Interesting. Fireplaces are normally an option in new constructions. Can you request another type or take a pass on it?

I would rather have no fireplace than a ventless one.

I'm a big fan of ventless technology. I installed a ventless Martin box in my house that I will put Heatmaster logs in. I don't use fireplaces and space heaters regularly, just to quickly knock the chill off and for emergency heat. Vented logs are listed as decorative appliances and many put off little if any useful heat. I recommend them for people who just want a fire to look at.

I would insist on a direct vent fireplace thats efficient. like the quadrafire village series or heatilator caliber nxt series. Vent free are for some people, some people hate them, and complain of smell. Also there typicaly not feild servicable, so when they break you have to send to the manufacture for service. DV fireplaces are complety servicable. good luck.

Our contractor "forgot" to put a vent in and we had no choice at that point but to install a ventless. We soon had soot stains appearing everywhere in the house and blamed it on occassionaly burning a candle, then maybe the furnace backfired, etc. However, the house is a mess! I'm still trying to find a company to clean the soot from the ceilings, walls, drapes, etc. and then disconnect the thing and install an electric one.

as much as i hate vent free logs, they shoulndt soot, there is something not right. The logs arent in the right position or something. I would have them checked out before i put electric in. ventless are at least functionable and efficient, they have there issues but soot is not one of them. If you have the manual for them check the log placement and confirm there in the correct postiton. They should have notches where every thing goes.

Building Home Inspectors in Virginia will NOT allow you to install one without a vent for combustion air.

I heated a small cottage with a vent free space heater for several years and I will have to say that they are about as close to 100% efficient as you can get! BUT, you will have to tolerate the odor of burning unvented gas and the incredible amount of moisture the thing puts in the air. It's like living in a sauna. Moisture is just a natural by-product of burning any fuel. At the time I used this heater, we had single glazed picture windows and when we came back to the cottage after several weeks, the glass was thick with ice and when the weather got warmer I had to constantly mop the water from the window sills and floor. It also puts out a certain amount of carbon monoxide. The instructions even state to keep a window partially open which is obviously counter-productive. I never did have the sooting problem as mentioned in elaine_maine's post but I will never use this form of heat ever again!! It's just not healthy!

I bought a direct vent free standing gas stove for the kitchen about 10 years ago. It's one of those cute ones with the enamel finish and granite accents and has that old timey look. It sucks combustion air in from the outside through the outer wall of the pipe and vents the exhaust out the center. Not only is the little guy 80% efficient, (which isn't too bad), but it throws heat like crazy, has no odor or moisture issues and is completely silent except for the occasional "boink" as the cast iron exchanger heats up or cools off. It works with a piezo-electric igniter and a standing pilot which means it'll work just fine during a power failure. I forgot to mention that it's also great to look at with its neat little log set. It also has a variable flame height which is a nice feature. I obviously recommend it highly. The one I have is made by Hearthside. The biggest problem is that they ain't cheap! Even the pipe is expensive as sin, but in the long run I do believe it pays for itself in efficiency, cleanliness and most importantly, you and your family's health!

Among the most dangerous uses for unvented heaters are as an emergency heating source. They simply aren't designed for heating purposes in most cases, and are usually specified as being for decoration, not heating.

Spot heating one room when the furnace isn't working usually means closing off that one room and operating the spot heater continuously, with eveyone concentrated in one room. That's a great way to kill off a family if the equipment isn't working properly.

Direct vent technology is the way to go. They are safe, energy efficient and do not affect indoor air quality. We have one and we love it. If it's not possible to install such a system, I would pass it up all together.