A new winter season approaching leads to everyone considering all of their heating options. And for those utilizing a gas fireplace for at least a portion of the heat in their homes, now is the time to choose whether vent-free gas logs, vented gas logs, or a direct vent appliance will suit your home the best.
Which Type of Gas Log Is Best?
Vent-Free Gas Logs
The vent-free gas logs offer the benefit of nearly 100 percent fuel efficiency. These low heating costs mean big savings – and high efficiency also allows the fire to burn with the damper completely closed. These fires also burn surprisingly hot and can warm up a fairly large space, making them ideal as a heating source.
However, they cannot burn for more than four hours at a time without depleting home’s oxygen levels and making the space very humid. Additionally, they need the chance to cure before using them as vent free logs. The first three to five hours of burning must be done with the damper open before it can burn safely without venting.
Vented Gas Logs
Vented gas logs provide the most realistic look of all the log options. The logs can be rearranged, aside from the bottom two logs, to make the set look most appealing to you, and you can add little details like extra logs or pine cones as long as they are designed for vented gas fireplaces.
These logs must be burned with the damper completely open because the fire produces toxic fumes just like a wood burning fire does. The open flue also allows most of the heat to escape through the flue, which means the vented gas logs should not be relied on as a heating source for the home.
Direct Vent Gas Appliance
The direct vent appliance offers relatively new technology that offers the best of both the vent free and vented gas logs. This special fireplace insert has a double pipe venting structure that expels harmful fumes through the inner pipe and draws in fresh oxygen to the fire using the space between the outer pipe and the inner pipe.
Just 7 ½ percent less efficient than the vent free unit, it provides significantly better air quality by not using the oxygen inside the home and by expelling all of the byproducts from the home. It also creates much more heat than a vented fire, making it a good candidate for a secondary heating source.
Gas Appliances Need Maintenance Too
Have you recently converted to your wood-burning heating appliance to a gas fireplace, stove, or insert? There’s no denying that gas appliances are known for helping homeowners save on energy bills, and they offer heat that is mess-free and aesthetically pleasing.
However, many homeowners don’t realize that their gas appliances also need inspections and maintenance.
Yes, your gas appliances require less work and maintenance, but overtime, it still deteriorates and could put your family at risk. At Winston’s Chimney Service, we want you to be aware of all the potential dangers of owning a gas appliance. If you need gas fireplace servicing, don’t hesitate to book with us.
What can go wrong with my gas fireplace?
One major problem hat a gas fireplace face is issues with airflow or drafting. Poor drafting leads to excessive condensation and corrosion, and this then leads to an increase risk of carbon monoxide exposure too. All of these things mean expensive repair work for your system, and it also means health problems for the people within your home.
Carbon monoxide is a huge threat because it is colorless and odorless, making it impossible to detect with basic senses. If your gas appliance is not drafting correctly, carbon monoxide could easily leak into the home. Carbon monoxide sends a large number of people to the hospital every year, and it can lead to death if not addressed promptly.
Reduce the threats and health hazards of carbon monoxide exposure by investing in maintenance now. At Winston’s Chimney Service, we are here to take care all your fireplace and chimney needs. Give our expert crew a call today to schedule an appointment.
Need Some Chimney & Fireplace Assistance? We Can Help
Choosing to utilize vent free gas logs, vented gas logs, or a direct vent appliance should be based on the other heating options in your home and your lifestyle.
We work hard to stay up-to-date and educated on it all, ensuring you receive the highest quality service possible. Our customers deserve the efficiency and comfort of the best fireplaces on the market. To speak with a fireplace and chimney expert in the Washington D.C. area, schedule an appointment with Winston’s Chimney Service today.
