would have learned by now, watch you mouth when within slugging distance. too funny...have a good day gobble

We have the vent free style. No complaints about it at all. Same use as yours will be. Quick heat if you've been outside in the cold and emergency backup. It burns very little gas, our tank is a 110 gallon and even with a gas oven the tank last us about a year.

Non vented units have that wet propane smell.

I have a vent free wall mounted heater in the living room of this house. We use it all of the time ion the winter. It provides a large part of our heat. It does put moisture into the air but with the furnace drying the air out the extra moisture is needed. We noticed fewer cracked hands and nose bleeds from dry noses.

Now this house is far from air tight and that is one of the reasons I went with a vent free heater. There is enough leaks for there to keep the in side air in good condition. Also this heater is entirely propane. It does not need electric for anything. If we do not have electric this heater will easily keep the house warm enough that the pipes are safe.

With all of that I would recommend a vented heater for your house as it is much more air tight. I installed one in my Mother-in-laws 25 years ago. She did exactly what your wanting to do. She kept the furnace set on 60 and used the propane fire place to keep the living room and kitchen 72 degrees. She liked sleeping in a cooler bedroom, I do as well.

Look for a heater in the 25-30K Btu. range. You should be able to find them that are setup for more of a primary heat source. Forget the fireplace sales store stuff. They mainly have smaller heaters more for "Appearance/abeyance" not function. Also make sure the heater your looking at does not need electric to work. IF it has a remote then it will not burn without electric. The house I bought off my father has a fireplace that has a remote and you have to have 110 volt electric for it to lite/burn. The controls are electronic. The ones I like are all mechanical. Capillary tube type thermostat.

The one that where most common where made by DESA International. That company went broke. Some of it's brands/designs where bought and are being manufactured.

We've had a vent free fireplace for three years now ...I never smell a wet propane smell ...love it and it really puts out a lot of heat ...I have noticed a little more moisture on the Windows but not too bad

We stopped using the vent free after we needed to buy a dehumidifier after we bought a humidistat.
Took over a week to get the humidity under 80%.
Ended up pulling a few 175 year old walls (house built in 1840) down due to black mold in/on the horse hair plaster.
We had been using the heater as the main heat source instead of the floor mounted furnace.

Three reasons (okay, the third is an excuse)

Daughter #3 was borderline athsmatic when little, burning wood would set her off. Seems to have outgrown it.

The zero clearance firebox was so small ( to me anyway), even with a brick hearth it looked like the logs were too close to the front for comfort

I'm working 60-70 hours a week at a job 65 miles from home, and have our 115 acre place with 40 momma cows and calves to take care of...I don't feel like cutting wood.

Fred

I wouldn't want vent free, it burns up the oxygen and replaces it with CO2 and moisture. My sister has one and it gives me a headache.

I can't stand even a round screen like shop heater which attaches to a propane tank.

However Mr. Heater makes a portable propane heater, 6,12,18K BTU with ceramic bricks, radiant heat. It burns so clean I don't get a headache. Requires no electricity to use. It comes with an O2 sensor and directions say not to use it in a closed space.

I have a friend with a Mr. Heater space heater in his house for back up heat. I think his is larger, ceramic bricks, and vented.

I would check into Mr. heater and see if they have anything for a fireplace, definitely vented.

The only stated con I can agree on is that they do make water.Nearly every house I've lived in had a vent free gas range.The house I grew up in had vent free gas water heater for use in the summer.There's 2 vent free gas heaters in the house I live in now,one on an enclosed porch and one in a ground floor bedroom, bath room and laundry room.A 3rd and probably 4th will be going into the wife's quilting studio which is under construction.From a safety standpoint they're as safe as a wood stove.O2 depletion isn't a problem if a window is cracked open which I do when the wood burner is lit which is all winter.

The good ones carry the UL tag as well as the Canadian eqivalent.