Kitchen Gas Appliances - gas logs/emergency heat

We recently had gas logs (can be used vented or unvented) installed in our wood burning fireplace to use as an emergency heat source. They placed a clamp on the flue to keep it open for some venting. Is this what is known as top vented? There doesn't seem to be much of a draft though. Would enough of the pollutants go up the chimney as opposed to into the house? And would it be ok and safe to have it on all day and night if the power is out for a few days or longer? We would also be sleeping in the same area. Definitely getting a battery operated CO detector. Any advice or tips on using this type of gas appliance during power outages or even just in general? Thanks.

Hello bgs and Welcome to my Gas Appliances topic.

Not sure what is meant by the generic term top vented. Most likely means to vent the fumes when used as a vented appliance and or to allow some fumes to vent when not being used as a vented appliance.

In either case, does not really matter. Most likely a local code requirement and or do to the fact the appliance is convertable to vented or non vented and or is located in a sleeping area or room.

All new fireplace appliance have a built in oxygen depletion sensor. This safety device shuts off the burner(s) when the safe level of oxygen in the room is used up.

In a bedroom location, you're most likely to be asleep when the unit shuts down and unaware of the low oxygen level or too weak to react when the level drops to low.

Either way is putting ones life at risk depending upon the sensor to operate and function correctly, in my opinion. And that of local codes. Thus the venting system gets blocked either open fully in some areas or states and or partially in others.

General personal safety advice, turn off the appliance well before you intend to fall asleep and certainly not leave the fireplace on while sleeping or unattended.

Buy a carbon monoxide detector. Read all the install and operation instructions twice. Follow them to the letter.

Anything less that you do which is contained within the three last paragraphs, puts you at risk or in some type of risk, imo. Use the appliance in the venting mode always.

Thanks for the information. I forgot to mention that the fireplace is in the living room which is open to the rest of the house. We mostly planned on using it during winter power outages. It isn't in a closed off room like a bedroom. Would that allow us to have it on all day and night during power outages if it is really cold outside (30's, 20's and to the single digits)? It would be our only source of heat. Thanks again.

Hi: bgs

Same would apply but not as critical since the room area is much larger providing more space and oxygen etc. For extended usages during emergency situations, I do not see any problems.

However, even during those "critical times" safety is always of a high concern. As reported all too often in the news media, personal injuries and deaths result from so called emergency situations where unapproved appliances are used or misused. Very sad incidents but they do happen and all too often.

A safety tip would be to keep one window just slightly opened to allow for some fresh air intake. Not a sure safety measure but does provide some minor assurances.

Will definitely heed your advice, thanks again!

Have you considered a gas fireplace insert? Standard gas logs are really inefficient (around 10 percent efficient as opposed to an 80 percent efficient insert). I'd be surprised if they even kept the room warm let alone the whole house and I'd hate to see the gas bill after a couple days of run time. My vented only logs burn about 60 cents of gas per hour. If power outages are common in your area, an insert might pay for itself in a couple of years. You are also loosing a good deal of heat when the fireplace is not in use because of the constantly open damper - A damper clamp is standard installation procedure here as well, so people don't forget and leave it closed with the gas on (even more likely to happen with logs that start via a remote control or thermostat, which are also common around here).

Regarding the venting, did the fireplace vent correctly when burning wood? If so, it should vent correctly when burning gas. Please remember, the chimney still needs to be cleaned routinely. There should be very little chance of any CO build up in the house, but without an outside air supply, there is chance of oxygen depletion (like Sharp Advice suggested, keep a window cracked.)

Doug M.