jasonl
New member
The ONE appliance I've been waiting all year to try out.
YAY for cool mornings!
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jasonl
New member
Ahhhh
Get a little closer. Nothing like good ol' fashioned heat from a (Propane) fireplace. Talk about easy to light! Just turn the knob and WHOOSH!
Get a little closer. Nothing like good ol' fashioned heat from a (Propane) fireplace. Talk about easy to light! Just turn the knob and WHOOSH!
Wonderful
Nice flames there Jason.
Nice flames there Jason.
hoover1060
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BRRRRRRR!!
32 degrees in Chicago this morning at 5:30am...We also had a little rain last night that froze on the cars overnight. As I was taking Jack for his walk at 6:30am I looked at my frosty car and decided I should start it and let it warm up!
Its way to early for warming up cars!
The fire looks great Jason, very warm and cozy...
32 degrees in Chicago this morning at 5:30am...We also had a little rain last night that froze on the cars overnight. As I was taking Jack for his walk at 6:30am I looked at my frosty car and decided I should start it and let it warm up!
Its way to early for warming up cars!
The fire looks great Jason, very warm and cozy...
jasonl
New member
Question
This is a ventless propane fireplace. Should I open one of the windows in the house to vent or is it safe to use with the windows shut?
This is a ventless propane fireplace. Should I open one of the windows in the house to vent or is it safe to use with the windows shut?
jasonl
New member
Also, this has been a dream all my life to have a house with a fireplace. I was always jealous of my few friends who had them and how warm and comforting the fire felt. And finally after all these years, I have one. I knew if I was building a house it HAD to have a fireplace. I don't care if they charged extra, BUILD THE DAMN THING.
toggleswitch
Well-known member
Should I open one of the windows in the house to vent or is it safe to use with the windows shut?
YES an open window can't hurt.
Unvented combustion heaters are illegal in many jusridictions.
YES an open window can't hurt.
Unvented combustion heaters are illegal in many jusridictions.
veg-o-matic
Well-known member
Oh, I don't know...
You don't have to open a window every time you use a gas stove.
I love my gas fireplace but I use it very rarely. And I still haven't gotten used to the whole flip-the-switch-and-there's-the-fire aspect.
Mine does have a vent, which is through the wall onto the balcony. When it's really cold out, that vent is like having outdoor heating! Makes winter smoking a lot more comfortable.
Jason, does your fireplace put out a shipload of heat? Mine sure does. Seems like as soon as I turn it on, people start getting sleepy and I have to turn it off again.
veg
You don't have to open a window every time you use a gas stove.
I love my gas fireplace but I use it very rarely. And I still haven't gotten used to the whole flip-the-switch-and-there's-the-fire aspect.
Mine does have a vent, which is through the wall onto the balcony. When it's really cold out, that vent is like having outdoor heating! Makes winter smoking a lot more comfortable.
Jason, does your fireplace put out a shipload of heat? Mine sure does. Seems like as soon as I turn it on, people start getting sleepy and I have to turn it off again.
veg
In a modern tight house, yes you should crack a window, even when just using a gas oven.
In an old house, no.
Ken
In an old house, no.
Ken
hoover1060
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Ok, clueless here...
Why crack a window???
Everything in my house is gas, stove/oven, furnace, dryer, and water heater.
Why crack a window???
Everything in my house is gas, stove/oven, furnace, dryer, and water heater.
toggleswitch
Well-known member
vented = good
not vented, be careful.
~Seems like as soon as I turn it on, people start getting sleepy.
~Yes sleepy is one consequence of what can happen when the oxygen in the room is depleted. Even thought the unvented devices are supposed to have an oxygen-depletion sensor, the degradation of indoor air-quality IMHO is still not worth it.
A study took place in England that demonstrated that children who grew up with gas cooking (i.e. generally unvented) have repsiratory ailments at TWICE the rate of children who grew up in a home with an electric cooker.
Jason, why didn't' you go with a vented FP? They vent like a dryer now, so no big deal to install.
not vented, be careful.
~Seems like as soon as I turn it on, people start getting sleepy.
~Yes sleepy is one consequence of what can happen when the oxygen in the room is depleted. Even thought the unvented devices are supposed to have an oxygen-depletion sensor, the degradation of indoor air-quality IMHO is still not worth it.
A study took place in England that demonstrated that children who grew up with gas cooking (i.e. generally unvented) have repsiratory ailments at TWICE the rate of children who grew up in a home with an electric cooker.
Jason, why didn't' you go with a vented FP? They vent like a dryer now, so no big deal to install.
jasonl
New member
Yes the fireplace puts all kinds of heat but my concern is does it put off enough carbon monoxide to be dangerous. I guess I need to buy a CO alarm just in case.
toggleswitch
Well-known member
*Never operate unvented gas-burning appliances in a closed r
See Linkie
http://www.calpoison.org/public/carbon.html
See Linkie
http://www.calpoison.org/public/carbon.html
toggleswitch
Well-known member
toggleswitch
Well-known member
OK.
Enough said.
He who has ears, let him hear.
Your body produces some the same gaseous poisons and waste-products during meatabolism (burning of food for energy) as a fossil-fueled appliance.
Why would you want to breathe IN the very same gasses and substances that your body is trying to get rid of and avoid?
http://www.epinions.com/content_2530320516
Enough said.
He who has ears, let him hear.
Your body produces some the same gaseous poisons and waste-products during meatabolism (burning of food for energy) as a fossil-fueled appliance.
Why would you want to breathe IN the very same gasses and substances that your body is trying to get rid of and avoid?
http://www.epinions.com/content_2530320516
hoover1060
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wow, I never would have known that!
I cook pretty often too, never ever use the fan over the stove, and very rarey ever turn on the exhaust fan that I do have in the kitchen. That fan got used way more when I was a smoker!
I do have a ceiling fan in the kitchen thats pretty much always on though, I have a cathedral ceiling, and it takes the heat from the kitchen and disitributes it around. Its great when its cold out!
I do have the carbon monoxide detectors in the house too...
I cook pretty often too, never ever use the fan over the stove, and very rarey ever turn on the exhaust fan that I do have in the kitchen. That fan got used way more when I was a smoker!
I do have a ceiling fan in the kitchen thats pretty much always on though, I have a cathedral ceiling, and it takes the heat from the kitchen and disitributes it around. Its great when its cold out!
I do have the carbon monoxide detectors in the house too...
In the UK, we have to have a vent in the room, fitted into an external wall, wherever there is a gas central heating boiler present.
Also, even without one, we have to have some form of ventilation besides windows. Many newer homes, and some replacement windows, have what are called trickle vents, which are small openings at the tops of window frames. These vents can be closed, however. They allow you to let a little air in without letting a draught in or having to open a window.
We also have carbon monoxide detectors, although they are not a legal requirement.
Lovely fire there, though.
Modern homes in the UK have no fireplaces, but my grandparents’ home had a fireplace in the two rooms – the lounge/living room/family room and the master bedroom. Lovely.
Also, even without one, we have to have some form of ventilation besides windows. Many newer homes, and some replacement windows, have what are called trickle vents, which are small openings at the tops of window frames. These vents can be closed, however. They allow you to let a little air in without letting a draught in or having to open a window.
We also have carbon monoxide detectors, although they are not a legal requirement.
Lovely fire there, though.
Modern homes in the UK have no fireplaces, but my grandparents’ home had a fireplace in the two rooms – the lounge/living room/family room and the master bedroom. Lovely. Also, if there is no vent, then a flu pipe (vertical pipe coming straight from the appliance and out into the opening, usually straight out of the roof or through an existing chimney) must be fitted in the UK.
Back in the late 1980s, our flu pipe from the boiler was found to have cracks in it, and we suffered carbon monoxide poisoning. We knew we were experiencing symptoms, but not a great deal was known back then. We kept saying something was wrong, but the local authority (council), who then owned the house, said there was nothing wrong.
We later called British Gas out, the former nationalised UK-wide gas company (privatised in 1986), and they immediately shut the boiler down, put a “Condemned” sticker on it and insisted that we get the flu pipe replaced, which was a nasty concrete-like thing. It was replaced with a solid metal pipe, and we have had no problems since. A yearly inspection is required for all central heating systems, although this is only a legal requirement in the UK for landlords. If you own your own home, like we do, you do not have to service your boiler, which is silly because we all need to, so regular publicity is issued to warn homeowners.
Anyway, hello – I’ve not spoken directly to many of you yet!
Play it safe with appliances – get them serviced regularly and always ensure they are operated correctly. (Nag nag nag! ;-))
Take care.
Carl
Back in the late 1980s, our flu pipe from the boiler was found to have cracks in it, and we suffered carbon monoxide poisoning. We knew we were experiencing symptoms, but not a great deal was known back then. We kept saying something was wrong, but the local authority (council), who then owned the house, said there was nothing wrong.
We later called British Gas out, the former nationalised UK-wide gas company (privatised in 1986), and they immediately shut the boiler down, put a “Condemned” sticker on it and insisted that we get the flu pipe replaced, which was a nasty concrete-like thing. It was replaced with a solid metal pipe, and we have had no problems since. A yearly inspection is required for all central heating systems, although this is only a legal requirement in the UK for landlords. If you own your own home, like we do, you do not have to service your boiler, which is silly because we all need to, so regular publicity is issued to warn homeowners.
Anyway, hello – I’ve not spoken directly to many of you yet!
Play it safe with appliances – get them serviced regularly and always ensure they are operated correctly. (Nag nag nag! ;-))
Take care.
Carl
58limited
Well-known member
Carlstock
Why do new homes in the UK not have fireplaces? Are they out of style, too expensive, or is it a safety reason? I live on the coast of Texas, really doesn't get cold here but I love running my gas logs (sometimes in summer too). My house is 66 years old and has the original windows, so ventilation is not a problem. I don't want to upgrade to newer windows and these old ones are not that drafty. I just made my living room formal, as it originally was in 1940. The fireplace is the centerpiece, no TV in the room at all. I just bought a stained glass fireplace screen and it is really pleasant reading a book with the fire glowing behind the screen in the evenings. In college, my ONLY heat source in my drafty rented farm house was a reproduction (ie - not efficient at all) wood burning parlor stove. You would think that splitting wood in an ice storm to keep warm would have cured me of wanting fireplaces, but it didn't. I simply switched to gas instead of wood.
Why do new homes in the UK not have fireplaces? Are they out of style, too expensive, or is it a safety reason? I live on the coast of Texas, really doesn't get cold here but I love running my gas logs (sometimes in summer too). My house is 66 years old and has the original windows, so ventilation is not a problem. I don't want to upgrade to newer windows and these old ones are not that drafty. I just made my living room formal, as it originally was in 1940. The fireplace is the centerpiece, no TV in the room at all. I just bought a stained glass fireplace screen and it is really pleasant reading a book with the fire glowing behind the screen in the evenings. In college, my ONLY heat source in my drafty rented farm house was a reproduction (ie - not efficient at all) wood burning parlor stove. You would think that splitting wood in an ice storm to keep warm would have cured me of wanting fireplaces, but it didn't. I simply switched to gas instead of wood.
jasonL
Jason you sure had a good morning for it it was 58 deg. in here when i woke up this morning. Your fireplace is beautiful, I cranked up the electric heat enough to break the chill, the a/c was on last night when i went to bed. after that first whoosh of burning dust smell, it got better, I have a fp but enjoy it in the evenings when really cold, im a duraflame log kind of guy, there is no gas in this subdivsion, but even when burning 1 duraflame log the electric heat never comes on. My heart sure goes out to the folks still stranded in those damn FEMA trailers around here. Suppose to warm up by the end of the week thank goodness, for those still in the camper trailers. arthur
Jason you sure had a good morning for it it was 58 deg. in here when i woke up this morning. Your fireplace is beautiful, I cranked up the electric heat enough to break the chill, the a/c was on last night when i went to bed. after that first whoosh of burning dust smell, it got better, I have a fp but enjoy it in the evenings when really cold, im a duraflame log kind of guy, there is no gas in this subdivsion, but even when burning 1 duraflame log the electric heat never comes on. My heart sure goes out to the folks still stranded in those damn FEMA trailers around here. Suppose to warm up by the end of the week thank goodness, for those still in the camper trailers. arthur
58limited
Well-known member
Here is my fireplace. I'm not finished with the remodel yet, so excuse the mess.
seamusuk
Well-known member
Flues are not always needed lol
Although these do give off moisture so ventilation is advisable
http://www.burley.co.uk/category.php?cid=2
Although these do give off moisture so ventilation is advisable
http://www.burley.co.uk/category.php?cid=2
toggleswitch
Well-known member
BTW by "VENTED" as used in my writings, I am implying that the products of combustion are "escorted" out of the living space by way of flue-pipe, chimney, power-vent (fan-forced), extractor / exhaust fan , range-hood, antural convection etc. or any other effetive means avaialble.
Even a gas stove /cooker WHEN USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH MECHANICAL VENTILATION can be safe / healthy to use.
BTW in New York City fireplaces were closed off en-masse at a time when it meant you could afford central heating. Fireplaces (for practical, utliltarian purposes) were thought to be an "anti-status-symbol" at one time.
They were believed to be a health and safety hazard as well. Picture this~ a 20 apartment residential building with 2 fireplaces and a solid-fuel cooker in each unit = 60 flames. a cental heater with one burner / flame was considered a HUGE improvement in safety.
As an aside, before electric lighting, gas, oil and candles were, by necessity, used. Yellow flame meant carbon. LOTS of carbon. This and the huge cost of paint (at first) is the resaon why woodwork amd doors and mouldings were stained a DARK color. This is the reason that many walls also had wood paneling. All to not show the dirt/soot/carbon.It was a sign of wealth to have clean electric lighting when it first came out. This clean source of light also allowed for more painted surfaces, so it was even more a sign of wealth. For these reasons it became fashonable to PAINT wooden surfaces, mouldings, doors etc.
OK sorry to hijack.. we now return to our regualary scheduled program(me)...
Even a gas stove /cooker WHEN USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH MECHANICAL VENTILATION can be safe / healthy to use.
BTW in New York City fireplaces were closed off en-masse at a time when it meant you could afford central heating. Fireplaces (for practical, utliltarian purposes) were thought to be an "anti-status-symbol" at one time.
They were believed to be a health and safety hazard as well. Picture this~ a 20 apartment residential building with 2 fireplaces and a solid-fuel cooker in each unit = 60 flames. a cental heater with one burner / flame was considered a HUGE improvement in safety.
As an aside, before electric lighting, gas, oil and candles were, by necessity, used. Yellow flame meant carbon. LOTS of carbon. This and the huge cost of paint (at first) is the resaon why woodwork amd doors and mouldings were stained a DARK color. This is the reason that many walls also had wood paneling. All to not show the dirt/soot/carbon.It was a sign of wealth to have clean electric lighting when it first came out. This clean source of light also allowed for more painted surfaces, so it was even more a sign of wealth. For these reasons it became fashonable to PAINT wooden surfaces, mouldings, doors etc.
OK sorry to hijack.. we now return to our regualary scheduled program(me)...
That is a beautiful fireplace screen there David! I bet that really does look quite cozy at night with all the electric lights out. Does it block lot of the radiant heat?
What I find interesting is the original heating system that was installed in my home when it was built. it was a wick-style fuel oil furnace that did not have any fan. The furnace was installed in the floor of the hallway, and it had a large drum for a heat exchanger. Within that drum was the large wick burner that was about 8 inches in diameter. The wick was raised or lowered with a bi-metal strip to control the heat in the house. To light the furnace, you removed the floor grate, lifted the drum off the top (heavy) and reached down and lit the wick, and then replaced the drum before the house filled with diesel/fuel oil fumes. Cool air in the crawl space entered, was warmed, and then it passed into the house. It depended on the house being a little leaky and drafty. Although this system was terribly inefficient, it kept the house pretty cozy, and it worked without electricity.
The problem is now that the house is heated with a heat pump, it's was a little bit too leaky and drafty to be comfortable. I've been putting in LOTS of insulation, including a radiant barrier in the attic, new windows, foam-blow in the walls, etc. I also went around the house with a spray-can of foam and filled in all the cracks around pipes and wires....it has helped out immensly on fuel and comfort costs.
I want to install a vent-free fireplace underneath my stairs to the upstairs when I finish off the attic. It would not need a space-consuming flue, especially since the house is still a bit leaky, and will never be perfectly tight.
What I find interesting is the original heating system that was installed in my home when it was built. it was a wick-style fuel oil furnace that did not have any fan. The furnace was installed in the floor of the hallway, and it had a large drum for a heat exchanger. Within that drum was the large wick burner that was about 8 inches in diameter. The wick was raised or lowered with a bi-metal strip to control the heat in the house. To light the furnace, you removed the floor grate, lifted the drum off the top (heavy) and reached down and lit the wick, and then replaced the drum before the house filled with diesel/fuel oil fumes. Cool air in the crawl space entered, was warmed, and then it passed into the house. It depended on the house being a little leaky and drafty. Although this system was terribly inefficient, it kept the house pretty cozy, and it worked without electricity.
The problem is now that the house is heated with a heat pump, it's was a little bit too leaky and drafty to be comfortable. I've been putting in LOTS of insulation, including a radiant barrier in the attic, new windows, foam-blow in the walls, etc. I also went around the house with a spray-can of foam and filled in all the cracks around pipes and wires....it has helped out immensly on fuel and comfort costs.
I want to install a vent-free fireplace underneath my stairs to the upstairs when I finish off the attic. It would not need a space-consuming flue, especially since the house is still a bit leaky, and will never be perfectly tight.
Fall Jogging
One thing I LOVE about the fall is jogging this time of year! It's been in the high- fourties and low fifites in the morning, which is the perfect temp to go for a few laps around the block. It's great getting up in the morning and smelling the crisp dew. The trees are just turning around here and it also gives a great view!
One thing I LOVE about the fall is jogging this time of year! It's been in the high- fourties and low fifites in the morning, which is the perfect temp to go for a few laps around the block. It's great getting up in the morning and smelling the crisp dew. The trees are just turning around here and it also gives a great view!
oxydolfan1
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Yes, I'm happy to see that, if I do wind up buying in Brooklyn, a lot of places DO have the old fireplaces I remember being bricked up when I was a kid...
I was out raking leaves before and yesterday, and it felt GREAT!
The air so clean, so invigorating...
I was out raking leaves before and yesterday, and it felt GREAT!
The air so clean, so invigorating...
58limited
Well-known member
cybrvanr
The stained glass screen does block heat, but the manufacturer warns not to let it get too hot. They recommend moving the screen from in front of the fireplace when lit or having another screen behind it to block the heat - this is what I do when I light the fireplace. This screen also came with a light kit to back light it when the fireplace is not lit.
My fireplace heated the house in a similar manner as your wick system: Notice the two grates on either side of the fireplace. Air flows from under the house, through brass pipes in the back of the fireplace and above the flames, and out the grates into the living room, allowing the original owners to run the floor heater less. I have thought about installing a little fan in the air intake to move more air. This would allow me to run my heater less.
The floor vents are all blocked off and a central A/C and heating unit has been installed in the house for several decades. I am resealing the vents because they were not completely sealed when the floor heater was disconnected.
The stained glass screen does block heat, but the manufacturer warns not to let it get too hot. They recommend moving the screen from in front of the fireplace when lit or having another screen behind it to block the heat - this is what I do when I light the fireplace. This screen also came with a light kit to back light it when the fireplace is not lit.
My fireplace heated the house in a similar manner as your wick system: Notice the two grates on either side of the fireplace. Air flows from under the house, through brass pipes in the back of the fireplace and above the flames, and out the grates into the living room, allowing the original owners to run the floor heater less. I have thought about installing a little fan in the air intake to move more air. This would allow me to run my heater less.
The floor vents are all blocked off and a central A/C and heating unit has been installed in the house for several decades. I am resealing the vents because they were not completely sealed when the floor heater was disconnected.
Fireplaces were no longer built in houses from the 1970s onwards. I think this was mainly due to Clean Air laws – many areas are designated “Clear Air” areas, including mine. This was to discourage the use of coal.
Expense probably played a part, too, and many new houses in the UK are smaller than houses built, say, 60 years ago.
My house was built in 1980, so it does not have a fireplace.
Expense probably played a part, too, and many new houses in the UK are smaller than houses built, say, 60 years ago.
My house was built in 1980, so it does not have a fireplace.
I grew up in a 1920s colonial house with a fireplace, I love a fire in the fireplace, but they are extremely wasteful. The fire drafting up the chimney sucks cold air in through every leak in the house. It's cozy in front of the fire, but the rest of the house gets cold drafts.
Ken
Ken
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