What Is The Difference Between Vented And Unvented Gas Fireplaces

Ventless gas fireplaces exhaust into the room.

What is the difference between vented and unvented gas fireplaces.

The two main types of gas fireplaces available today are direct vent and ventless. Yes ventless gas logs heat more effectively than vented logs because there s no chimney flue for the heat to escape through. Built in gas fireplaces are also very much like gas inserts in that they are very reliable providers of heat. There is no masonry or chimney built or used.

Vented gas logs produce carbon monoxide emissions so your fireplace must have a chimney or flue. As a result this higher temperature produces a less realistic sometimes blue flame. For ventless gas fireplaces to reduce the risk of emissions being transmitted into your home the burn temperature needs to be higher. Ventless gas fireplaces differ from vented gas fireplaces in terms of the logs flame patterning and most notably the method of venting.

Standard vented fireplaces include a system of vents to remove exhaust gases and emissions produced by the fire from the interior of the home to the exterior. Direct vent fireplaces require a venting system while ventless fireplaces are just that completely vent free. Vented gas fireplaces exhaust the air through an exterior opening in your wall. This option is a little more labor intensive and can include the following.

Here s what you need to know to help you decide which type is right for you. Running ventilation through walls or ceilings gas lines electrical lines and finishing interiors and or exteriors of homes to complete the installation. According to the hearth association ventless fireplaces boast efficiency rates of 99 percent compared to 70 85 percent for vented units. They put out a constant rate of heat.

However because of that steady heat clearances around your firebox need to be double checked as they usually call for more space away from combustibles than a wood burning or gas vented fireplace. The main difference between ventless and vented fireplaces can be found when examining the emissions produced by the fireplace and how they are removed from the home. Ventless logs do not put off these emissions so no chimney or flue is needed and the heat is more likely to stay in your space. A custom ventless fireplace ranges between 2 500 4 000 versus 5 000 6 000 for a vented unit faust says.

With vented fireplaces the flames can run through around and over the logs creating a more chaotic and realistic appearance. Vented fireplaces mean that the fireplace is vented either horizontally through the wall or vertically through the roof. Vented gas fireplaces generally have a more realistic looking flame.