Is a gas fireplace blower fan an energy-efficient investment?
Dec 20, 2014 · A vented gas fireplace is not an efficient way to heat your home. While a high-efficiency furnace is more than 90% efficient, the efficiency of gas fireplaces ranges from about 30% or 40% (for fireplaces with a B-vent) to slightly over 70% (for the most efficient direct-vent models). If you want information on the most efficient gas fireplace ...
Should a carbon monoxide alarm be mounted away from a gas …
Oct 22, 2015 · I've read that monoxide detectors use sensors that get fouled up with VOCs over time (one of the reasons they should be replaced every 10 years), and fireplaces generate quite a few VOCs
Drafty Gas Fireplace Insert - GreenBuildingAdvisor
Aug 26, 2012 · In the winter (Alberta) we get huge drafts coming in the grills of our gas fireplace insert. I've noticed it when it's not in use, especially at night but it seems inconsistent and not necessarily predictable by the temperature or audible wind. From the outside there is a fresh air intake on the chimney and there is a metal chimney exiting the ...
Furnace to circulate heat from woodstove - GreenBuildingAdvisor
First, if your stove is equipped for it, you should install a direct combustion air duct. The return air intake grill to the furnace should be located at the ceiling or ridge in the room with the woodstove, and the blower in the furnace wired to a separate thermostat to turn on with a temperature rise above some temperature, say 75 degrees ...
Is a Ventless Fireplace More Efficient Than a Condensing Furnace?
Mar 14, 2018 · A condensing furnace typically gets 95% to 98% efficiency from the natural gas it burns. One of the primary benefits of a ventless gas fireplace is that you don’t lose any heat up the flue. That’s because there isn’t a flue, of course. (The potential problems with indoor air quality, however, outweigh any benefits, so don’t run out and ...
A Ventless Gas Fireplace Doesn’t Belong in Your Home
Jan 23, 2013 · A ventless gas log fireplace may look fine, but combustion products should always be vented to the outside. First of all, let’s call it what it really is. The industry likes the term “vent-free” when talking about gas fireplaces that keep all the exhaust gases in your home. I prefer the term “ventless” or, even better, “unvented.”.
How to Get Good Blower-Door Results - GreenBuildingAdvisor
Oct 13, 2011 · Do use an all-SIP or ICF wall structure, and eliminate rim-joists where possible. It is possible to get good results using spray-foam insulation, or using rigid foam sheathing on the outside, but it is much more difficult, and less repeatable on a day-to-day basis. 4. Do use a balloon-frame approach to building exterior walls that are parallel ...
Blower door tests and fireplaces - GreenBuildingAdvisor
Sep 1, 2014 · Masonry chimneys often have no air-sealing where they go through the attic insulation plane, which can be remediated with sheet metal air-barriers sealed with fire-rated duct mastic. Most of the blower door tests that are mentioned on GBA give numbers under 3 or 2 or 1 ACH50. I'm guessing that none of these homes have a traditional fireplace.
Questions Archive - Page 2401 of 3116 - GreenBuildingAdvisor
Question & Answers Is a gas fireplace blower fan an energy-efficient investment? In reading some of the prior blogs concerning the issues surrounding a ventless fireplace I was struck by the strong feelings for both positive and negative positions on a ventless…
How to Choose Backup Heat for a Ductless Minisplit System
Aug 23, 2021 · Thankfully nobody has even mentioned the possibility of needing backup heat sources, but I have never asked an insurance company. We will have a single gas direct vent fireplace in the great room for supplemental heat, but for the rest of the house I'm counting on the extra insulation getting us through when it's too cold for the mini-splits.