We’ve all seen the sales pitch! Don’t worry about running a fireplace vent through your walls or roof. We can install a fireplace today without cutting a hole in your wall. Throw in some instant financing and free estimate talk and you’d have a commercial. That’s the sales pitch, but how could a ventless gas fireplace possibly be safe? What happens to the noxious gases like carbon monoxide and nitrous dioxide?
Is A Ventless Gas Fireplace Safe? Ventless gas fireplace burners are safe if they’re properly designed and meet safety standards. They’re designed to burn fuel more efficiently so they can reach full combustion (almost). This eliminates most of the noxious fumes like carbon monoxide and nitrous dioxide.
A ventless gas fireplace will produce less flumes than a traditional fireplace, but it still releases a small amount of carbon monoxide and other poisonous gases into your home. That’s why ventless fireplaces undergo stringent safety tests and usually have a carbon monoxide detector to shut off the fireplace if there’s a problem.
This might slightly decrease the air quality you breathe, but it’s well within federally mandated safety standards. You shouldn’t have any problems with a high quality air circulation system. In my personal opinion, you are more likely to run into venting issues with a traditional wood burning fireplaces and those have been around for centuries.
How Can A Ventless Gas Fireplace Be Safe?
I was shocked and confused the first time I saw somebody install a ventless gas fireplace. It went against every rule I’ve ever followed. How can a ventless gas fireplace be safe when it releases the fumes right into your living room?
After researching how ventless fireplaces work I was still skeptical. I could remember my old physics lecturer in college talking about combustion. It’s almost impossible to reach complete combustion so doesn’t that mean toxic fumes would be released?
Yes it absolutely does! Ventless fireplaces release the emissions that they burn directly into the living space. This includes noxious gases like carbon monoxide and nitrous dioxide which can be deadly. That can’t possibly be good for the air quality in your home, but how do they get around that problem.
Ventless fireplaces use an air circulation system to force interior air through the flame making the fireplace highly efficient. It burns off almost everything in the gas leaving you with fumes that are well below the safety standard cutoffs. That type of system is never perfect so there will be toxic fumes going into your home, bit it’s such a small amount that shouldn’t be dangerous to your health.
Are Ventless Gas Fireplaces Safe?
Honestly, this is a hard question to answer. Yes in theory they are perfectly safe. You shouldn’t have a problem when everything is working correctly. Most of the toxic fumes are burned off leaving you with air that’s below the safety cut off, but what if something goes wrong?
That’s why there are almost always safety devices installed in your fireplace. They always have a regulator in place to manage the gas output and usually have a shutoff for carbon monoxide. You also need to make sure the installation meets national safety standards (I’ll explain below).
With that being said, they do expose you to a small amount of carbon monoxide and other toxic chemicals. It won’t kill you, but breathing in low amounts of toxic fumes can’t be good for your health. A traditional direct vent fireplace will almost always be better for your health in the short term, but they can also have problems.
What happens if your vent gets clogged up on your roof? There’s no easy way to check the vent so it can be hard to tell if there’s a problem. I had a bird build a nest on my fireplace vent a few years ago. Thankfully my carbon dioxide detector went off, but that could have been a major problem.
There are lots of ways for a fireplace vent to get clogged up outside. Animals can build a nest in the vent, it can get clogged up with leaves and other debris, or maybe there’s a venting issue inside your walls. A vented system sounds like it’s always healthier, but there are lots of issues that can happen.
Ventless Fireplaces Aren’t Safe If They’re Not Installed Correctly
Some places allow ventless fireplaces and others don’t. Whether or not they’re legal to install depends on where you live. Most states in the United States allow ventless gas fireplaces (not California/Massachusetts) , but they cannot be sold in Canada.
Some cities and counties in the USA have their own rules so make sure you check before committing to making the purchase. Even in places where they’re banned, they can usually be installed as outdoor fire features. With that being said, there will always be safety regulations in place restricting the installation of ventless fireplaces.
They can be extremely dangerous if there isn’t enough air circulation in the room they’re installed in. That’s why the National Building Code requires ventless fireplaces to be installed in rooms that are above a certain square footage. They’re also banned from bathrooms and bedrooms due to safety concerns. There also needs to be a flash air source like a window or door within a certain distance of the fireplace.
Consult with local installers to learn more about specific policies that are in place. You will most likely be able to install a ventless fireplace, but they will need to take a look at your house.
Different Types Of Fireplace Venting
There are three different types of fireplace vent designs that you will need to consider before making a purchase. You have direct vent gas fireplaces, natural vent gas fireplaces (B-Vent), and ventless fireplaces. Natural vent and direct vent are harder to install, but they offer far better air quality. Lets take a look at each design for a second.
- Ventless Fireplace: A ventless fireplace uses the air from within your home for combustion and releases emissions into your living area. Nearly complete combustion eliminates most of the harmful emissions, but there will be a small amount released (less than the safety cutoff).
- Direct Vent Gas Fireplace: Direct vent gas fireplaces use outside air for combustion and release all emissions outside. This is a sealed system so there it shouldn’t release fumes into your home.
- Natural Vent Gas Fireplace (B-Vent): This is a hybrid approach where emissions are vented outside, but air from within your home is used for combustion. Natural vent fireplaces are great for ambiance, but it pulls warm air out of your home. This can reduce the temperature inside your home forcing your furnace to turn on and there can also be backdraft issues in modern homes.
How Long Can You Run A Ventless Gas Fireplace Safely?
Ventless fireplaces release emissions into your home so you need to be careful. You can’t turn your fireplace on in the morning and use it all day long like with a direct vent fireplace. Toxic fumes aren’t an issue with occasional use, but they can become a problem over time.
Most experts recommend running a ventless fireplace for less than 2-3 hours at a time. Larger rooms can handle longer runtimes, but you need to let the air circulate before the fumes become a problem. Technically the carbon monoxide shut-off should turn on before you reach dangerous levels, but it’s still a good idea to be cautions.
This can be an even bigger problem in modern homes with excellent insulation. Older homes have leaks and cracks to let the fumes escape, but modern homes are sealed shut to reduce heating/cooling costs.
Whether Or Not Ventless Fireplaces Are Safe Is Up For Debate
There are a lot of people that think ventless fireplaces are dangerous. Whether or not that’s true depends on who you ask. They’ve gone through extensive testing and use multiple safety precautions to minimize risk, but there’s still a long list of detractors.
That’s why states like California and Massachusetts have banned the installation of ventless fireplaces. I’ve never lived in Massachusetts, but anybody that’s spent time in California knows they can be a little crazy. If there’s any risk of danger they’ll do a statewide ban on the product.
Unfortunately, the CDC doesn’t track deaths or injuries from exposure to carbon monoxide, but most experts estimate that there are 450ish carbon monoxide deaths per year. That doesn’t sound like a lot, but 50,000 people visit the emergency room annually due to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Ventless fireplaces greatly reduce toxic fumes, but you still need to be careful when using them. Don’t run the fireplace at night, shut it off after 3 hours, and plug in an extra carbon monoxide detector even if your fireplace has an emergency shutoff. They really aren’t all that expensive (check them out), but my local fire department hands them out for free. It’s not worth risking your life when carbon monoxide detectors are so cheap.
How To Use A Ventless Fireplace Safely
If you do choose to take the plunge on a new ventless fireplace there are a few safety tips you need to follow. Check to make sure they’re legal where you live and make sure you carefully read the manufacturers directions. The following tips should ensure safe operation of a ventless gas fireplace.
- Shutoff The Fireplace After 2-3 Hours: Try not to run your fireplace for more than 2-3 hours at a time. Ventless fireplaces are efficient, but they still release a small amount of carbon monoxide. The detector should catch that, but it’s not worth the risk.
- Shutoff The Fireplace At Night: Most people succumb to carbon monoxide poisoning in the middle of the night. Turn up your furnace and shutoff the fireplace before you head to bed.
- Properly Position The Logs: Make sure you arrange the ventless gas logs in the exact pattern recommended by the manufacturer. Incorrectly positioning the logs can reduce the efficiency of the flame which results in excess fumes.
- Inspect The Logs Annually: Take a look at the ventless gas logs in your fireplace annually. If any of them are cracked they need to be replaced. This is the perfect time to clean off your logs by following the directions in your manual.
- Test The Carbon Monoxide and Oxygen Sensors: You need to run a test on the carbon monoxide and oxygen detection sensors every year. Make sure they’re working properly by following the directions in your manual.
- Install Extra Carbon Monoxide Detectors: Don’t solely rely on the carbon monoxide detector in your fireplace. Install carbon monoxide detectors throughout your home to reduce the risk of injury.
- Keep Flammables Away: Keep flammables like curtains, upholstered furniture, and blankets away from the fire. Placing everything 3ft away from the fire is a good rule to practice.
- Get Your Fireplace Inspected: Lets be real for a second here. Experts recommend annual inspections, but I don’t have an extra $80-$100 to spend each fall on an inspection. Most people will never have their ventless fireplace inspected by a professional, but you really should do it every year. If you neglect the inspection, make sure you follow the rest of the safety tips listed above.
Final Thoughts About Ventless Fireplace Safety
Most homeowners that are concerned about whether or not their ventless fireplace is safe are overthinking the issue. With modern safety devices and following a few safety precautions there’s a very small risk of running into dangers. You still need to be careful, but this type of fireplace is safer than ever before.
Regulators enable the gas to burn cleanly and carbon monoxide and oxygen detectors notify you of problems. A little bit of toxic fumes will be released into your home, but they should never reach dangerous levels. My wood fireplace releases more carbon monoxide into my home than a ventless ever will.
A car warming up in an attached garage will release more carbon monoxide into your home than a ventless fireplace. Even with the garage door open the fumes will get into your home. If that doesn’t bother you, than the minimal amount of fumes released by your ventless fireplace shouldn’t either.