22Mar
A Look at Venting and Why It’s so important for Your Gas Fireplace in Ottawa
Gas fireplaces offer the warmth and ambiance of a real wood fire, but without all the work. These convenient, easy-to-use fireplaces are a great addition to warm up homes and boost property value.
But when considering gas fireplaces in Ottawa, make sure you choose an appropriate venting option. Venting is very important to maintain good air quality in your home. Without venting, you and your family are at risk of illness and carbon monoxide poisoning.
Carbon monoxide is an odourless, colourless gas that can lead to illness and even death. It is a byproduct of burning natural gas, propane, kerosene, and wood. Homeowners with unvented gas fireplaces will feel the harmful effects of carbon monoxide—such as headaches and nausea—and might eventually opt to replace their fireplaces with properly vented ones.
With proper venting, carbon monoxide and other harmful by-products will flow directly outside the home without compromising your indoor air quality. Consider the following venting options for gas fireplaces that are much safer to use than unvented units.
Top Vented Gas Logs
Vented gas logs are used as a replacement for wood in a traditional wood-burning fireplace hearth with a chimney. Whether you choose natural gas or propane units, you must burn them with the damper open for proper ventilation. To reduce heat loss from an open damper, consider installing glass doors on your fireplace. Make sure your fireplace and chimney are clean and in good condition before using gas logs.
Direct Vent Gas Fireplaces
Direct vent fireplaces are the most popular, convenient, and safe venting option for gas fireplaces. These have sealed combustion systems to protect indoor air quality. The vent system draws in air from outside for the fire and directs 100% of the combustion exhaust and by-products outside.
These gas fireplaces also give off radiant heat from the front of the fireplace, and convection heat from a vent above the fire.
The direct vent is a single vent with two chambers. One chamber draws in oxygen from outside, while the other expels the fire’s exhaust, by-products, and gases outside. A direct vent can be installed horizontally through an outside wall, with an optional side vent and a vertical installation for a top vent.
Direct vent gas fireplaces improve energy efficiency and indoor air quality. They also come in a range of styles from traditional to modern. A direct vent fireplace can also increase your home’s property value in case you ever decide to sell your house.
Gas fireplaces are a stylish and convenient home heating option. But to make sure you keep your home and family safe, consider vented gas fireplaces in Ottawa. These will vent the harmful combustion by-products out of your home, so your indoor air quality won’t be compromised.