by Xavier Glover
Fireplaces are a great thing to have sometimes but we aren’t limited to the type of fireplace we can use. Ventless gas fireplaces are starting to find their way into homes and replacing the old fashioned ones. These use natural gas obviously and are cleaner, and safer than woodburning fireplaces.
The main selling point of these is the fact that they do not require a main exhaust vent like most other gas fireplaces. These are designed to use a minimum amount of gas to produce a fire and provide heat and warmth. Proper room ventilation is still required by that’s the same with every fireplace regardless. These can be useful in a home that doesn’t have adequate room for a chimney.
... when I awake in the middle of the night, since I knew not where I was, I did not even know at first who I was; I only had in the first simplicity the feeling of existing as it must quiver in an animal.... I spent one second above the centuries of civilization, and the confused glimpse of the gas lamps, then of the shirts with turned-down collars, recomposed, little by little, the original lines of my self.
—Marcel Proust (1871–1922)
Ventless gas fireplaces are rapidly becoming popular with people in apartments, and buildings that only have access to natural gas. They give of the sight and feeling of a contemporary fireplace and are very relaxing. Of course the main selling point for these is their ventless.
The only thing you need to worry about is proper care of the fireplace, basically keeping it clean. Also you may need to replace the insert for it once in a while, these can wear out eventually. You can also buy the more traditional accessories to make it look more contemporary. These can add a more rustic feel to your fireplace and give your living room a nice look.
Of course many people are wondering how you can have ventless gas fireplaces when they use natural gas. It’s true that when there is a lot of natural gas in an area, and a spark it can be bad. It’s also true that the fumes given off by burning natural gas can be harmful in high enough quantities. However if handled properly there is no danger, and these models use so little gas that standard room ventilation is all the you need.
Shielded, what sorts of life are stirring yet:
Legs lagged like drains, slippers soft as fungus,
The gas and grate, the old cold sour grey bed.
—Philip Larkin (1922–1986)
If you have a home that can have a full sized fireplace installed then you have a quite a choice to make. You can take the contemporary woodburning fireplace, the standard gas fireplace, the ventless gas fireplaces, or you can skip it all together and go with one of the electric ones. The electric ones don’t really do anything besides look pretty so unless you are going for looks go with one of the useful ones. Gas tends to be what most people are leaning for these days; it doesn’t require chopping down trees.
You can also have outdoor gas fireplaces. These tend to be very robust and there’s no need to worry about ventilation. It is outside after all. These can make some interesting discussion pieces. Not to mention they are showier than a lawn gnome.
In closing ventless gas fireplaces are starting to become more and more common place. These are very safe, and easy to use and provide heat and warmth. They can be installed anywhere a normal fireplace can be and they don’t require a chimney. Just remember not to try to cook over it unless it’s designed for that, just cause it’s a flame doesn’t mean you can grill over it.