Wall Furnace Or Wall Heater

[Fire Bug]

Was there a time a few years ago when many of the DV Gas Fireplaces and DV Gas Fireplace Inserts were rated as "Wall Furnaces"instead of "Wall Heaters"?
I guess the AFUE ratings are what gives these units these designations.
Has the AFUE ratings changed and also changed the Furnace/Heater designations?
I swear, when was going to purchase my Heat & Glow FB Grand Insert that it was rated as a "Wall Furnace" and now the same inserts are rated wall heaters.

Thanks,
John

 

[R&D Guy]

Could just be the wording was changed by marketing. AFUE has what's considered "Heater Rated" and it's an efficiency number based on BTU. So a 15K BTU unit has to have a higher efficiency percentile than a 60K BTU unit.

As I've said a number of times, don't take the AFUE numbers very seriously. They are unregulated, meaning the mfg prints whatever they want and no one challenges them. It's not like an EnergyStar rating or CSA.

What kind of numbers is H&G;claiming for this unit?

 

[Fire Bug]

Could just be the wording was changed by marketing. AFUE has what's considered "Heater Rated" and it's an efficiency number based on BTU. So a 15K BTU unit has to have a higher efficiency percentile than a 60K BTU unit.

As I've said a number of times, don't take the AFUE numbers very seriously. They are unregulated, meaning the mfg prints whatever they want and no one challenges them. It's not like an EnergyStar rating or CSA.

What kind of numbers is H&G;claiming for this unit?

Hi R&D;,
My Heat & Glow FB Grand LP Insert is rated at AFUE of 75%.
I think that the way these Gas fireplaces, Inserts,and Stoves is very misleading to the public and potential consumers of these items.
Most people, including myself ask a dealer how many BTU's a unit is and the dealer usually has the standard reply of 32K, 36K, 40K, etc., when truly this is not the case, but the units are usually much less than this when you take into account the units AFUE Ratings.
For example; Heat & Glow FB Grand: 36,000 BTU's Input (LP) X AFUE Rating: 75% =27,000 BTU's Output.
FB Grand (NG): 40,000 BTU's X AFUE Rating 75% = 30,000 BTU's Output.
Jotul Firelight II DV600 Propane Stove: 40,000 BTU's(LP) X 85% AFUE Rating 85%: 40,000 X 85%= 34,000 BTU's Output.
These final output BTU's are considerably less than the potential customer thinks he is getting in the unit he purchases.
The Hearth Industry should set standards and make it mandatory that the units are sold by the Output BTU's and not the Input BTU's. IMO.
Thanks,
John