Q&A AFUE on gas fireplaces

Question:

Can you give me some leads on where to get information on gas fireplace seasonal efficiency when the fireplace or stove is used as a primary heating appliance controlled by a thermostat. i.e. is there a third party rating like AFUE for a gas furnace? Manufacturer's literature uses ambiguous terms like "Efficiency up to 84%."



Answer:

Yes- certain Hearth appliances have AFUE ratings- and others are just tested as "decorative appliances". Check out the companies at http://hearth.com/prod.html. Some make some very high AFUE (over 70%) units...You can email them for specifics if the numbers are not published on their site...