Any one use a ventless gas stove for heating.???

John White · Jan 16, 2016

I am looking for some one who has experience with a vent free gas stove. When I built my own house 8 years ago. I used 6" walls, insulated good, extra insulation in attic. I put in a 95% high efficacy furnace. (In basement) We have heated the first year with the furnace. House was always cold. Furnace ran a lot and gas bill high. We got a fake fireplace heater with a 1500 watt elec heater in it. We have used it for about 6 years. (we actually turn the heater off at night) A little cold in the morning till it warms up. It keeps our living room, kitchen hall way, bath room livable. Not too cold but not quite warm enough. Can't complain a lot on cost. On real cold days when temp drops to around 15, my wife will turn on kitchen burner. When she does laundry or we are in the basement very long, I installed a small vent free fireplace. That will have the basement toasty in no time. As we are getting older we both find ourselves under a blanket when sitting watching tv. I suggested we install a fireplace type vent less gas heater. I don't think it would take a very large one and do away with the 1500 watt elec one (which looks like a fireplace. with the fake burning flame)/ She says gas will leave a residue on things. And afraid of the fumes, and safety concerns. I don't think there would be any problem. I don't want to cut a hole and vent one. When we first moved in about the first two years when we was using the furnace, When the temp would get 15 or lower, the gas meter would freeze up. (I think our gas comes from stripper wells) I would have to go out and reset it. That's when we got the elec. fireplace. I seen the gas man out one day and told him about it and he sent some one out to fix that problem. Any input or experience on the vent free heater?.

Country Geek · Jan 16, 2016

Based on the web research I did a few years ago, your wife is right. Ventless gas heaters are trouble, found lots of complaints about them causing condensation and leaving residue that's tough to clean up. Hearth.com would be a good place for expert advice though.

TnAndy · Jan 16, 2016

We have a 15k BTU propane wall model on our sunporch that we used to use quite a bit, but it does put a film on all the windows out there...and if you can see a film on the windows, it's clearly other places you can't see it.....like furniture...and your lungs.

After putting a wood stove insert in the living room fireplace, we almost never use the propane heater anymore, simply crank up the stove and open the french doors to the sunporch some. If it dips below zero, we'll run it some because wife keeps her domestic weeds out there from their summer home on the deck, and she doesn't want it killing off her plants.

buickanddeere · Jan 16, 2016

Those people with working CO detectors have a different opinion about non vented heaters.

k0ua · Jan 16, 2016

We have one in our basement. Here are my thoughts. Yes there is a film on things, notably the windows and ceiling lamps. But it takes some time to notice it. The mother in law lived in the basement for the past 8 years and used it a supplemental heat. She never liked the temp we kept the house, and though there are vents from the central heating and air, she wanted it hotter hence the ventless heater. It does put out a bunch of heat, and is very pleasant to back you backside up to when you came in out of the cold.

There is very little smell, but if you are sensitive you could notice it. I would not put one in a bedroom, the one we have is an a large room in the basement. We have run it very little since she has left in early December. But I like having it as a backup if the power goes off to keep things from freezing up and we would move down there if we had to. With the gas cookstove down there, we could heat water, and cook meals down there as well, as there is a full kitchen. I have two of the fake electric fireplaces too, one in our bedroom and one downstairs as the TV stand/fireplace. They are nice, but don't make a whole lot of heat and would be worthless in a power failure.

I also have a vented gas fireplace upstairs, but it is worthless as you must keep the chimney open and all of the heat goes up the chimney. The little ventless unit in the basement will make 10 times the heat as that fireplace with 1/3 the gas usage.

So there are pluses and minuses to the ventless unit, just like anything else. I am glad we have ours, but I would not like them as a primary source of heat.

rtimgray · Jan 16, 2016

We have two ventless fireplaces (although rarely operate more than one) and there are a lot of days in the winter season that they are our "primary" heat (in that the heat pump wi ( th heat strips don't come on). We've been using them since 2007, and I'm mystified by this "film" of which people speak; nor have I ever noticed any condensation in our home. The house was finished in 2007, and it is well insulated and wrapped (although it is not super-insulated by any means). I don't notice any smell (they are propane fueled).

We recently purchased another small unit (I think it is about 8000 btu) for our new bedroom (the bedroom is about 14' x 30', with a tall vaulted ceiling, so it's not like its a little room) and I'm looking forward to having it operational to take the chill off.

Having said all that, for the most part, we might run them for an hour in the morning and 2 or 3 in evening at most, so it's not like it's continuous (some more on the weekends if we are home). All in all, I couldn't be happier with them, and they are great in case of power outage.

Good luck and take care.

4570Man · Jan 16, 2016

Besides the obvious safety concern a ventless gas puts tons of moisture in the air. I had had a renter nearly rot the windows out of the house running a ventless gas. The house had a fully operational gas furnace, but he thought it was cheaper to run the ventless gas.

JerryK · Jan 16, 2016

I have both a 95% propane furnace like you, and a ventless 30K propane heater for backup. First, you should have someone confident to check out your normal furnace. It should be up to the job of keeping you warm. The ventless wall heaters are no different than your wife turning on a burner in the kitchen. Same principle... They are about the most efficient way to heat with gas, but create moisture problems if you run them a lot. Running for a few hours each evening should not be a problem. No different that your wife cooking for a few hours with her gas stove. But get that furnace checked out.... something is not right. Maybe need to look at covering your windows with something... that is where most houses loose heat. Although the basement is also a big heat sink with block or cement walls.

GPintheMitten · Jan 16, 2016

I agree that you should have your furnace checked. A good furnace should keep you warm. Also check for air infiltration around doors and windows.

That said, we have a cast iron ventless natural gas heater in the living room. It is good supplemental heat but not appropriate for primary heating. I like to turn it on when I come in from outdoors. Typically we only run it for an hour, then it gets too warm. We did not get a wall thermostat but I wish I had.

nybirdman · Jan 16, 2016

We have used a "vented" 38,000BTU propane Vermont Castings unit for 13 years and have no complaints.I would advise going to a vented unit;wouldn't cost much more.That being said my daughter/SIL have the same unit non-vented and have no complaints.Both used as a secondary heat sources.Mine is on from Oct.-April.
I second having your furnace checked out;new home,well insulated,something is wrong with it or it was sized wrong.