What Are the Dangers of a Ventless Fireplace?
People often consider a ventless fireplace because it offers a surefire way to reduce bills and increase heating efficiency. Because they keep combustion byproducts in the house, consumer advocates suspect that these vent-free fireplaces pose some sort of risk. For this reason manufacturers install safety devices on ventless fireplaces that show a proven track record of success. Does this Spark an idea?
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Identification
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Ventless fireplaces use natural gas burned at the most efficient air/gas ratio so it produces the minimum amount of carbon dioxide possible, reports home improvement website ServiceMagic. Because a ventless fireplace produces almost no toxins, ventilation to the outside---such as a chimney---is not needed and nearly all heat stays in the house.
Types
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The dangers of a ventless fireplace are health related or pose a risk to the home itself. The health concern, other than typical risks of flames, involves the presence of carbon monoxide gas (CO) and whether the fireplace produces enough to cause illness, reports TheNaturalHandyman. Danger to the home comes from the moisture staying the house and possibly damaging wood or collecting mold. However, many houses need moisture during the cold, dry winter months, negating much of the moisture risk.
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Considerations
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Consumer watchdogs and manufacturers do not agree on the safety of a ventless fireplace, reports home maintenance guru Barry Stone. Manufacturers claim ventless fireplaces are 100 percent safe. Vent-free fireplaces have oxygen sensors installed to prevent dangerous concentrations of carbon monoxide. On the other hand, burning natural gas produces lethal carbon monoxide, so the likelihood of 100 percent safety seems dubious to some.
Effects
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While ventless fireplaces may release amounts of carbon dioxide below the safety limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency, CO concentrations accumulate faster in smaller rooms, or with fireplaces that are too large for the room. Other sources of natural gas that release CO can compound with the ventless fireplace to form higher concentrations, reports TheNaturalHandyman. In addition, some people react to even minute amounts of pollutants like CO.
Significance
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While the dangers of moisture causing home damage are present due to the fact that combustion produces water that needs venting, the carbon monoxide danger of a ventless fireplace does not seem very significant. A letter from U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Vice President Joseph Mattingly states that no evidence of CO poisoning from a device that uses oxygen sensors exists as of 2005.
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References
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Kevin Dooley
