Poor Heat from Gas Fireplace?

Is yours a gas start that you use with real wood or is it a gas log fireplace (fake wood)? If it's a gas log fireplace:

There are 2 types of gas logs that you can have in your fireplace: vented & vent-free.

The vented logs require your fireplace flume to be open while the fire is on. If yours is like this, then most of the heat will escape thru the flume. The fire will be pretty, but may not produce too much heat for you.

Vent-free logs do not require the flume to be open, so the heat moves out into the room much better. Pretty & heat producing.

Hope that might help explain your problem!

No help here but we were having the same problem at our old house. That's why we haven't put them in the new house. I like real fires anyway. I'm interested as to what everyone's advise is though.

Maybe the other one had a blower on it?

I am not certain the cost, but I know my husband's parents have a blower on their's and it seems to make a big difference.

just a thought...

good luck

I bought a vent-free gas log set at The Firehouse in Allen. They came and removed the rack for my wood logs, put the set in and closed my flute completely. It wasn't supposed to smell after a number of hours of burning off the newness, but it did. With the flute open there was virtually no heat. So we rigged the flute to be only open a crack. It was a compromise I guess. Some heat but no fumes. I have since read that vent-free (flute closed) sets really aren't good for you anyway, plus some people have trouble with a greyness (soot) accumulating slowly over time on their walls. I would suggest you call or visit The Firehouse (probably better the one in Plano ro Richardson. I'm not sure I trust those fellows at the Allen store). Find out how you can tell if you have the "vented" or the "vent-free" setup. See if you can safely close the flute some. Keep a carbon monoxide detector nearby just in case. If you can find the name brand and model number of your set that would help you too; you could visit their website and contact them & ask.

When we first moved here to Texas five years ago we thought the gas fireplace was the greatest thing ever since we came from the warm state of FL where they are virtually unheard of LOL. Anyway, we noticed right away that the fireplace was pretty to look at but put out very little heat for comfort. It was rather quickly after moving here that I saw a segment on the local ABC news station about gas fireplaces. Much like Heather said, the "expert" being interviewed said that you are pretty much wasteing money by using gas fireplaces for any length of time because they do draw the heat already in the home up and out of the house. Honestly, we haven't lit ours in probably three years because of that now known knowledge.

When we built this house and moved in 2000, we got the fake wood, etc from a place in Addison (I'm sorry, I forget the name) We love it. It puts out enough heat for us. We mainly use it just because we like to look at it and have a "feel" for the fire.

The other house we built, had a gas lighter but real wood and I hated a real fire. First of all, it was dirty, I was always cleaning extra and I am always cleaning anyway. We have allergies and we could not breathe with the real fire.

We opted to put a chimnea in the back and when we get the urge for a real fire, we put it there and I don't have the mess in the house or smell.

I would opt for the same system I have not if I had to re-do anything.

Happy New Year,
Susan