- Nov 27, 2012
- 0
Question:
We have a 2 sided fireplace, the second opening was added long after the house was built. After the second opening was added, although the draft seems fine, the flames reach for the sky, after a while the house smells of smoke and there is a smoky haze. To cure this problem we thought we would install gas logs and we have a few questions.
1. Are unvented logs the cure?
2. Are there 2 sided logs for my situation?
3. My fireplace is 30'' deep and 35'' wide. What size logs do you recommend?
4. What brands do you recommend?
5. Do unvented logs burn so hot that there are no fumes or am I just substituting gas fumes for wood fumes?
6.I have a wood mantel on one side of the fireplace. Is the heat from invented gas logs such that I should do something about this, and is so, what?
7. Should I choose partially vented gas logs or will my situation cause fumes to sty in the house?
Answer:
Wow! Many questions.
It seems to me that the problem started when the second side was opened, yet the flue size was not adjusted to the newly added volume of air & smoke. The original flue, damper, and smoke shelf chamber was designed for Side #1. Side #2 threw this out of whack, or at least it seems to be based on your description. Ever consider glass doors to cut down on the air volume?
Answer #1: Possibly, but consider vented logs first.
Answer #2: There are double-sided logs available. Don't go to Home Depot for these because they should be of high quality.
Answer #3: This will depend on the actual products you select, because they will require room on each side foe piping &/or valves. Probably a 24" or 30" wide set.
Answer #4: There are many top brands, including Peterson, Hargrove, Monessen, Rasmussen, & Golden Blount.
Answer #5: Unvented products do burn very clean. There's no reason, however, that you cannot leave the damper open a little to vent any "fumes," as there may be some fumes based on the odors present in your house that will be drawn into the combustion zone and burned.
Answer #6: All unvented logs have specific criteria regarding mantel & trim clearances. It will vary product to product. You may have to shield the mantel.
Answer #7: This is very difficult to determine sitting here. Fireplace designs are all over the spectrum, and things you may have done to your home may also be affecting the pressures within the home. This can affect a fireplace's ability to draw properly. You should get a professional to your home to review this. Perhaps they have a used set that can be set up w/a portable tank to determine if the gas log set will vent properly.
You may even wish to have a couple of fireplace construction professional assess your current design to determine if woodburning can be salvaged. Perhaps a modification can be made. Visit this industry links page by Craig Issod, and hopefully you can get a few contacts from it. https://www.hearth.com/what/links.html You have a lot of work to do, but through diligence, a solution will occur.
Link: HearthNet Links Page
We have a 2 sided fireplace, the second opening was added long after the house was built. After the second opening was added, although the draft seems fine, the flames reach for the sky, after a while the house smells of smoke and there is a smoky haze. To cure this problem we thought we would install gas logs and we have a few questions.
1. Are unvented logs the cure?
2. Are there 2 sided logs for my situation?
3. My fireplace is 30'' deep and 35'' wide. What size logs do you recommend?
4. What brands do you recommend?
5. Do unvented logs burn so hot that there are no fumes or am I just substituting gas fumes for wood fumes?
6.I have a wood mantel on one side of the fireplace. Is the heat from invented gas logs such that I should do something about this, and is so, what?
7. Should I choose partially vented gas logs or will my situation cause fumes to sty in the house?
Answer:
Wow! Many questions.
It seems to me that the problem started when the second side was opened, yet the flue size was not adjusted to the newly added volume of air & smoke. The original flue, damper, and smoke shelf chamber was designed for Side #1. Side #2 threw this out of whack, or at least it seems to be based on your description. Ever consider glass doors to cut down on the air volume?
Answer #1: Possibly, but consider vented logs first.
Answer #2: There are double-sided logs available. Don't go to Home Depot for these because they should be of high quality.
Answer #3: This will depend on the actual products you select, because they will require room on each side foe piping &/or valves. Probably a 24" or 30" wide set.
Answer #4: There are many top brands, including Peterson, Hargrove, Monessen, Rasmussen, & Golden Blount.
Answer #5: Unvented products do burn very clean. There's no reason, however, that you cannot leave the damper open a little to vent any "fumes," as there may be some fumes based on the odors present in your house that will be drawn into the combustion zone and burned.
Answer #6: All unvented logs have specific criteria regarding mantel & trim clearances. It will vary product to product. You may have to shield the mantel.
Answer #7: This is very difficult to determine sitting here. Fireplace designs are all over the spectrum, and things you may have done to your home may also be affecting the pressures within the home. This can affect a fireplace's ability to draw properly. You should get a professional to your home to review this. Perhaps they have a used set that can be set up w/a portable tank to determine if the gas log set will vent properly.
You may even wish to have a couple of fireplace construction professional assess your current design to determine if woodburning can be salvaged. Perhaps a modification can be made. Visit this industry links page by Craig Issod, and hopefully you can get a few contacts from it. https://www.hearth.com/what/links.html You have a lot of work to do, but through diligence, a solution will occur.
Link: HearthNet Links Page