Are any Freepers gas fireplace knowledgeable?

[LouAvul]

I have a brick fireplace with a manufactured fireplace box complete with functioning flue. I also have gas logs, etc. The literature on the logs says they are "ventless." However, the fireplace box isn't designed for ventless logs. According to a fireman who examined it, he said closing the flue during operation would generate more heat than the box can handle.

Now, before he examined it, I had run the fireplace with the flue closed and it generated decent heat. But now with the flue open, it's almost useless.

I was directed to a log setup that uses Ceramic Fiber logs which generate more heat than the setup I have. Saturday I checked them out and they cost about $500 for the entire setup. They are Hargrove Cross Timbers (or, was it the Rustic Timber).

My fireplace is 30" across the front, 19" across the back, and 17" from back to front. So about the only Hargrove unit I can use is the 21" setup.

The display models, which they had burning, and which the flues were open, were significantly larger. I doubt I could count on that much heat coming out, and I'm worried that after I buy the unit, and pay someone to install it (all of which will cost about $600), I'm still not going to see much difference (since I have to run the unit with the flue open.

Anybody have any suggestions? My objective is to use the fireplace as a significant source of heat.

thanx

[SC Swamp Fox]

Those gas log units are virtually useless as a heat source. They are decorative mainly for “atmosphere.”

In my opinion they're for aesthetic purposes only.

I strongly disagree. I've had my NG, ventless fireplace for three years, if I keep the central fans on it heats the whole house, my heat pumps never come on. Cheaper too, my return on investment was about 2.5 years.

Here is a link to the ventless logs I'm using. The firebox is sitting in the middle of my house, open to two rooms. There is no chimney or vent pipe, none of the heat goes outside. The output is variable from 20K to 38K BTU.

[dangerdoc]

We have a very large two sided wood burning fireplace. It looks great but puts out no heat. Last year, we had a small flu fire that served my wood stove downstairs and requires a major demolition to fix so I decided to address the fireplace.

We are putting a wood insert on one side and ventless logs on the other. The ventless logs were for aesthetics so we wouldn’t be looking at the back of the insert. I’m encouraged to see we may get some usefull heat from them.

It is going to be a very expensive project but I hope to recoup my money over the next 5 years, maybe two years if cap and trade passes.

[SuziQ]

LOL!