| TYPES OF GAS APPLIANCES There are three types of gas appliances available; these are VENTED / VENT-FREE / and DIRECT VENT gas appliances. When you are considering a new gas hearth appliance for your home whether it be gas logs, a new fireplace, or a new stove for your home, you should make yourself aware of each type. In order for our clients to make the most informed decision we offer the following about each type of gas appliance. VENTED GAS APPLIANCES / A vented gas appliance will use room air for the combustion air the appliance is to use (unless a provision has been made to bring outside air directly to the unit). This air will commonly be drawn into the appliance through the front of the unit. After the combustion process is completed the combustion byproducts are directed into the exhaust vent of the appliance to be conveyed to the outside atmosphere. One of the most common hearth appliances that fall into the vented category is a vented gas log. A vented gas log will give the consumer the most realistic look in a gas log to install into their fireplace. These will produce significant heat, some of the heat produced will radiate into the room but most is sent up the chimney and does not come into the room. The vented gas log will have a gas consumption from 35% - 75% higher than either vent free or direct vent gas appliances. A vented hearth product should not be purchased for the heat value; rather this type of appliance is most commonly used to simulate the look of wood burning in the fireplace. A vented gas log is for the person who wants the true romance of the fire in their home and the warm comfortable feeling it provides. Of the vented category of hearth appliances, the vast majority of these vented gas logs. VENT FREE GAS APPLIANCES / This product is available in gas logs, gas fireplaces, gas inserts, and gas stoves. These units use room air for combustion air (unless there is a provision to bring outside air to the appliance). After the combustion process is complete the combustion byproducts are then expelled into the room, hence the name vent free is not really the correct term. These would be better explained if the term “room vented” was used. There are several important provisions that should be considered when a vent free gas appliances is installed into a home, these are as follows: • The appliance should be used for a limited number of hours each day; the usual recommendation is for a period of 2 – 4 hours daily. • There needs to be an allowance made for fresh air to enter the living quarters to serve as dilution air for the unit. In light of this many appliance manufacturers now recommend that there be permanent air entry points into the home to provide this fresh air for ventilation. This is a critical factor in today’s more insulated homes, as many times there is not sufficient air available for the unit to operate properly. • The appliance should not be installed in either bedrooms or bathrooms and should never be used when the occupant is sleeping. • Moisture production should be also taken into consideration. A byproduct of gas combustion is the production of water vapor. For each 100,000 BTUs of gas used in the appliance there is one gallon of water vapor produced. The average vent free appliance will release one gallon of water vapor over every 2 ½ - 3 hours of operation. This moisture added to the living quarters may cause fogging of windows, mildew, mold, and other issues. The better insulated the living quarters are, as many of our newer homes and recently weatherized homes are, the more important this factor of moisture production becomes. • Even though vent free gas products produce low amounts of carbon when new, as the appliance is used the burner system many times will clog from the dust and fibers in the room air. As the burner gets clogged, the pollutant production level will rise and there is an increase in the carbon production that enters the living quarters. • Regular maintenance of the vent free unit is critical to insure that the burner ports and air entry ports do not become clogged with debris that will affect safe operation. The vent free product operates at a measured efficiency range of 90.7%, however with the ventilation requirements this figure is lowered immensely and can drop into the 70% range very easily. Many appliances will advertise efficiencies at the 99.7% range, however this is not the efficiency of the appliance, this is the combustion efficiency. In summary of vent free gas products, the consumer will likely find that the initial cost of these will likely be the lowest of any of the gas appliances, with the exception of a vented gas log. However we highly encourage any consumer who is considering the installation of a vent free gas unit to remember there are certain criteria and cautions that must be followed to insure safe and viable operation. DIRECT VENT GAS APPLIANCES / The direct vent gas appliance is rapidly becoming the #1 appliance for today’s consumers when adding a gas appliance to their home. These appliances come as inserts to be installed into existing fireplaces, as fireplaces to be added into areas where a fireplace is desired, or as a free standing stove where this look is desired. The direct vent is unique because this appliance does not use any room air for combustion; rather the vent pipe on the unit supplies the combustion air. The vent pipe is either a pipe inside of a pipe or a series of two small pipes. These double pipe systems utilize one section for the combustion air to be drawn from outside the living quarters. A benefit of this is that it is next to impossible with a properly manufactured, listed, and installed unit for the combustion gas to ever enter the living quarters. The direct vent appliance cannot cause a carbon monoxide or other poisonous gas problem into the home; this cannot be said for either the vent free or vented gas products. The direct vent appliance also functions very well without a blower and will serve your needs well during periods of power outages. The unit transfers heat via a process known as convection and this gives you an appliance that can evenly heat the entire home. The measured efficiency of a direct vent appliance is 83%, and these can be used to heat large areas or even entire homes. This can be accomplished even in a power outage situation. The direct vent appliance will also operate at a lower hourly cost than either the vented or the vent free appliances. It can also be operated while the occupant is asleep or away from the home. With a direct vent unit you have an appliance operating 7 days a week, 24 hours a day during the times of the year when extra heat is required. It is our opinion that the direct vent is the best alternative for a gas appliance to add to your new or existing home. This appliance gives you the lowest hourly operating cost, the highest efficiencies, and the healthiest air in our homes to breathe, along with both beauty and comfort. SUMMARY This overview has been offered as a way that our clients can obtain information on the gas appliances presently available. Our web site shows a selection of the products available and we are constantly adding information to our sites. However your best way to review the current products available and to make the best-educated decision for your home or needs is to visit our retail location. Here we have all three types in an operating mode along with the assistance of our knowledgeable sales team to answer any of your questions or concerns. Not only do we endeavor to provide you with trained and knowledgeable sales personnel, we also have a team of factory trained and state licensed installers. We urge you to consider contracting us for installation of our products in your home to insure that the unit is installed to factory specifications. This for your safety and to insure that you realize the maximum potential of our appliances. It is our company mission to EXCEED THE EXPECTATIONS OF OUR CLIENTS and one of the ways we do this is with the product knowledge we offer along with the array of products we offer. We look forward to your visit and the opportunity to exceed your expectations. Let our track record of 25 years as one of the leaders in the hearth industry provide you with you hearth product needs. |
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