Vented vs. Vent-Free Gas Logs
Gas fireplaces don’t produce odors or smoke. However, the flames produce pollutants like carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides and nitrogen. With the help of a vented fireplace, you can eliminate all of those pollutants. A vent-free one simply puts the pollutants into your environment.
Vented Gas Logs
A direct vent is the safest and most efficient way of venting your system. One of the pipes provide you with fresh air from the outside into the sealed firebox, while the other takes the combustion fumes and vents them outside. Tubes can either be run out of your home through an opening in your wall or up the flue in your existing fireplace. They tend to be somewhere between 70 and 85% efficient. B-vents are another option. They have a single pipe to help get rid of the emissions. The flames pull air from inside of your home, which only makes them 50% efficient. These units need a sensor to put the fire out if the exhaust gasses ever start making their way down the flue. That’s why a direct vent is ideal to help get rid of that risk.
Vent-Free Gas Logs
Because these units don’t have a flue, you can easily install them anywhere you like. Since the heat stays in the room, they are 99% efficient. That also means that the pollutants stay in the room as well. With vent-free logs, you can enjoy cleaner air and a cleaner burn. However, heat output is restricted to 40,000 BTUs. Thanks to their pre-installed oxygen-depletion sensor, the unit will shut itself off if the oxygen level in the room drops below 18%. Some cities in the US have banned these units because of the danger of low oxygen levels.
In conclusion, vented logs require a wood burning fireplace that is fully functional. A ventless one can easily be installed in a ventless fireplace designed for a wood burning fireplace of ventless logs. While the vented logs tend to look more lifelike, the ventless ones will generate more heat.
If you don’t know yet which option is best for you, contact Hi-Tech Appliance. Our expert fireplace technicians will happily help you with all your doubts. Also, if you need to install or repair your fireplace in Colorado, give us a call at 303-665-0951.
