Theme: See The Advantages Of Installing Ventless Fireplace Logs
September 1, 2010Realistic-looking gas logs are a more efficient replacement for traditional wood logs
The reassuring sound of a cozy fire on a bleak winter’s night, the life-giving warmth that bars the cold and envelopes you with its soft touch, the deep, rich smell of burning wood, and the stone fireplace that radiates heat from its once-cold heart. Ohhhh, the memories.
These are not my memories, of course, and almost certainly not yours either, if you grew up in the city. However, if this is what you remember, then I’m sure you can also remember spending a lot of time cleaning out the fireplace, sweeping the chimney, splitting and stacking the wood, and putting up with the fumes, smoke and ash. I begin hacking just thinking about it.
The bad memories can be a thing of the past, and only the positive ones will be left, if you start using ceramic gas-burning logs in place of real wood. Since they are ceramic they’ll last for many years while using either natural gas or propane. With ceramic logs, there are two basic types: vented and vent-free or ventless. Learn more about ventless fireplace gas logs, fireplace gas logs and wood fireplace mantles.
Vented gas logs burn in the fireplace just like real wood logs. The flames embrace the logs and frolic along the edges like devilish sprites. That is, at least, until you get bored watching the fire and shut the flames off with a remote. Vented gas logs provide an attractive alternative to wood burning, but this is great only if you have a fireplace in your home, or the additional space to have one installed.
What about those of us who are more sq. ft.-challenged? Well, apartment-dwelling city folk can have memories, too, by buying vent-free ceramic gas logs. This kindof fireplace may be portable and they give off a small but amusing blue flame. The best advantage of vent-free logs is they produce more heat than a wood burning fireplace with the same capacity. The reason being the logs are constructed using a material that causes heat to radiate out after it reaches a certain temperature. The dense, refractory material used to construct these logs so they are realistic in appearance and efficient in heat output, also lets you to like your stove without the cleanup of ash, wood dust and wood shavings. Since they’re self-contained (that is, no vent), all of the heat produced remains within the room. The disadvantages to vent-free logs are the rise in humidity, necessity of having oxygen and carbon monoxide detectors (which occasionally are included with the unit), and the stipulation for fresh airflow (an open window) if the fireplace has been on for more than an hour.
Which type of gas logs you select will depend on a balance between aesthetics, efficiency, and convenience. The vented log will look realistic and set a cozy ambiance, but it will not give off much heat because most of that’s vented up the chimney. The vent-free fireplaces and logs are easier to place and more energy-efficient, but the flame is small and blue and the fireplaces require more effort to maintain safety.