Are Ventless Propane Fireplaces Safe

The national association of certified home inspectors warns that these fireplaces necessarily vent unburned combustion products including carbon monoxide directly into the living space.

Are ventless propane fireplaces safe.

If you already have your heater installed these ventless gas heaters safety tips. In a gas ventless fireplace oxygen is provided by the air in your home. This is because the gas or propane insert creates no smoke just a flame and its subsequent heat. Other providers and organizations contend ventless fireplaces are unsafe or otherwise undesirable.

Stories and the science to help you separate the facts from fiction as we explore the supposed dangers of vent free fireplaces and ventless fireplaces. Ventless gas fireplaces are heating devices that use natural gas or propane to heat air in a living space. But the idea of a fire without smoke and a fireplace without ventilation tends to give people pause. If that air contains impurities those impurities are drawn in with the oxygen and can produce odors which are amplified by the flame.

They really are as safe as anything we can make. The unvented gas fireplace is not as safe as you think because by products are created including sulfur dioxide carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. These appliances do not use venting mechanisms such as flues chimneys or ducts to remove the exhaust fumes from indoors. The basic concept is in the name a fireplace insert typically gas or propane burning that needs no ventilation.

Using a ventless catalytic propane heater to warm your home is a dangerous proposition. And it is not a good choice if anyone in your home suffers from breathing problems such as asthma or copd. Even though heavily regulated for safety several states including california and massachusetts have banned ventless systems so have canada and several other countries. Because they burn only small amounts of natural gas or propane they are safe to operate indoors.

Ventless gas fireplaces are highly beneficial and also cost less than traditional furnaces and heaters. These gases are pushed together with the heat produced by the heater and can be dangerous if not carefully monitored. Propane gas logs contemporary fireplace burners heaters electric log sets gas log accessories. Ventless fireplaces may well be a good choice for a decorative feature in a room where its use can be supervised but shouldn t be used as a principal source of heat especially in a sleeping area.