A ventless fireplace, or as the industry likes to call them, a “vent-free” fireplace, is a liability in Gulf Shores homes. We prefer the term “ventless”, or “not vented at all” when describing these cozy little demons.
The ventless fireplace industry wants you to feel you’re being liberated of a burden by not having an exhaust vent. We think it’s important for people to know that they’re actually missing something important when they go with a ventless gas appliance.
Why a Ventless Fireplace is a Liability in Gulf Shores Homes
Unvented gas fireplaces are a liability in Gulf Shores homes. We advise those who have one either to remove it, replace it, or just not use it. Yes, we know that some people love them and have never had a problem with theirs. We have heard of lots of people with unvented gas fireplaces who complain of headaches and other problems.
More than a few people are feeling ill when they use unvented fireplaces, and they want to confirm their suspicions. These things are in a lot of Gulf Shores homes now, and people are buying those homes without knowing of the problems.
It’s unlikely that ventless fireplace units will go away anytime soon, but the more people find out about these problems, the better. As homeowners doing their research find out the truth and turn away from these ventless fireplace systems, Gulf Shores homes become safer.
One company, Fireplace Creations in Tennessee, writes on their website, “After doing research, we decided we would never put a vent-free (room vented) appliance into our home. Because of this decision, we didn’t believe it would be right to sell them to our customers. This decision was made even though vent-free products were/are a hot item.”
Are Wood Burning Fireplaces Safer Than Ventless Fireplaces?
If your state has adopted the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), you cannot install an open wood-burning fireplace in a new home. What does this tell you?
According to the BCAP-OCEAN code status website, 30 states are on the 2009 IECC or better now. Adopting it was one of the requirements for any state that took ARRA (Stimulus Act) money.
A ventless fireplace may have fancy technology built in now (oxygen depletion sensors and catalytic converters), but the bottom line is that the risks can outweigh the benefits. It’s not that hard to build a chase and cut a hole to install a direct vent model, so why take that risk in your home?