Gas Logs

[robert1966]

What's your take on ventless vs. vented gas logs, or gas logs in general. I am often ask for advice, I normally refer they to the manufacturer and to local experts.

I have read lots of materal on vented vs. ventless and for heat output I am not impressed with either. I beleive here in Houston, you can just wait until the weather changes in 30 minutes or so and you won't need either.

[Jim Katen]

What's your take on ventless vs. vented gas logs, or gas logs in general. I am often ask for advice, I normally refer they to the manufacturer and to local experts.

Gas log sets that sit in a wood-burning fireplace are purely decorative. If someone wants to watch some flames for a while a few times a year and he doesn't want to stack wood, split wood, haul wood, & clean up after wood, then they're fine.

Pre-fab direct vent gas fireplaces are a bit on the soulless side, but they're decently efficient and provide some heat from the gas they burn.

Ventless fireplaces and log sets provide lots of heat, but they're nasty.

I have read lots of materal on vented vs. ventless and for heat output I am not impressed with either. I beleive here in Houston, you can just wait until the weather changes in 30 minutes or so and you won't need either.

Well, you can't fault the ventless ones for their heat output. Every bit of heat goes right into the house, along with everything else. Besides, none of these things is intended to be primary heaters. They're decorative.

- Jim Katen, Oregon