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Frequently
Asked Questions about Home Heating Appliances such
as Gas Stoves,
Wood Stoves offered by
Wood Heat Stoves and Spas.
Gas Stoves
Is “direct vent” the
same thing as “ventless”?
Absoulutely not. A
direct vent uses a high temperature glass panel to
seal off the burn area of the fireplace from the
interior of the home. It pulls 100% combustion air
to feed the fire from outside the home. Because of
its design, a direct vent gas fireplace will not
effect the indoor air quality (IAQ) of your home.
Since no air from your home is going up the
chimney, a direct vent model is very efficient.
(+70%). "Vent free" should actually be called
"room vented" since the by-products of gas
combustion all spill back into the room. The
single largest by-product of the gas combustion
process is water vapor. Over sizing or overuse of
a "vent free" hearth product can lead to excess
moisture in a well built, tightly constructed
home. Excess moisture inside the home can
contribute to mold and mildew inside the home.
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Does a direct vent
need to be on an outside wall?
No, with today’s
venting options, direct evnts can go literally
anywhere in the home. The vent can terminate
vertically through the roof or horizontally
through an exterior wall. Your local dealer will
be happy to assist you in determining the best
venting option for your particular layout.
Click here to contact us.
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What is the
difference between a Direct Vent and a B-Vent gas
hearth product?
A B-vent must be
vented vertically and uses air from inside the
home to provide oxygen to the fire. A direct vent
uses a sealed glass front and pulls all of its
combustion air from outside the home. This is
important in new construction or well insulated
homes that are tightly built. Direct vents can be
vented vertically or horizontally through an
exterior wall. Direct vents are more efficient
than B-vents since they do not take any air out of
your home.
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Can a gas
fireplace be installed in a bedroom?
Yes. Providing it's
a direct vent model. A direct vent virtually
eliminates any chance of carbon monoxide coming
into the room. There are some code jurisdictions
that do allow a "vent free" style unit to be
installed in a bedroom, but it must be below
10,000 BTU hr/gas input which usually results in
poor flame aesthetics. Your best and safest bet is
a direct vent model.
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Can gas hearth
products burn either natural gas or LP gas?
They can burn one or
the other, but not both. You need to be sure the
gas hearth applicance you have is set up for the
type of gas fuel you intend to burn. Conversion
kits are available which will allow a unit to be
changed to match the proper fuel type.
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Will my gas hearth
product still burn if I lose electricity to my
home?
Yes, providing your
model has a standing pilot light or our patented
IPI System, which works on a battery back up of 2
D cell batteries. If you have a fan or a remote
control option, they will not work without power,
but the appliance itself will burn and provide
heat. (If you have a remote control, you may need
to operate the appliance with the ON/Off switch in
the control area of the appliance).
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Are gas hearth
products expensive to operate?
Operating cost will
vary by region, by gas utility, and by fuel type.
Based on national averages, a natural gas
fireplace consuming 27,000 BTUs/hr will cost less
than 20 cents/hr to enjoy. LP units run slightly
higher. Your monthly gas bill should include your
exact cost per "therm" (100,000 BTUs). Based on
this rate, and the BTU input listed on the rating
plate on your appliance, you can calculate the
cost for your area.
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How much gas does
the pilot light use?
A pilot light will
burn 600 to 800 BTUs/hr. Your monthly gas bill
should include your exact cost per "therm"
(100,000 BTUs). Based on this rate you can
calculate the cost for your area to operate a
pilot light.
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Can I shut the
pilot off in the summer?
It's not a bad idea
from an energy savings standpoint. Just remember
to relight it before you want to use the appliance
for the first time in the fall.
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How do I light the
pilot?
Click here . for detailed pilot lighting
instructions and pilot lighting video. If you
still have further concerns,
contact us. Also when you're getting your
fireplace ready for fall, along with relighting
the pilot, go outside and check the vent cap to be
sure no obstructions (bird nests, spider webs,
etc.) are present.
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Doesn't the solid
glass panel keep me from getting heat out of my
direct vent gas fireplace?
On the contrary, the
glass panel keeps warm room air which your furnace
has already heated from going up your fireplace
flue. Direct vent fireplaces are excellent sources
of zone heating by bringing room air in the bottom
grill, heating and returning it to the room
through the top grill.
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The glass panel
reflects too much light from my windows in the
room. Can I remove it?
No. Your direct vent
unit will not operate without the glass panel in
place. We sell optional screen mesh panels that go
on the front of the glass. This takes away any
reflection, and adds an additional safety barrier
against accidental contact with the hot glass
panel
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How do I size logs
for my fireplace?
Proper sizing is
determined by the size of the fireplace base and
the overall size of the Gas Log and Hearth Kit,
which requires measuring the front width, back
width, depth and height of the fireplace. Getting
logs or controls too tight to the sides can cause
heat issues on the fireplaces and gas logs
controls.
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How do I know
where I can place the gas logs?
The installation
manual includes detailed diagrams showing where
the logs must be placed to operate at the
product's optimum level.
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Are the flames on
my gas logs adjustable?
The flames are not
adjustable but they can be enhanced by ember
material and the sand on the burner to give the
ultimate "RealWood" look.
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How much do gas
logs cost to operate?
Cost will vary from
product to product based on the BTU input and the
type of gas used. Contact your local fuel provider
with the amount of BTU's input and they should be
able to relate it to the local, current fuel
costs.
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What is the cost
of maintaining gas logs?
A maintenance
checkup at least every other year will result in
minimal performance issues and help prevent any
issues. Please contact your local Hearth
Technologies dealer and inquire about their annual
service program. This will tend to vary from
market to market.
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What is the cost
of installing gas logs?
The cost will vary
from market to market, and will vary more
depending on the degree of difficulty in getting a
gas line to the fireplace. We strongly suggest you
use a Hearth Certified installer for you
installation.
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How many different
models and looks of gas logs can I choose from?
Hearth Technologies
offers four different looks in the high
temperature refractory logs, as well as a see-thru
option. The fiber log series (CFL) features oak
log sets in 3 sizes plus a see-thru. The Real Wood
Elite is offered as follows:
Log Styles:
1. Briarwood - A twisted Burr Oak
2. Charwood - A learge charred middle
3. Versawood - A reversible round burnout or split
burnout
4. Mistwood - an economical round look
OR
5. Two sizes of see-thru charred wood
Hearth Kits:
1. Match only light
2. NG Safety Pilot
3. Millivolt Hearth Kit available in either LP gas
or natural gas
Options:
A remote control or wall switch is available for
use with the Millivolt Hearth Kit
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What is a safety
pilot?
A safety pilot
prevents the flow of gas when the appliance is not
in use.
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What is required
to use a remote control? And what is required to
use a wall switch?
A remote control
&/or wall switch requires a Millivolt valve
system. The wall switch requires low voltage
electrical wiring.
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How much heat will
I get from my gas logs?
Gas logs will
provide radiant heat in the general hearth area.
Gas logs are easy to use, require little
maintenance, and enhance the aesthetic appeal of
your fireplace whether on or off. Use in
conjunction with glass doors will improve their
heating capacity. For maximized heat output, a
full direct vent insert should be considered.
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How can I install
gas logs if my gas line comes in from the left
side?
The hearth kit can
easily work with a left side gas line. Consult the
installation manual for instructions.
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Can I convert my
gas logs from LP to natural gas or from natural
gas to LP?
Yes, to convert from
natural gas, NG, to LP, you must use vermiculite
rather than sand and add an LP safety pilot. If
you currently have an NG safety pilot, you need to
change the orifice in the thermocouple and
exchange the sand for vermiculite. We recommend
contacting your local Hearth Technologies dealer
to do the conversion for you.
To change from LP to NG, you must change the pan
orifice. If using a safety pilot, this conversion
requires changing the spk orifice and gives you
the option of changing from vermiculite to sand.
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What are gas logs
made of?
RealWood logs are
made of high temperature refractory. Our design
ensures a lifetime of enjoyment.
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Can I remove my
gas logs and burn wood?
No, the hearth kit
is designed to work with only the appropriate gas
logs. Attempting this could result in injury,
damage or worse. Additionally, burning wood voids
the warranty of the hearth kit.
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Why should I buy
gas logs?
Gas logs create a
beautiful roaring fire that will liven up a party
or enhance a relaxing, quiet atmosphere. Gas logs
are convenient, easy to operate and require
minimal maintenance.
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What is the
absolute minimum firebox size that will allow me
to burn gas logs?
Minimum sizing is
determined by consulting the measurements provided
in the installation manual. Consult your local
Heath Technologies professional.
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Why do I see many
gas log sets off-centered in fireplaces?
This can be a result
of poor installation (plumbing run). The addition
of a safety valve can also make centering the logs
more challenging.
What does an outside
air kit do and do I need one?
If you have a wood burning or B-Vent fireplace,
you should consider installation of an outside air
kit. It provides additional combustion air to the
fireplace that feeds the fire with oxygen from
outside your home. This will help the performance
on any fireplace installed in tightly-constructed
or well-insulated home
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Wood Stoves
How efficient is a wood burning fireplace?
While they produce some radiant heat, most wood
burning fireplaces are primarily decorative. Even
heat circulating models still pull a tremendous
amount of air from the home. There are several
wood burning models that are efficient and clean
burning. We also have several wood burning stoves
and inserts that are very efficient. Click here to
find a dealer near you that can help you with your
decision.
What size of gas logs can I install into my
Heatilator or Heat-N-Glo wood burning fireplace?
You will need to consult the operating guide
for your particular fireplace model. If you use
another manufacturer’s gas logs, you need to
maintain the clearances they specify. You can only
install vented gas logs in our wood burning
fireplaces.
Can I install vent-free (room vented) gas logs
into my Heatilator or Heat-N-Glo wood burning
fireplace?
No. Installing vent-free (room vented) gas logs
into our fireplaces presents a potential safety
hazard as these fireplaces have not been tested or
listed by UL or AGA for these applications. Room
vented logsets are designed to be operated with
the fireplace damper closed. This causes firebox
temperatures to rise higher than it is tested to
withstand. See Healthy Hearth benefits.
If I want to convert my wood burning fireplace to
gas, is a set of gas logs or a gas insert going to
be my best option?
Your decision really comes down to how much a
priority heating efficiency is for you. If you
want a lot of heat from your fireplace, or your
fireplace "smoked", or downdrafted when you burned
wood, you should consider a direct vent gas
insert. If your wood burning fireplace vented
properly and you don't want much heat in the room,
gas logs are your best bet. From a cost
standpoint, an insert will cost approximately five
times the cost of a nice gas log set. However,
since the insert is very efficient (70%+) it will
pay for itself over a period of a few years in gas
bill savings. We offer both a full line of inserts
and gas logs. Click here to find a dealer to help
you with the decision.
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