Vented or Ventless Gas Fireplace (which one is better?)
Вставка
- Опубліковано 25 сер 2024
- CAMERA USED IN THIS VIDEO: amzn.to/3e9tk2J (Paid Link)
GIMBLE USED IN THIS VIDEO: amzn.to/3jGeTEH (Paid Link)
Shop gas fireplaces here: blazingembers.com
Its a question that we get all the time actually. Should you buy a vented or a vent free fireplace? Well the answer really is not that straight forward. Rather lets think about what your needs are. Because there are advantages to both fireplaces, and it really comes down to which one is better for your personal needs. Lets go over the pro’s and the cons to both models.
Vent Free fireplaces
-PROS
-Ease of install. Because these fireplaces do not require venting at all. They are usually much easier to install, because of course there are no venting requirements at all.
- Because there is no venting, they are great for half walls, so you dont need full eight full ceilings to install them.
- Big time heat. Again because there is no vent or exhaust, There is no where for the heat to go. So 100% of the heat is coming right into the room, and the units run at 99.9% efficient.
- Cost, because there is no vent and no glass front. They are significantly more cost effective.
CONS-
- Because there is no vent, they are using your room air for combustion. Which isn’t always the most efficient.
- They are also finicky from time to time, and dont work in high altitude situations due to the lack of oxygen.
-You for sure cant install a TV above the fireplace because the walls just get way too hot!
Direct Vent Gas Fireplace
PROS
- Better flame appearance, as they are typically a higher BTU producing a more attractive flame
- They are pulling their own combustion air from outside the house, so you dont have to worry about making up any room air anywhere.
- They are really what you need for hanging artwork, mantels, or tv above a fireplace because you can bypass the heat.
CONS
- More expensive then a vent free fireplace
- Usually require a full size wall in order to install one, you cant put them in a half wall.
- On paper they are not as efficient as a vent free unit
Don’t forget if your in the Denver Colorado area visit our showroom today
Embers Living
7705 W 108th Ave #600
Westminster, CO 80021
This video is fantastic. I've been trying to figure this all out for weeks and you explained every single thing with clarity for non-industry people! Thank you!!!
Do you have any videos or advice for the type of venting? Like above the fireplace, side of wall, etc? Also do you sell or work with out of state customers?😂
@@lydiaelaine We sell and ship throughout the US. If you have more question call the store at (303) 800-5659.
Thank you so so much for making and posting this video!! After reading article after article on the internet and getting absolutely nowhere, YOU answered all our questions in one video. AMAZING!! This video was so very helpful and informative which helped us finalize our decision. Thanks Again!!
nice!
Thank you for posting this helpful video! I was considering vent free, now I changed my mind. Oxygen is important, and I need all I can get! Thanks!
ha very true!
just add some plants to the room
Question: Recently purchased a new Cabin with Ventless gas fireplace, flat TV is installed above it, and noticed wall and TV gets really hot after some time of fireplace running. Now in the last month the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide sensors trigged off in three occasions wile we had guest in the cabin. There is not gas leaking in the cabin already tested, could it be the TV and wall getting too hot that triggers the sensors? Fire Marshall reported 44ppm Carbon Monoxide reading the morning after last incident. Thank you.
There is a safety feature about vent free heaters. If the oxygen in the room starts to become depleted the pilot flame will change its angle of burn and no longer heat up the thermocouple which will make the pilot light go out. It's very foolproof unless someone tampers with it. That being said a house would have to be very airtight for the oxygen to start to be depleted. Also, not mentioned in your video is the fact that vent free heaters add a lot of moisture to the air. This can be very beneficial in some places and they work well to supplement a wood stove which tends to dry out the air. They make very small vent free blue flame gas heaters that hang on a wall, they don't look that aesthetic, kind of like a kerosene heater or something but they work really good in a cabin or garage. They also make one that radiates Heat, it has a ceramic grid that glows Orange kind of like the ones they use for outdoor seating at a restaurant. Inexpensive to purchase and cheap to run, you only need to run a gas line to one.
nice
thanks man you have the best information out there,delivered professional without any stupid comedian wannabe idiocies thanks again
No problem! We appreciate the comment. Thanks for watching!
So glad you pointed out the new construction and room air very important to mention and know thoes things
Very true
I bought a new home that has a ventless natural gas fireplace. I don’t care what they say, the vent free fireplace makes everyone queasy, and does have a very noticeable noxious smell. The air feels bad when it’s on. I refuse to use it. Might try switching to one of the new electric ones.
yeah that is true of the older ones for sure
@@embersliving Same as the commenter above, we had a contractor finish off our basement about 15 years ago and we wanted a fireplace in that room but the location did not allow for vent pipe ductwork to be run...apparently the run was too far and those distances are limited that are allowed for direct vent. So, he recommended Vent free and put a brand new one in. Over the years we have barely used it. It stinks. The smell is so bad that it sets off the smoke detectors in the basement so i know it's more than just smell. Have had it tuned up, cleaned, inspected a few times...still can't get the smell to go away. Do the newer vent free log sets eliminate this problem and I could just upgrade the guts of this fireplace? I've considered just ripping out these logs, turning off the gas and getting an electric insert. Maybe thats the way to go? what would you do?
@@A1Adaydreaming i was hoping he'd mention the smell issues with ventless
On unvented gas heaters, outside contaminants can make them smell. Like some air fresheners, new paint, shoe polish ect. In one case a man removed everything from the room and it was still there. Then he saw on the wall above the heater a dried flower wreath and that was it. It was sprayed with perfume. The smell is sort of like kerosene no matter what the contamination is. It could be a small leak in the heater although I have only found that once in my servicing. It's usually some chemical.
This is unusual and has not been my experience. You should get a carbon monoxide sensor to make sure it's functioning properly. I think you will find that the smell is coming from something else or perhaps it's just the new ness of the logs and they need to burn for a while for the smell to go away.
I've never seen a house seal up good enough to be an issue with O2 depletion.
i see
I have seen your videos and are very very helpful in making a decision as to what I need… not what I want… you know your products very well. I see the total video… that’s the key…Thanks
thanks for watching!
I think you're confusing or combining terms. If the fireplace is 99% efficient in how it burns fuel and provides heat, then it's 99% efficient. Nothing changes that. Where it gets its oxygen from is from inside the home, which is true, but that doesn't change of the efficiency of the fireplace. That has more to do with how well the house was built or insulated or the perhaps the age of the home. Either way the ventless is still 99% efficient in how it burns gas.
true, I guess you are looking at it from the appliance standpoint only, and you are technically right. But we examine the context of the home. I think you missed the principle of the concept
Jay is correct, and that efficiency stuff you were saying makes no sense. At lease you acknowledge that you don't really understand it. A vented one will automatically be less efficient because you are taking in cooler outside air for combustion, raising it's temperature and then losing a good proportion of that heat as it is exhausted through the vent. At least direct vent is more efficient than the original chimney because the conbustion intake air is preheated as it passes around the walls of the exhaust pipe (the exhaust pipe is in the middle). Looking at this from the perspective of the home's hvac systems, regarding your concern about where the air for ventless gas fireplaces comes from, the answer is that it comes in the same way that the air you breath comes in. That is through natural ventilation through the gaps in your typically leaky house, through open windows (like you parents always say, open the window to get some fresh air), and in more tightly air sealed houses, fresh air is introduced in a controlled manner via mechanical ventilators which efficiently transfer heat from warm stale indoor air to cool fresh outdoor air as the air is passes through them (called heat exchangers). From the leaky house with manual window ventilation to the high tech air sealed, mechanically ventilated home, the rate of air changes can be measured and expressed in air changes per hour (ACH). If you have an old school fireplace it will be getting it's combustion air from inside the house, and that's why you might crack a window to get some extra fresh air to compensate. Some mechanical systems can adjust the ventilation per room so you can simply move more air through the living room to account for the oxygen consumed by the ventless fireplace. The main question to ask a gas fireplace expert is how much air is being combusted by a particular gas fireplace, and this number can be calculated based on the BTU per hour of the unit. Secondly, how do we know we are not breathing noncombusted gases from a ventless or even a direct vent fireplace? Is there some guarantee of a max quantity of these gases that we might expect in our air?
Regarding TVs on top of gas fireplaces, this is just foolishness. Put some thermal mass on the walls around your fireplace so that it can warm up and continue to heat the house after the fireplace is turned off. The wall is getting warm because you are putting a source of heat in it, and it's working. Put a tv on top of it if you want to damage expensive electronics, and you do t know what to enjoy: a tv binge or a cozy fireplace.
@@pietrocarini7455 A TV over the fireplace is foolishness to ‘you’, not necessarily other people. A little too opinionated to say that, don’t you think?
Should you mention fumes coming into the house with the vent-free?
This actually answered all my questions really well! Seems obvious now but I never considered the fact that the vent free is using up o2 In the home. Thanks for the info.
No problem thanks for the comment Matt Pro!
Nice review!
Glad you enjoyed it
I’m so glad I watched this because I want to heat my house with this mainly and not have to use my coal boiler.
Glad we could help you out! Thanks for watching!
What if we are putting a unit into an old brick fireplace? Does venting just go up through existing chimney?
Yeah I think you can do that but you will have to ask a professional installer to be sure
I can't find how the safety measure works in these vent free? how does it not just spit all the burning by products into the room and how is it safe?
you will have to talk to a tech
What about ventless causing condensation problems in the home?
yes that happens
If I had to pick from the 2 I would do vented. It also has an added safety benefit so say a valve does not shut properly when it is off and it leaks gas from the burner it is confined to the firebox and chimney and not going through the house and also no fumes from the fire inside the house. Sadly I cannot afford to install either atm but I think it would be a great upgrade from my wood fireplace that I got.
thanks for watching!
I am with you on this.
propane is heavy and will leak through.
I am an HVAC contractor and I have installed and repaired at least several thousand heaters of all types and I have never seen a heater leak gas through the burner or Pilot when it is off. I've seen lots of leaking gas valves and pilot tubing but those are all outside of the combustion chamber.
Very helpful video to explain the pros and cons of each style. One tip for you is the word is "Height" not "Height-th", just because width and length end in a TH, doesn't mean Height does. ;)
Thanks for the tips! I'll go watch some grammar UA-cam videos!
@@embersliving Grammar education won't help you with reading & spelling.
@@hooksx haha ok 😅
If your house is that tight code demands fresh air be brought into the home. And erv can combat that lake of “in efficiency”. A fire place that is 95 plus efficient is a plus. So much cooling is lost they fireplaces thru out the year that offers the venting “efficiency “. I guess it boils down to preference.
very true, and where you live will decide a lot of that too
Are vent free units safe?? what about carbon monoxide?
yes they put .01% into the house, too much for me!
got vent-free and don't need to change. thanks a lot... good video!
no problem!
🤣🤣yes, it’s true that my arm is on fire right now…
Thanks for the info, alway wondered what the difference was.
Glad to help
Great info!
Glad it was helpful!
*Very easy to set up and use, attractive but be sure you understand the height--it's not tall. The heat is not overwhelming, but steady and pleasant fireplace fireplace.homes . It's quiet, too. I like the possibility of easily moving it from room to room i
thanks
Why are you out of breath? Is that because you’re near those fireplaces or just an out of shape issue? That’s a bit worrying
mic issues, but appreciate the concern
At 5,280ft above sea level the oxygen is less densely distributed and in a showroom with display fireplaces burning all the oxygen...and he's overweight while talking a lot...all adds up.
I am curious about Vent free in Santa Fe , NM , which is at a higher altitude. Where can I search to find out if vent free are allowed in that area? Thanks
What about carbon monoxide? On ventless?
yes it happens, so still not my favorite
What about carbon monoxide when you run your gas cook stove? It's not really a valid concern, I had a carbon monoxide detector and could not get any reading at all from my vent free heater. If you blow smoke at the meter it will show a reading.
Great Videos Trevor. Love them, super useful for us at the moment.
@Embers Fireplaces: Whats the maximum width you can get for a vented Gas Fireplace?
custom? As long as you want, sort of stock unit without crazy pricing? 84"
I'm looking to install a vent free. It gets 20 below here occasionally. My main reason for wanting one is for use in a power outage. But the limited btus concern me
yeah, you might not get all the heat you want.
Most of the modern home installations are also controlled by a solenoid, which is powered from your house power.
If you get a unit that is 40000 btu it will heat 800-1000sqft depending on how open your floor plan is and where you are installing it.
@@RobbieStates most of the vent free gas heaters I have seen in fact all of them do not require an electrical connection, they work on the millivolt system.
This is an excellent idea, they make cheap small ones that hang on the wall, all you need to do is run a gas line to it. Perfect for emergency backup or to supplement wood Heat.
Did the law change in Colorado because I believe we just got a vent free installed in our new build home? There's no vent up top and my wall is hot to the touch. So much to the point that the drywall is already starting to crack a little.
no its always the same, they won't burn in colorado because of the oxygen levels
I am interested in the direct vent gas insert but I am in Nashville :(
ah shoot. You can browse our website for products
If ventless is the only option - heat is not an issue. Can you tell us which vent free model has the most realistic - traditional fireplace models?
hmm there are not a lot of good ones
Look into the Astria ventless fireplaces, paired with a nice gas log set. I really like the Hargrove log sets, specifically the haciendas!
Source: I do install/service/repair for a stove shop in central TX.
Looks like a birthday cake
haha
Is it true that you used a carbon monoxide detector??
Yeah
Why would you have your furnace on? Ceiling fans to move fireplace geat.
true
Hi for outdoor linear fireplaces, I want to install one that keeps our feet warm as well. About how high off the floor is optimal for this?
I don't think you will be able to accomplish that
i have the vent free fireplace but the heat gets really intense on the center in the top of my fireplace, is there a way to cool it off. I dont think the quartzite that covers the fireplace is going to resist it. Can you please help me
There really isn’t anything you can do with vent free to change that
so basically vent free are not recommended for high altitude and snowy areas?
correct on high altitude., Not necessarily snowy
So, are vent-less and vent-free one and the same? I thought "vented" required an open damper and heat & fumes going up the chimney?
yes you are correct
Can the cool wall technology be paired with any direct vent gas fireplaces? Looking on your site I didn’t notice any fireplaces that were specifically cool wall ones? Can I buy these in GA? Thanks
no they are model specific
Would you go direct vent since i live in Wyoming? Thanks for the videos!
yes altitude is too high so yes direct vent
So what are the installation cost differences? Is one about 1x - 3x higher than the other?
vent free is usually cheaper for obvious reasons, but not crazy difference
What is the difference in Cost between the two systems?
direct vent is usually about 30% more
How much and are the options available in a peninsula style
hmm they are pretty pricey
I happen to be a fan of breathing oxygen. I would want a vent.
good idea
Can you tell me the model of the multi-color vent free fireplace on your right, by Boulevard?
which one?
@@embersliving At the very start of the video, the fireplace on the left?
I have a vent free fireplace, I hate it. There is nothing safe about them, fire and no chimney to vent it...just ridiculous. I had the gas disconnected to mine. Taking it out!
Oh dang
Removed a section in my camper where the entertainment area is and installed. Works great. Instead of propane furnace heat, I can use this ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxATHBlMJwipGgVWseuAFKvDQ_5R4_lywo to heat the camper as long as it's hooked up to shore power. Only thing I do not like is there does not seem to be a thermostat. I'm presuming it has a built-in one so it does not overheat. Really like all the other color options it has to offer.
So you can’t put a mantle above a vent free?
not really
For vent free all in one systems, can I put a TV above it if it's far enough away?
Something like this: www.factorybuysdirect.com/duluth-forge-dual-fuel-ventless-gas-fireplace-26-000-btu-remote-control-chestnut-oak-finish/
its nearly impossible on anything vent free
Can a blower be installed on a vent free fireplace?
no not usually
Be aware that some "vent free" fireplaces are using the oxygen in your room and heat the air possibly to a point where you can not run them unless it is quite cold in your house. We had two while living in Nashville and would not choose that type again.
very true
All open face fireplaces use oxygen from your room….. also sizing is important when choosing a vent free unit which are UL listed as “heaters”.
@@JonBeeTheProducer that's not really a correct statement. A typical fireplace will use the air in a room, it sucks up all the air and shoots it up the chimney and out of the house, not just the oxygen. All that air going up the chimney has to be replaced with other air that will sneak into the house through any tiny Gap possible. A vent free heater has no flu, no exhaust leaving the structure so of all the components that make up air which is mostly nitrogen it only uses the oxygen. That being said a home would have to be extremely airtight for this to start to become an issue and there is a very foolproof safety feature built into gas vent free heaters that will shut them off If This Were Ever to start to become an issue.
I’ve had a vent free in my family room for year and have a projector screen directly above it. Works great. I realize the cost of operation and installation is WAY WAY higher and it sucks the gas.
true
Can you put a stone slab on top of your vent free gas fireplace framing then install your tv on that?
no thermostat on flueless fires you absolutely need a vent and a window open... dangerous as hell
Ok
@embersliving for that reason that's what I ment bro. its choice I guess. carbon monoxide monitors everywhere lol
It should be illegal to have non vented.
No mention of carbon monoxide?
no I do
When you install direct vent do you have to go through the roof to vent or are there other options? Thanks!
you can go out a side wall with direct vent as well as through the roof
So wouldn't vented with a blower be the best for heating. Are you saying you don't need a blower?
they don't make them with a blower option
I thought vent free are banned in some states related to safety concerns
they are banned in some states, but not all
What about if you get a vent free installed in an existing wood burning fireplace with a damper vent that always stays open? I feel that’s good and perfect for ventless right?
well it then kind of defeats the purpose
so these things are just to look at? I mean he is standing right by it in shorts and not even getting burnt :/ I cant stand that close to my gas wall heater for 5 seconds.. lol
haha they do heat
Nice info & clear explanations. But dude CLEARLY wore the wrong shorts for this...I hear a little scream amping up with every squat after he tugs the shorts & shirt down
You are correct
@@embersliving LOL👍
I’m sorry man but you confused me even more
so sorry!
So I want a gas fireplace for a screened in porch. I definitely want a TV over it. Will the vented ones still provide enough heat for a screened in porch when its cool outside? Or should I look into other heating options?
it really depends on what part of the country your in
@@embersliving southeast.
You need to be looking at some sort of radiant heater. Like the kind with the orange grid that glows that they use for outdoor seating in restaurants. Radiant heat Heats objects such as yourself if you are standing in front of it. Other types of heaters are Heating the air which is moving around the room but if the room is an outdoor screen room that air is just going to dissipate into the Great Outdoors.
Vented is best.you health ,life is not worth the. Risk Vented is much safer.the bad fumes,carb,go outside.you can leave and return home without a build up of carb or gas inside.know were people had a vent free heater,and their home blew up,and burned down.
oh shoot
Literally every one of these I’ve seen in a residential application has a television installed above it. 🤦🏻♂️
interesting
I sell, install and service unvented gas heaters since 1980 when they became legal in Ohio and to this day I will not recommend putting a television above one. The heat over time will destroy the television. People still do it. I have seen it. That does not mean it is smart.
this is not remotely correct.
math and science
haha 😂
LOL. He neglects to mention truly "sealed" houses are very rare. The house-wrap approach wasn't mainstream practice in the building trades until the mid-90's. Also, anyone who does live in a newer home can attest to the number of flaws they've found in modern construction methods, i.e., the home isn't truly sealed despite its newer construction. So, if your home is over 25 years of age or you live in a cookie-cutter suburb where homes were slapped up in a hurry, the supposed need to "crack a window" is complete BS. I don't have a fireplace; no stake in this debate. But I do object to misleading critiques. I did learn a company to avoid if making a fireplace purchase. Thanks for that.
So glad we can help with your research Marcus. At least you have eliminated us from your search! We wish you the best
All really stupid priced.
Want a 72” linear ? 12000$. Complete joke.
so sorry
Oofff. 3 min into the vid until you actually get into the reasons to buy one or the other. Yikes. Pass.
thanks for watching!
Lol! Must be a Millennial cant watch something more then 3 minutes...This is why Tik Tok and twitter exist hahahah. Love it. Hilarious. Great info in the video man
@@holysmokescharles more like constructive feedback as they’re trying to make an informative video but don’t get to said info in a reasonable amount of time. You’re gonna turn viewers away.
You can increase the play speed of the video. 1.5x or 2x. I do this if I’m in a rush.