subject: Ventless Bio Fuels Fireplaces [print this page] Remember when you were a child and the family sat in front of the fireplace after dinner on a cold, snowy evening? The warmth of the fire was only part of the reason those times are so memorable. The flickering logs and the smell of burning hickory wood all contributed to the physical and emotional warmth the roaring fireplace brought to those evenings. Nowadays, if we stoke our fireplaces, we feel guilty because we are consuming trees, those magical, natural, renewable (but threatened) sources for so many of the comforts we take for granted in this age of consumption.
Never before has so much paper (made, of course, from those precious trees) flooded every aspect of our lives. We can't keep up with the piles that arrive in our mailboxes. Recycling centers even have separate containers for newspapers and magazines. It's impossible to think of what we would give up in our comfortable lives if we didn't have trees. For that reason, burning it in our fireplaces seems an outrageous waste.
The good news is that we don't have to give up our fireplaces or the warmth and satisfaction they bring. We can use other fuels, and with a set of artificial logs, we will still get much of the same satisfaction. If we want the smell that comes only from logs, there are many artificial sources for that, too.
The ventless fireplace has been in the market place for some time now. In other words, a chimney is not required for these fireplaces. They can burn gel fuel or gaseither propane or natural. These fireplaces come with realistic-looking logs and usually don't cost a lot to operate. The purchase price for a freestanding one is quite lowbeginning generally at about $500. Vented fireplace inserts that use either propane or natural gas and have realistic logs have also been on the market for several years and are not very expensive but must be installed by a professional.
Now comes the best solution of all for those who hanker for the fireplace of their childhood without the guilt that comes with burning nonrenewable fuels: fireplaces that burn biofuel. The good news is that they can be obtained in either ventless or vent-free setups. In other words, if you already have a chimney, you can install a bio-fuel burner; however, if you don't have a chimney, you can buy the ventless model providing you have good air circulation in the room.
These are ideal for the user who suffers from allergies because no smoke or airborne particles will be released. They can even be mounted on a wall.
The fuel is produced from agricultural crops and does not pose a hazard to the environment. Forty percent more efficient than gas, a liter can burn for up to five hours. While it gives off a little steam and a very tiny amount of carbon dioxide, the amount is so small that it doesn't create greenhouse gases. The fireplace itself is a bit more pricey than gas models. The fuel, itself, can be ordered via subscription with 12 liters a month costing a little over $100 per month.
