The allure of a cozy fire on a chilly night is almost irresistible, so it should come as no surprise that a fireplace is often a must-have feature for many homeowners. But what if you don’t already have a fireplace and adding one to your home would prove infeasible due to cost or space constraints?

If this sounds like your situation, you may want to consider a vent-free fireplace. Vent-free (or ventless) fireplaces require no flue for venting fumes associated with a fire’s combustion and therefore can be installed in places where a standard fireplace wouldn’t be possible.

Below we will look at all of the possible benefits a vent-free fireplace has to offer. We’ll also consider possible disadvantages that they may have, discuss different styles, and also briefly touch on what the installation process may look like for you.

A Few Advantages of Vent-Free Fireplaces

Vent-free fireplaces offer many tangible advantages over traditional fireplaces beyond their lack of need for a typical chimney structure. Without a required chimney, a ventless fireplace has much more versatility when it comes to the areas of the home it can be installed and enjoyed in.

Ventless fireplaces can also be advantageous for the following reasons:

• They are typically cheaper to install. When compared to $8,000 (or more) to have a new traditional fireplace put in, ventless fireplaces are much more economical, costing roughly $1,000 to $5,000 to both purchases and have professionally installed.
• There is no need to mount a new flue. This is the main advantage that vent-free fireplaces boast. Due to their ventless design, these fireplaces draw air directly from the room they are placed in and combine the oxygen with fuel in an ultra-efficient and unique flame-producing process. Many further benefits that ventless fireplaces maintain are derived from this process.
• Ventless fireplaces are more efficient. Due to their uniquely vent-free nature, these fireplaces must burn off their fuel source (either natural gas or propane) nearly completely. This means that the fires are much more efficient, even when compared to traditional vented gas fireplaces. Thanks to the unique system they use to combine oxygen with gas, these fireplaces operate at 99% efficiency.
• Vent-free fireplaces produce more heat. Thanks to their combustion process, ventless fireplaces are able to quickly and evenly heat a room. The lack of a vent means that no ancillary heat escapes through the chimney system and that all of the warmth that is produced is directed out into the room.
• They are easy to maintain. Unlike a traditional wood-burning fireplace, ventless fireplaces require little maintenance. There is no need for the expense of hiring a chimney sweep or undertaking messy chores such as cleaning up and disposing of the remnants of a fire, like spent wood and ashes. And when compared to similarly low-maintenance vented gas fireplaces, vent-free options don’t have the same need for periodic safety inspections of their chimney or flue structures.
• Ventless fireplaces are more versatile. The last benefit that vent-free fireplaces have is their sheer flexibility when it comes to where they can be suitability placed. Thanks to the lack of need for vents, these fireplaces can often be installed anywhere from office buildings and apartments to manufactured mobile homes or even penthouse suites. This means you can get supplemental heat right where you want it.

In short, when compared to other fireplaces, ventless options are more efficient, cheaper to install, and quicker to warm a room. And best of all, they allow you to imagine having a fireplace in almost any room. This means, as long as your bathroom has proper airflow, your dreams of a fireside bubble bath can become a distinct reality!

Potential Disadvantages of Vent-Free Fireplaces

Ventless fireplaces are not without some controversy, most of which stems from the fact that the lack of a chimney structure means that any byproducts produced will have nowhere to escape but back into your home.

This means if the burner is not calibrated correctly there is a risk of carbon monoxide flowing into your room. Additionally, since vent-free fireplaces pull air directly from the room they are in, there is an additional risk that they may lower the oxygen level of the room to unhealthy levels. For this reason, each ventless fireplace is ANSI-certified and comes with a built-in Oxygen Depletion Sensor (ODS) that will automatically shut off the fireplace if the oxygen levels of a room drop too low.

Due to these risks, installing ventless fireplaces is outlawed in two states, California, and Massachusetts. Some other local municipalities have bans on them as well, so it is important to check before planning to purchase one.

While the risk is still minimal if your ventless fireplace is properly installed, this issue is nonetheless one that manufacturers of ventless fireplaces have come to design for. Vent-free fireplaces are required to have advanced monitoring capabilities that will shut the fireplace off if they sense there is too much carbon monoxide or too little oxygen in the room. Thanks to these safety features owning and operating a ventless fireplace pose little more risk than a standard fireplace.

In addition to the above potential drawbacks, there are a few other aspects potential owners should know about.

• Vent-free fireplaces shouldn’t be installed in a sealed room. Although not true for every space, there is the additional risk of installing a ventless fireplace in bathrooms or bedrooms if they don’t have enough natural airflow. To ensure the safety of your fireplace, make sure you adhere to all minimal room size guidelines your manufacturer gives when choosing where your ventless fireplace will be installed.
• They can produce moisture during operation. In addition to harmful fumes possibly being expelled by ventless units, they also are known to expel excess moisture into the air when in use. This can increase the risk of mold or mildew if not properly taken care of. One simple solution is to crack a window in the room your fireplace is placed in to allow any extra moisture to escape. This moisture will also cause any odors in the room to intensify, such as any air fresheners or candles.
• Some fumes produced during use will escape unvented. While each fireplace undergoes rigorous testing in order to ensure adherence to safety standards, a small number of harmful fumes will be produced and enter your room due to the innate nature of vent-free fireplaces. So if a member of the household suffers from asthma or severe allergies, this may not be the best choice for you.

Now that we know more about the positives and negatives of vent-free fireplaces, let’s look at different types of ventless fireplaces and which might be right for you.

What are the Different Types of Vent-Free Fireplaces?

Three main types of ventless fireplaces are available to consumers, and each has its pros and cons for both installation and use.

• Vent-free gas logs: Gas logs are typically used in existing masonry fireplaces. While this requires your space to have an existing fireplace you can repurpose, they otherwise can operate just as any vent-free system would. This is great if you want to take advantage of features a ventless fireplace has, such as increased efficiency and warmth, while also doing away with the need to maintain a traditional chimney system.

• Complete Vent-free fireplaces: These particular ventless fireplaces usually require installation into spaces without an existing fireplace. Because of this, they are typically added as part of a renovation or addition. Once installed, your vent-free fireplace will resemble a traditional masonry fireplace, except it’ll lack a chimney system.

• Vent-free inserts: Fireplace inserts are a common way to improve an existing fireplace’s looks and efficiency without having to undertake pricey remodeling work. These are pre-made units that will be inserted into an existing fireplace’s hearth and then will function as a typical ventless unit would. The positives are that these units don’t need to use your existing chimney’s infrastructure and they also don’t require an extensive installation like a vent-free fireplace does.

Deciding which of the above is right for you will largely depend on your space and budget. Typically vent-free gas logs and ventless inserts will be more economical than installing a completely new ventless fireplace as part of a renovation or remodeling. Each will have different restrictions when it comes to minimum room size and airflow requirements. Talking to a professional will help you figure out if where you want to place your ventless fireplace is possible and an estimated cost for doing so.

What to Look Out for When Installing Vent-Free Fireplaces

Vent-free fireplaces should always be installed by a professional.

The first reason why you would want to have your ventless fireplace installed by a professional is to ensure they are safe to operate. If the gas supply is affected in any way, your fireplace may not burn at maximum efficiency and therefore poses a greater risk for carbon monoxide poisoning.

Furthermore, a professional will also be able to ensure your vent-free fireplace has the most even and robust flame presentation possible.

If the vent-free fireplace you are installing will need a gas line run to it, this is also a job that only a certified professional should undertake. A plumber or gas specialist will be able to run a gas line to your new appliance and can even convert most models from propane to natural gas or vice versa as needed by your situation’s fuel source.

Lastly, even if your fireplace already comes with sensors to detect oxygen and CO levels, it is still best practice to install separate carbon monoxide detectors in the room your fireplace will be in for an additional layer of safety and protection from automated system failures.

We’re Always Here to Help!

There you have it, everything you should know about ventless fireplace options. It’s a lot to cover, but we hope you now better understand how ventless fireplaces work and their unique utility as a fireplace type.

Is there something you think we missed? Do you have more questions, or are you simply ready to take the next step towards getting a vent-free fireplace of your own? Feel free to reach out to us through email or call 866-848-3473 to get knowledgeable advice from our team of NFI-certified specialists who will be happy to assist you every step of the way. In the meantime browse our selection for more information or take a look through the other articles in our Learning Center.

• Ventless vs Direct Vent Fireplaces
• Fireplace Doors Buyer's Guide
• Ventless vs Vented Gas Logs