Safety

Although gas has no natural odor, a strong smelling additive has been used to help in the detection of leaks. The combustion of this additive, as well as other by-products of combustion may cause an odor. If you have a acute sense of smell you may be able to detect this odor. A by-product of gas combustion is water vapor. Normal use of a vent-free gas product will put humidity into your home during the combustion process. Too much humidity, however, will cause excess moisture to build up on the windows and/or walls. This can be minimized by providing fresh air to the room where the vent-free appliance is located. Vent-free logs have exposed burners and injectors and may whistle or hiss when burning.

Unusual drafts in the home can cause sooting from vent-free products. Ceiling fans, chimney drafts and air movement from supply or return air ducts can cause the flame to burn uncharacteristically and thus could cause soot. Therefore it is recommended that you periodically check under your fireplace front opening and under any mantel for soot build up.

Installation of vent-free logs usually requires the use of a heat shield hood to protect combustible materials. Even with the use of a heat shield, some fireplaces do not have enough clearance and are not suitable for vent-free log installations. All materials that may be damaged by excessive heat such as candles, flower arrangement and paintings that are located on mantels or walls over the fireplace should be moved. Even though all the vent-free products we sell are AGA approved and therefore certified to conform to National emission standards, a Carbon Monoxide detector may be a
good idea.

Since all vent-free products use the air in the room for combustion most manufacturers recommend allowing for additional airflow. All vent-free products are equipped with a Oxygen Depletion Sensor which monitors the oxygen level in the room and shut the burners down if low levels are detected. The use of any chemicals in the air, such as cooking oils, spray air fresheners and smoking can cause a film to develop on windows, wall and ceilings from the combustion process.