New Product Spotlight: Ventless Fireplace

There are many various types of fireplaces, and each one operates uniquely, has specific safety features, and particular costs associated with it. Keep reading to learn more about today's spotlight product: ventless fireplaces.

The Difference

There are many reasons consumers are switching to a ventless fireplace; some of the features are:

• No need for vent or chimney
• No need for extra floor accommodations
• No need for a toolset
• Creates low-cost heat to warm the room
• Beautiful natural flame look
• Helps maintain an energy efficient home

How It Works

Also known as vent-free or unvented units, ventless indoor fireplaces are fueled by natural gas or propane. These fireplaces utilize gas pushed through a dispersing unit that allows flames to show through strategic gaps in artificial logs made of ceramic fiber. Each fireplace has a heat resistant box that has a control panel that runs the pilot line and a striker button. Unlike traditional fireplaces that vent smoke through a tube or chimney that goes outside, ventless gas fireplaces take in oxygen to help the fire burn and then return warm air into the room.

Safety

Ventless fireplaces are safe because they burn such a low quantity of gas that the emissions produced are not hazardous. Most ventless gas fireplaces have a safety feature back up called the Oxygen Detection System. This gas detector is a feature that will turn off the ventless fireplace if the oxygen levels in a room drop below a limit that is safe.

The Costs

When looking at the costs of fireplaces, you want to consider the costs associated with the following aspects of each unit:

• Installation:

When looking to get a gas line put in for any gas fireplace, the price will depend on how much gas line will have to be placed in your home. The addition of a gas line can cost from $200 to $3000.

• Maintenance:

With a gas stove, there is no need for ash removal or added chimney cleaning fees. It can cost $60 to $300 each year to clean a vent pipe on a wood burning stove.

• Running:

The cost of running a gas fireplace will depend on the area in which you live. You can calculate these costs by utilizing the following formula: (BTU rating X gas cost per Therm) / 100,000 = Cost of running your fireplace per hour Let’s use the Vent-free Empire Cast Iron Stove as an example. It utilizes an average of 27,000 BTUs per hour, and the current national average of gas is just under $0.87/therm. (27,000 BTUs X .87/ Therm)/100,000=$0.23/hour This means that to run the Vent-free Empire Cast Iron Stove in an area where gas costs are around the national average, it would cost approximately $0.23/hour to run this model of fireplace.

HVACdirect.com and Your Ventless Fireplace

Here at HVAC Direct, we offer a variety of different fireplaces. Here are a few of the vent-free models that we offer.

• Empire Ventless Gas Stove- Medium

• Napoleon Vent Free Fireplace - 36" Grandville

• Buck Stove Model ZCBBXL 36" Vent Free Gas Stove Deluxe Builders Box with Oak Log Set - Natural Gas

You can view our entire vent free fireplace selection on our website.