GAS FIREPLACE

rttmajmmg

Posted by: guest at December 2, 2007 10:40 AM

daveinbedstuy,
Are you an idiot or have you lost your brain cells due to carbon monoxide poisoning?

Posted by: guest at December 2, 2007 5:17 PM

Uh huh, I guess that's why the COMPANY THAT MAKES THEM states that you must have a vent that remains open at all times. I've always been told that the best way to heat my house is to use my gas stove as heater.....NOT!

Buddy, the only thing you are is dangerous.

Posted by: guest at December 2, 2007 8:45 PM

I live in Bed-Stuy and use mine all the time.There is nothing like it especially this time of year the only bad thing about having a gas fireplace is that I find myself falling asleep in front of it all the time and getting nothing done.

Posted by: guest at December 2, 2007 9:31 PM

What's it cost to clear and use a chimney? I thought all the old brownstones originally had wood-burning fireplaces that were later retrofitted with gas and radiators and such. Most of those mantles everyone loves here are now referred to by RE agents as decorative, but didn't they once have another purpose? Has anyone out there done this in their renovation/restoration?

Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 1:03 PM

They were generally coal burning fireplaces with shallow fireboxes, so if you want to reline the usually unlined flue and burn wood, you usually have to have the firebox enlarged.

Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 3:44 PM

look, what are we arguing about? i've owned a 120 year old brownstone and i have done a lot of work on it. i don't believe i am an idiot nor do i believe anyone else on this blog is an idiot, so i won't engage in insults nor will i accept any.

these old fireplaces were originally used for burning coal. not they've been sealed. if you want to burn gas or wood, you need to hire a professional, get him to open up your flue, line it so you don't get your chimney collapsing, and you don't get a fire in your walls, and then close it up again. you also need a damper, so when you're not running the log, you don't lose heat in your house. come on people, this is fire you're dealing with, don't be cavalier about it.

the text below is from the site dave in bed stuy referred us all. so dave, if you have any tenants living in those houses, or houseguests, or family, they can DIE, okay? this isn't an issue of your intellectual capabilities, man. this is an issue of death by CO asphyxiation. you don't smell it, you don't know it's there, it will just kill you.

i'm really amazed that you would run these gas logs without proper venting. it's ridiculously dangerous.

CHIMNEY REQUIREMENTS
These are VENTED GAS LOGS and must be installed only into a functioning, wood burning fireplace with a lined chimney. Minimum chimney size is 8" round, but the chimney area must be suitably sized for the fireplace opening size. If your fireplace does not draft properly, suffers from sooting or smoking problems then it is not safe to install gas logs until these performance issues are remedied!


Your fireplace damper, if one exists, must be removed or permanently clamped open upon installation; therefore we recommend installation of glass fireplace doors to help prevent heat loss when the gas logs are not in operation. VENTED GAS LOGS are a decorative product that is not designed to provide substantial heat. Check local building codes for further details and requirements prior to purchase - installation of decorative gas logs are not approved in some communities.

Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 3:50 PM

Dave, Just what do you think DOES produce carbon monoxide?

Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 9:40 PM

Here is a quote from New Jersey gas company "Carbon monoxide or CO is a toxic gas that is produced when fuels such as gasoline, oil, propane, kerosene, coal, wood and natural gas do not have an adequate supply of oxygen to burn completely. When CO is breathed into the body, it combines with the body's blood and prevents it from absorbing oxygen. High levels of carbon monoxide can be fatal."

Dave, you are going to kill someone.

Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 9:47 PM

Seems like people are talking about different kinds of gas fireplaces. There are ventless logs, vented logs and direct vent units. I had the ventless logs and hated them- they gave off very little heat, the flame was small and they did emit a chemical kind of odor (that is supposed to be harmless.) For ventless logs you are supposed to keep a window cracked because the combustion uses O2 from the room, vented and direct vent need to have chimneys. I think direct vents are the nicest and safest but they are also the most expensive.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 6:29 PM

No, Dave is talking about using a vented gas log unit and not venting it. This is why people are having a problem with him.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 8:31 PM

I am renovating an 1899 brownstone with seven shallow gas fireplaces (12-15 inches)that are currently non-functional. I would like to get them operational again (gas not wood). One company wanted $10K per fireplace and insisted that the mantels be pulled off and the fireboxes and flues completely rebuilt. Isn't it possible to do something a lot less drastic (i.e. put a liner in the old 8 inch flues, maybe with a draft inducer?).
Any recommendations on someone who could do it at a more reasonable price?

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 4:12 PM

I’m’ a specialty hearth retailer in Canada (fireplace store)
Here in Canada vent free units are not certified to be installed.
Even if they were certified in Canada I still would not install this type of unit. I’ve been in this industry since 1990 and have seen some really scary things out there.
My experience with vented logs has shown me the damage that is cause to the clay of your chimney. (Turns your clay into mush) is not worth it. Yes they have a beautiful full flame, but they also use an incredible amount of fuel (70,000 BTU’s Input), they steel more heat than they give, leaving an open hole to the outside.
As to vent free logs, they might work well when they are new but what happens when they start to break down. Do you have a professional inspect them on a yearly base to see if they are working properly? I’m glad to hear that you have CO detectors in your room and that you have tested them. (I test all my CO detectors by putting them in my garage with my car running – fast way to test)
Log sets are not efficient by any means. Because fireplace flames are orange and yellow and not blue you are not burning at the top efficiency. When you burn natural gas no matter how clean you burn there is left over residue.
As to looking for an efficient DV fireplace designed for the older homes with character may I suggest the Valor line of fireplaces.
The Portrait series is available with ether logs, coal or stone engines

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 4:23 PM