Vented Gas Logs

[Doug Edwards]

I wonder what all those "ventless" gas logs, propane and natural gas space heaters that Ive been seeing and inspecting are then? I am planning on putting one in my workshop when I get around to building it. It mounts on the wall and uses IR technology to heat the room and runs off natural gas (or propane).

[Marcel R. Cyr]

Originally Posted by dedwards

I wonder what all those "ventless" gas logs, propane and natural gas space heaters that Ive been seeing and inspecting are then? I am planning on putting one in my workshop when I get around to building it. It mounts on the wall and uses IR technology to heat the room and runs off natural gas (or propane).

Doug;

You are right, but here in Maine you might be faced with seeing Runtal heating elements on the walls and wonder what the hell they are. ha. ha.

So, I guess we are all here to share the different heating elements of this technological World and appreciate the education.

In the potatoes world as I was, using space heaters with kerosene was a daily
chore. It was also common as a heat source, and cooking when I was a kid,
and now it is oil heat no more wood and a fireplace that does not work. ha. ha.

Next step is a gas fired log fireplace insert with venting. IMHO

I think that the heating requirements of certain geographical areas might differ.

Venting and vent-less appliances might become more of preference than anythingelse.

Being from the cold country, we might tend to stick more with the venting, due all the fresh cold air we have up here.

Thanks for all your information on the subject.

Marcel




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[Doug Edwards]

You are welcome. Glad I could help even if just a little.

[Gary Reecher]

Originally Posted by mcyr

Gary;

Could you explain your statement based on factual correspondence or literature and share with us why you are stating that. Please

Thank you.

Marcel

OK You have a ventless heater. Combustion produces carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and hopefully only small amounts of carbon monoxide and water vapor. Gases are hydro carbons they have hydrogen atoms. When the gas is burned only a portion of the oxygen going through the burner is converted and bonded to carbon atoms to form CO2 and CO. Some of the oxygen atoms are bonded to hydrogen atoms to H2O water vapor Where is this carbon dioxide, hopefully small levels of carbon monoxide and water vapor going? Into the home. The instructions for these heaters will state to crack a window open when using the heater. How many times is that ever actually done? That is why I say when you use a ventless (unvented) heater you're making your home the chimney because a brick or metal chimney is where these gases should be going.

Here are some links abount unvented heaters

http://www.chimneysweeponline.com/hovfsci.htm

http://www.chimneysweeponline.com/hovflett.htm

http://www.chimneysweeponline.com/hovntlss.htm

http://www.chimneysweeponline.com/hovfco2.htm

http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/463.html

Used to have a link by the vent free alliance promoting ventless heaters, but surprise surprise that web site is gone. Not that I lost the link just that the ventfree alliance no longer exist.

Yes unvented heaters have been mandated in the US that heaters manufactured after 1983 have oxygen depletion sensors to hopefully kill the heater before it kills people.

If you go to the manufacturers web sites for unvented heaters they state that they cannot ship their heaters to Canada, Alaska or Hawaii.

Canada outlawed the High Temperature Plastic Vent materials years before the US recalled the material. Maybe our Canadian neighbors are years ahead of us in the US on this issue as well.

I refuse to work on these heaters.

[Michael Larson]

Mr. Reecher, do you know of any deaths or injuries associated with the use of ventless gas heaters since 1983?