haus_proud, Yes. My door set is leaky. I took them off and noticed no insulation on the sides and top. Hopefully it is safe to add some. The tops of the bifold doors are a bit leaky too. I wonder it there is some thing I can put there to seal them better that is NOT flamible. Otherwise I think a better door set would solve my problem with the vented log set. You are right. I ran out at lunch to HD and Lowes and they have sets for $250 or less BUT the local fireplace store has them starting at $675.....thats out of our range! I am guessing there is a huge difference. Out set looks nice though my wife wishes it were black instead of bronze. In fact I was going to repaint them with high heat paint. Maybe I'll just try s set from Lowes....likely not as good as $&700 set but hopefully better than the 20 year old set on there now that needs to be insulated and painted! Again, if I use the unvented set with the damper OPEN, I'd think I'd be eliminating the pollution issue but maybe not. If I knew it would eliminate that then I'd think they would be the way to go.

Kerosene heaters have caused more fires than CO deaths of course. Kerosene heaters were not that much of a threat in older homes that only had caulk in places to keep water out. Most people who used kerosene heaters when they were popular for home heating were used to alternative heating sources and made sure there was ventilation of some sort. You seem to want to go back to old days when things were more forgiving. Houses were not sealed up near like they are now. I am sure that ventless fireplaces are manufactured to compensate for tighter homes than back in the 80's but there are many different sealing techniques out there. The ventless fireplace you purchase might be fine in your home if all of the warnings and everything are followed. If you helped your friend put one in his home that has Tyvek and spray foam insulation with no CO detector he might be dead in a week. The warnings are out there.. homes are not the same now as they were back in the days before the big sealing and insulating push. Take an 80's kerosene heater and put it in a better sealed and insulated home and watch the CO detector go off. You know what I have had it with trying to tiptoe. I am sure the majority of ventless fireplaces are still designed for 'vented' homes. I am also sure there are some that are designed for very well sealed homes, you might have to add a power vent to change some of the air in the home. I know someone who has one in a newer home and I can smell it as soon as the door opens even if it hasn't been running for a couple hours. They are 'used to it'.. it feels nice, but it smells and does leave a smell. They are not totally happy with it and it will set off the CO detector if you sit the detector on the floor instead of 2' off the floor or whatever it is supposed to be at. Oh and this is an electric home other than the propane fireplace they had added, oh and no they do NOT sleep with it on as they do not trust it. I say go buy one, you will love it I am sure! I am sure it is all BS, I am sure it all is a bunch of people trying to naysay and scam others. They are so great that the only reason companies build vented models is for something to write off on taxes. Everyone in here is full of BS too. BTW I know of stories where there have been power outages due to storms with newer homes where people used a kerosene heater to keep warm and died from it and the heater was inspected and had no failure. The only failure was the house was TOO sealed up. OH this person I know is an assistant fire chief. Like anything else you will get what you pay for.. be it vented or unvented.. but with unvented you might 'pay for' what you get eternally. What am I talking about... I am full of BS. I wish you luck and hope you realize its not all a conspiracy theory.

I read your post with curiosity. All unvented and vented gas logs are listed with BTU output and are for heat especially in the case of power outages, The part about the oxygen sensor is correct although today many ventless gas logs come with both and I have added a carbon monixide sensor next to mine as everyone should do if they have any gas appliance in the home. Also some smell is normal, read the description near the end of the article. You are correct when you say that your not suppose to operate too long but you left out the end of the sentence, where it says before opening a window. Again near the end of the article. This is basically what my instructions say. Your gas log instructions must be 25 years old. This comparison is virtually the same as I had seen on every manufactures web site I looked at. This is copied from The Peterson Gas Log web site. Vented vs. Ventless Gas Logs - BACK TO PETERSON GAS LOGS When shopping for gas logs, you'll be asked to choose whether you want vented or vent-free logs. This decision comes down to several factors including looks vs. efficiency, local building codes and placement of the fireplace. With vented logs, you'll enjoy a large, realistic-looking flame that operates with an open chimney flue, or damper. These logs, which simulate a wood-burning fire, are more decorative than they are efficient as a heat source because much of the generated heat goes up the chimney. Vent-free logs, which operate with the chimney flue closed, will not give you that roaring fire effectthe flame is not as realistic or as high as you'll find with vented logs. But, vent-free logs are an efficient heat source because 100% of the heat generated stays in your home. You'll often see vent-free logs referred to as "vent-free heaters" because that is essentially what they are. They consist of U-shaped burners with cement logs stacked on top of the heating element. Most sets have a thermostatic control that helps maintain a consistent room temperature. Vent-free heaters add moisture to the air, so it's important to install them in a room with proper ventilation to avoid formation of mildew. Before installing any gas log system, check your local and state codes. In some localities, vent-free heaters are not permitted. Vent-free heaters are not permitted in bedrooms, bathrooms or recreational vehicles, and must be installed in an area where curtains, furniture, clothing or other flammable objects are at least 36 inches away from the perimeter of the heater. Vent-free heater installation also is not recommended in high traffic, windy or drafty areas. Vented Gas Logs: Positive Features of Vented Gas Logs: * Extremely realistic flame pattern that looks like a wood fire. * Flame is much taller than vent-free logs * Flame dances and wraps around logs like real wood. * Does not require a Carbon Monoxide (CO) detector Since the damper is open, most of the smell will go up the chimney Negative Features of Vented Gas Logs: * Less heat than vent-free logs (probably won't heat your room) * Uses slightly more gas than vent-free logs Ventless Gas Logs: Positive Features of Vent-Free Gas Logs: * Much better heat output than vented gas logs * Less pollution * Slightly less gas consumption Negative Features of Vent-Frees Gas Logs: * Since the byproduct of burning gas cleanly is water, vent-free logs will introduce excess moisture into your home which can result in mold or mildew. * You must be careful not to burn your vent-free logs for extended periods of time with windows closed, otherwise they will deplete the oxygen in your home. * If you burn your vent-free logs for more than an hour or so, you must crack open a window to allow air into your home to replace the oxygen burned by the vent-free gas logs. This will introduce cold air into the room and offset some of the heating benefits that vent-free logs claim to have. * Vent-free gas logs produce an odor that many people equate to the smell of burning kerosene. So if you have a sensitive nose, you may not be able to handle the smell and will be greatly dissatisfied with vent-free logs. On the other hand, we've heard some people who like the smell because it reminds them of their childhood days at Grandma's house. * Vent-free logs are not legal in California as well as some cities and municipalities. Please check your local regulations. Please note that it is not illegal to use Vent-free log sets if they are used with the vent open. * Vent-free gas logs are required to have an ODS (oxygen depletion system) as well as a Carbon Monoxide (CO) detector. * The flame pattern with vent-free logs pails in comparison to vented logs. Because the gas must burn cleanly, the flame height is very low and most of it is blue. Also, you will find that the flame does not dance around like a real wood fire and very little of the flame actually touches the logs. The reason for this is that when the flame touches the logs, it gets cooled off and does not burn cleanly and starts to produce soot and exhaust gases.

stever500: I hope these electronic control systems in modern appliances are not crash-prone. Let's hope we don't have to reboot our washers. :- Since you mention having your forced-air heating ducts cleaned, I would recommend it. You probably have A/C on there, which means usage almost all year. The reason I recommend you clean them is because of the dust, dirt, skin flakes, mold spores, hair, dander, candy wrappers and a number of other things that could be lost in there...recirculating through your entire house. I'm touchy on this subject because I currently live in a 60 year old house that certainly wasn't meant to last this long. (Alaska's climate isn't delicate.) This place is packed with mold and mildew. (Our relief is that we're moving after the beginning of the year.) I'm grateful that this house doesn't have forced air heat because the mold and mildew would be out of control. I would nip it in the bud and keep it healthy. Besides, you can sell the house and say, "The vents are safe!" I've actually been concerned about the dryer in this house (a rental house). It's from the 80's and, to my knowledge has never been cleaned. Fortunately, the duct goes from the dryer to a short flexible (plastic?) tube and right out the wall. This thing would be in dryer heaven if it could line up with the hole in the wall. It wouldn't have a single bend. (What also scares me is that the water heater is wedged in next to it, ready to ignite the dust.) I have a feeling that vent build-up is overlooked by most of us. Congrats on getting it discovered!