This is similar to one of the problems I deal with, growing indoors, as I do... our winter heating source is a wall-mounted propane unit. It dries the air terribly, but other than that, it doesn't seem to have an adverse affect on any plants. Two ceiling fans at either end of the one large room circulate the air very well. Compensating for the dry air, and the lower winter light, seem to be about the only things I can do to help. I will be very glad to move into a home with normal heating and cooling systems, which should happen in about a year!

If you are considering a ventless gas fireplace you should read the many discussions about their safety on the GardenWeb Fireplace Forum and elsewhere. Because their safe use depends on proper installation (even the log arrangement) and the ability of a detector in the unit to turn it off when the CO level is dangerous, I will not specify them. Here is a quote from Consumer Reports provided by Grinder12000 on the Fireplace Forum: "An unvented gas fireplace that's safely sized needn't pose any acute health hazard. But our tests confirm that these heaters contribute significantly to indoor air pollution. If you're planning to buy a gas fireplace, a vented model should be your first choice. That's especially wise if any household member has asthma or another respiratory ailment that may be exacerbated by particulate matter, or if your home is very airtight--and so will disperse the fireplace's emissions less readily." "A vented gas fireplace needn't cost more to buy and install than an unvented model, since some units require only a fairly small vent pipe that runs horizontally to any outside wall." "If you do decide to buy an unvented gas fireplace, here's how to ensure it operates as safely as possible:" * "Observe GRI guidelines. Insist that the contractor not exceed them when sizing your fireplace." * "Limit its use. Though occasional extended use of an unvented fireplace should pose little long-term health risk, we suggest limiting operation to no more than a few hours at a stretch, as a rule." * "Provide extra ventilation. Leave at least one window open in the space where the fireplace operates." * "Buy only a certified package. Some fireplaces are sold as two separate components: a "firebox" and a "logset"--the component that contains the burners and logs. Ask the contractor to confirm, through the owners' manual or an American Gas Association label on the logset, that the two components are compatible. A dealer sold us a fireplace firebox with another brand's logset he claimed was suitable. He was wrong; the combination emitted higher levels of carbon monoxide than is desirable until we obtained a logset that was approved for that firebox." * "Use a CO alarm. That dealer error aside, the fireplaces we tested showed no propensity to generate any carbon monoxide (CO). Also, some models claim to shut off should carbon monoxide levels ever rise. However, we recommend use of a CO alarm with any combustion appliance, including an unvented fireplace." Here is a link that might be useful: Fireplace Forum

I looked into Isokern too & here is what I found: Most Crackerbarrel restaurants on the East Coast have a 72 " wide Isokern in them. A real woodburning fireplace that gets used in every CrackerBarrel especially during wintertime. These units are like modified Rumford style fireplaces, they really put out HEAT. Isokern East Coast distributor is in Jacksonville, Fl & they have several regional offices. Yes, the item is imported from Denmark, they have a recommendation list featuring Trump Towers, Marriott & Ritz Carlton & Cracker Barrel. They have a model called Fire Lite which can be built on a combustable floor as long as it has engineered truss floor to support 2,000 lbs. Most new homes have this truss bearing load built in to their houses without requesting it. They can also be built in almost 96% of the basements on the East Coast as the Code requires 3500psi concrete in the IRC2003 code book. The indor units are dealer installed, the outdoor patio models may be installed by your Mason. They vent this model (Fire Lite) into a Metal round 14" dual lined chimney. The other Isokern models also support a Brick Ledge so that Brick doesn't have to run all the way to the footers. They (Isokern) have several models ranging from a patio models to indor models from 36 to 72" wide hearths. NONE of these units will take an insert. They are strictly designed to be real OPEN use fire burners or to be used with a gas burning log kit. The thing I like is that you can have the option of either in an Isokern. Perfect for my woodburning days now & we I can't slog the load of logs anymore, I will convert the unit to propane (should it still be available :>)) The FireRock fireplaces are more of an West Coast fireplace company; haven't seen many units on the east coast so I can't comment on them. Here is a link that might be useful: Isokern & Why I chose Isokern

JudyG I should’ve mentioned it’s a ventless fireplace. We’ve had a fireplace guy and our contractor check it out. We’re looking for a mason to clean up the brick, fix up the opening and paint the firebox black. Then we’ll need to lay a new hearth. Rory- Construction Junction sent me their available mantels about a month ago but nothing that would work but I’m going to check again. Thanks everyone! We’re going to keep it all exposed. Now still have to figure out what mantel will look good 😕