We have a vent-free in our basement also. No problems whatsoever, and I am pretty sensitive to smells/odors. We have a plug-in CO detector; and it has never gone off. Our winters are average (we live in mid-atlantic region) - but since the fireplace is in the basement, we only run it when we're down there. As you say, it looks nice and it provides quite a bit of heat quickly. We got it on clearance last year when Lowes was selling out for the season - about $550 for the fireplace, mantle, remote control, and blower! Not a bad deal at all, considering the local hearth store wanted $1,000 minimum for a vent-free.

i think most of the DV units come with a valve that enables you to lower the flame anywhere from medium to high (these are my terms). we have a DV insert (Jotul) that has that feature, and we set the flame height right around the middle, which works fine, although I think we could turn it down just a little bit. The other way of controlling the heat output is by thermostat, which is typically an optional extra on these units. We got one that looks like a remote for the TV, and it shuts the unit off when it reaches the preset temp. Residual radiant heat continues when the unit is down, espectially if the surround is cast iron, as is ours. The trick is figuring out where in the room to place the thermostat and what the setting should be. That takes some trial and error. Our unit also has a blower which has (I think) 2 speeds. We haven't used it yet, but I think it might circulate the heated air more evenly, and at the slow setting it doesn't make too much noise. The DV units do throw off a lot of heat, which is what they are intended to do. We're still zeroing in on the optimal settings for our purposes. When it heats up, it sometimes feels like a blast furnace just before the thermostat stops it, but I do not think we should have bought a unit with less heating capacity. I think it's good to have a unit with more capacity than you usually need because on those rare occasions when we get a power outage in an ice storm, we'll probably need the reserve capacity.

Since your fireplace is not against an outside wall, that does pose complications. A direct vent fireplace would be complicated and costly to install. But you might consider a direct vent gas stove, either cast iron or soapstone. These are free-standing units that have to be some distance from combustible surfaces (the wall behind and on either side of the stove), and they have to stand on a noncombustible surface such as brick, tile, or slate. There would be a chimney that goes up from the rear of the stove to the ceiling, through the ceiling, and continuing on through the roof to the outside. If yours is a 2-story house, the cost would of course be higher than if it is a on-story house, and you'd have to figure out where the chimney would occupy space in your upper floor(s), peferrably in a closet where it would not be seen. A friend of mine had such a system in their 2-story house, but it was planned before construction, whereas yours would be retrofitted. All of this sounds complicated and expensive, and probably is, which is probably why the previous owner put in ventless. Although electric would not give you the kind of performance you get from gas, I would not dismiss it. Some electric units are pretty good. Just stay away from gas ventless.

Thank you for your note. We tried to return it, unfortunately, they will not let us return it. Our interior designer chose another fireplace that has a "frame piece" that covers the grill part and then the mantel goes on the outside of that piece, hence why we are trying to sell this one.