Gas fire

Steve_210

I have a client who wants a gas fire

The house will be very well Insulated bordering on passive

The fire would be just for Aesthetics

Problem is Smallest output They can find is about 18000 BTUs

It would overheat so much they would hardly be able to turn on

Anybody know of something with a really low output

icesailor

Gas Fire:

Are you asking about a unvented gas fireplace log set? They require a working flue otherwise, you may suffer consequences from CO. If it is a listed vented fireplace, it doesn't matter. They turn down.

I doubt that you will see the problem you are worrying about in a real world situation. As long as you follow all applicable codes and regulations.

Steve_210

I did not know

There was such a thing as a unvented gas fire Surely that would be dangerous.

I was just looking for something with a really low output.

Job is being filed with the local department of buildings and I am a licensed plumber.

RobG

Unvented

I think Icesailor is talking about when an existing wood burning fireplace is used and a gas log setup is installed by drilling through the fireplace and running in a gas line. You have to lock the flue open so that it can't be run with the flue closed. Very inefficient, I have not installed one in years.



Rob

vaporvac

Unvented...yes.

There are unvented gas fireplaces that require no venting. They are different from the vented gas log set-ups and aren't allowed in all locals. Just google 'Unvented gas logs or fireplace insert". I had a friend put one in his log since his insurance wouldn't cover a wood-fired one. They didn't seem to mind it unvented, but that's in KY.

Mark Eatherton

A SOLUTION to your dilemma...

Set a large (119 gallon) reverse indirect, and a modcon capable of satisfying the projected DHW load. Then, using the tank as a low loss header/heat exchanger/buffer tank draw energy out of the tank to meet the houses heating needs using a small band (probably 2 foot deep into the room from the outside wall)radiant ceiling and put thermostatic non electric controls on each room, and a DCECM constant pressure circ on the distribution loop, and do a variable speed injection from the tank to the distribution loop,



Heat source can be Solar Thermal, ASHP, GSHP, Mod Con or other hi-efficiency boilers, electric, what ever's clever and economical.



And, as an added bonus, we will throw in a radiant cooling system with a dessicant driven dehumidification system and OSA /ERV for $X,XXX.00…



Save energy, save wear and tear on components, and be EXTREMELY comfortable.



THAT is how you handle one of these Passiv Haus projects.



Keep all energy exchanges in as much a conductive to radiant mode as you can, (good plates or engineered system in the ceiling) regardless of whether you're doing heating or cooling. Maybe tie a GSHP system in to your caissons if they are needed….



Not cheap, but efficient, comfortable and cheap don't go together in a sentence.



Well worth the INVESTMENT in your and your families health, comfort and well being tho….



EDIT: I just re-read your original post and saw the aesthetic fireplace intention. Darned speed reading courses… Oh well, in case you were wondering how YOU might be able to do the comfort system, now you know :-)



As for the fireplace, have them go buy one of those cheap big screen TV's and put it in the opening, and place a loop of a fireplace video with crackling wood sounds on a chip and let it roll. Then, during the summer months they can put pictures of their life on it. Gotta start thinking outside of the box.



One of these days, windows will no longer be around, and a LCD Tv screen will be in its place, with a camera outside of the house and that image showing on the screen… Watch.



Enjoy!



ME

icesailor

That's them:

That's them. They suck for heat but look nice. They are Massachusetts approved, at least one manufacturer is. There are two types. One just shoots raw gas out of a pipe and smokes. The other is actually a Bunsen flame and according to my analyzer, very little CO. Good for summer cottages with fireplaces for Spring and Fall use.

They'll keep a house warm during a power outage. Even with the flue blocked open, it kept the house warm once when the power went out for 38 hours during a Winter Storm.

If you have a off-grid cabina on the lake, it will run on a grill tank.

Weezbo

there was something that i saw one day ...

and i thought

'Hmmmm....'

There wasnt much heat coming out of it though ,

then the guy said

" That is a digital fireplace,"



it really looks like a fireplace buh no heat comes out of it..



like Mark i thought that you had only one reply ..lol



oops!



we live in an ever changing world ..

Tim McElwain

There are

gas valves used on either vented or unvented heaters, unvented have to have an oxygen depletion safety device, that can be set for hi-fire or low fire. Get in touch with your local fireplace store they can set you up with just about anything in the way of vented or unvented.