Our living room has a lovely fireplace that is basically just for decoration. Like many fireplaces in San Francisco, it has been sealed and therefore can not be used to burn actual wood. It’s a bit of a bummer as I would love to have a fire on cold days. For a long time we kept the fireplace filled with candles and enjoyed the lovely lighting that candles give off, then we had kids and decided that burning candles within reach of children is not a great idea.
My family in San Diego (mom and father-in-spirit) decided to invest in gas logs a few years back. Actually, it was my father-in-spirit that decided on the change. My mother and I told him that gas logs would be tacky. We were wrong. To be honest, if I didn’t know they were gas logs I would just assume they were the real deal.
My mother suggested I look into getting some gas logs for our fireplace. I tend to be resistant of any suggestion offered by my mother (what can I say, I’m a brat), but I humored her and went online and looked at R. H. Peterson Real Fyre Gas Logs. Basically, I was just looking so that I could show my mother that since our fireplace is ventless it would be impossible to use gas logs. Turns out I was wrong. Apparently, there are ventless gas logs. Hmmm, who knew? Oh yeah, I guess my mother knew.
I’m not anywhere near ready to have an open flame within reach of my kids yet, but I will consider it in the future if it will reduce my heating bill. The website I looked at includes Gas Logs FAQs, but I’m wondering…do any of you have any experience with ventless gas logs? What do you think…yea or nay? Or should I just stick with candles and wear the red faux-Snuggie with Scottish terriers my mother got me for Christmas to stay warm (see, not all of my mom’s ideas are great- hence my aforementioned resistance)?
This post was sponsored by Hansen Wholesale. However, the opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.
We have a gas fireplace in our house. At first I was appalled… having only had wood burning fireplaces before. I thought it would be tacky too. And I was proven wrong too. It gives off GREAT heat… (we have a fan that blows the heat outward a bit) and its pretty to look at. The only downfall is the uniqueness of the fire… with wood burning logs you sometimes get interesting colors and they crackle and fall over and all that excitement. With gas, it’s the same always. Thats the only downside.
Oh, and a vent would be best, in my opinion. Less risk.
uber sorry, Mami. I keep sending comments then thinking of something else to add to it. Okay, so. Why would I prefer a vent? Because dust can settle on the fake logs. Other debris too. And when the fireplace is turned on, it stinks. It always stinks up our living room every winter for the first few uses after a break through the spring and summer. The smoke also needs to have someplace to go, I would prefer it to go up in a vent than into my room. It can get suffocating without a vent.
Suddenly, I am wondering if you actually mean vents as in slanted things on the face of the fireplace, or if you meant like a hutch that carries the smoke away through the chimney and out into the air. I think I misunderstood. Its been one of those days. A hutch is what I was thinking about… soi you can totally nix everything I’ve just said.
I meant a hutch, so I won’t nix what you said.
We have one and I lay by it all the time to keep warm so does my pup! The glass over our fake gas logs gets warm so I’d worry about your lil ones touching it. But they work…damn those Mother’s that are always right!
Ventless gas?? Sounds dangerous. Personally, I would pass. Not the gas, but on the idea.
Oh, I’m covered on the passing gas part.
That sounds really interesting!! I didn’t know they had such a thing but it sounds really neat. 🙂 Especially on a cold, foggy, San Fran day.
….This gun’s for hire even if we’re just dancing in the dark…- Bruce S.
I would stick with the candles. Also if you ever decide to become a witch the candle experience will come in handy.
What do you mean decide to become a bitch? I did that a long time ago. Oh wait, you said witch…never mind.
wow I honestly stopped on that word as I read you reply and thought oh shit typo. BTW did you know the title was similar to Bruce’s song? You probably did but I didn’t catch any reference in the post so I thought I’d ask. Don’t put a spell on me.
The similarity in the title and the song was most definitely on purpose.
Gr! I hate when usually-horribly-wrong people are right about something!
Can’t help you….never heard of ventless gas logs. Good luck. (I had a real fireplace years ago in a house I owned. It was nice. Don’t have any kind of fireplace now….no room for one, either.
We are afraid of fire around here. We’ve had like two fires in our fireplace. We’ll use it in case of a power outage. Logs and a match will heat our home nicely using the fireplace.
I’d say go with the vent but I’m by no means an expert. I also love fireplaces and making real fire but thankfully nowadays there are alot of alternatives.
Okay…don’t think I live in a trailer park with outdoor plumbing…..but I have actually seen electric fireplaces that are surprisingly nice to look at. I bought my son a small one for his apartment and it heats his place really well. The ones that have an actual mantle and are bigger (around $200-$300 range) actually look really nice.
We have the old fashioned log burning kind of fireplace but my sister has a ventless. I must admit, hers is pretty nifty and much cleaner than mine.