...if your still around, how did you vent free set work out? We just went thru what you did. They tried to sell us and insert which does have the benefit of not dumping moisture in the home. Still we just wanted a pretty flame to look at a few times a week with out the mess and smell of wood. $450 vs $3000. We almost got a vented set but leaving the damper open on a vented log set seemed as though I'd either be letting hot air out or cold air in. We just ordered a vent free set. It says in the manual that it CAN be operated as a vented set by opening the damper. This works for me! We might not get as big a flame as with the vented but I can close my damper when not in use and if my power ever fails I'll have some backup heat. We, like you, may even try leaving the damper partially closed to let a little heat in. I would think if moisture was going to be an issue it would be apparent. We do have an open floor plan as well. So if you out there, how did you make out---any problems, smeels, allergies etc.? PS Someone mentioned eyes watering after the unit runs 4+ hours. Is this appicable to vent free units only or any type of fire. I never heard this before. If applicable to vent free only...why would this occur? I doubt we'd ever use the thing more than an hour or two at a time.

Hi, I recently moved into a house with a direct vent Insta-Flame gas fireplace (Model FSDV-30 TN) and now I've learned that this fireplace is unsafe due to a potential relief damper issue (http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2012/15058a-eng.php). So now I'm wondering if an option would be to pull out the guts and replace them with a new set of gas logs. Has anyone attempted this and is this sort of thing possible? My common sense tells me that this is a direct vented box like any other fireplace would be so I should be able to do so? I have no experience with fireplaces but I am very mechanically inclined and I do understand the safety concerns when working with gas. If the job is possible but above me I have no problems hiring a pro to do the work. Thanks for your help. Jeff

There are no moving parts in a gas logs system than can wear out. If you clean it periodically, depending on how often you use it, it should last a good long time. The only thing that could go wrong is some corrosion of chimney parts that are exposed to the outside. But even that should not happen so fast unless a storm damaged your chimney. Go to another gas logs dealer.

I wish someone would answer you, I was going to post something similar myself. We have a contract on a home and I had the chimney inspected today (realtor says I'm the only person in her entire career to have a chimney inspection, but you'll see why) Inspector told me the flue tiles needed to be replaced and the to reline a chimney was about $4K-$5K or could have the tiles that needed to be repaired which iwas about half that price - he wasn't positive on pricing as he does not do this type of work. He actually called me back and the low end pricing from the company gave him a guesstimate of $1500-$2500 depending on what I decided to actually have done. Originally, this was a wood burning chimney and now is gas. I know there was an issue with the damper not opening correctly and was having the owners clean it out before the inspection. Due to the issue above, he didn't do the cleaning - not until we decided what to do about the flue issue. Anyhow, I'm not putting out any more money on the home, it would be the owners who'd have to repair. My realtor called me back a little while later and said the listing agent spoke to the owners and came up with what they think would be a solution - a vent free gas fireplace. Since I'm a Floridian who's never had a fireplace in her life, I know nothing about any of this. I'm trying to find out if what they are proposing, how it differs from the gas fireplace that's there already. Will what they put in look the same as what's there now? They claim it's more energy efficient. I'm glad you are asking the questions you did above because I wouldn't have known to ask them, so I really hope someone knowledgable will answer. In the meantime, I was given the name of a guy who does gas fireplaces for a living. Will try to reach him and if I can , ask those questions and let you know what I may be able to find. If I go with the ventless, I'm still having them clean out the damper. With it not opening all the way, that means cool air is still coming in, and in summer, cool are is going out. Please let me know if you came across any info. THANKS!!!