Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 15, 1999 11:16am | #1

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   Some of them profess to have a catylst on the metal screen that results in more complete combustion (i.e. less carbon monoxide). But it has to generate carbon dioxide and water vapor so I've always thought of them as a warehouse thing, not inside a tight house. Have you found any rated for household use? -David

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 15, 1999 03:28pm | #2

   *Neil,Ask your client if they'd like you to move the garage door to the living room wall so they could just park the car inside and let it idle for warmth and comfort.ORTell them if they insist on a ventless that you recommend automatic window openers so they don't forget. When the heater goes on the windows in the room open.I considered the notion of ventless when selecting heat system for my own home.Even a little CO can't be good and the elevated CO2 and H2O must be a problem. There are similar units with great efficiency that direct vent. As long as you can select a location on an outside wall you can hook it up and safety increases.I'll bet within 20 years ventless will cause enough health problems,, and perhaps deaths that they'll be banned.

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   Neil | Apr 15, 1999 07:59pm | #3

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   David - W.W. Grainger's list about 20 vent-free infrared heaters for use in living space. Page 3418 in their current #390 catalog or http://www.grainger.com. The units are manufactured by Rinnai.

   I have always been opposed to regular vent free heaters, but was not sure about where the infrared units stood on moisture and fume output.

   Thanks for you input. Your's too Mike.

   Neil

3. 
   Guest_ | Apr 15, 1999 11:25pm | #4

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   They've got CO detectors now that look like smoke detectors and only cost a little more ($30 to $50). Added one to a rental house we where in with a oil furnace I didn't like the looks of. First time it went off, I felt like you got my money's worth.

4. 
   JohnE | Apr 17, 1999 12:43pm | #5

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   Here's a simple and illustrative example of putting any ventless fossil fuel combustion apparatus in a confined envelope.
   Put a plastic bread wrapper over your nose & mouth. Breathe.
   Do you see how collected the water vapor starts condensing on the cool walls of the bag?
   Feel your breathing rate rapidly increases to the point of panic. Find the bruises resulting from loosing consciousness and the abrupt stop upon striking the floor.
   The example may be a bit dramatic, but is very close to the circumstances in your house. IF natural gas was pure methane, the products of ideal combustion is only water & CO^2. Combustion is not perfect (even catalyzed)and natural gas is not pure. CO and sulfur bearing compounds are the inevitable result.
   Ask a fire fighter why they wear a Scott Pak into a suspected burning building. They learned a long time ago that the invisible by-products of combustions will kill you long before the flame.

   Cheers
   JE

   Fortunately, most house are not sealed well and you open the door frequently.

5. 
   Neil_Glass | Apr 17, 1999 01:11pm | #6

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   A customer has asked for ventless infrared LP gas heaters for their home. (A wall mounted unit in one or two rooms for supplemental heat.) Do infrared heaters produce the same fumes and moisture as a "regular" ventless heater?
   Thanks,
   Neil Glass
   Glass & Valentine Renovations