Gas Fireplace as Primary Heat Souce?

[wood]

I have a customer who insists if she runs her Gas Fireplace 24x7 her house stays warm and her furnace only cycles on cold days. (-15 C and below).
I have a couple questions,
1. i know that they should not be used a a primary heat source and as more of a decorative appliance but could someone please re-state the reasons as to why so i can let her know?
2. She has a cold air return right in front of her fireplace and leaves the furnace blower fan on, this may distribute some heat from the fireplace but i would think that the upstairs rooms do not get enough heat from this? does anyone know? i think there was a mythbusters article once produced. . .

[JBCat]

Need to know what kind of gas fireplace??? Vent Free log set, Vented Log set, Direct Vent...Some are heater rated appliances and some are just for decoration. JB

[natgastech]

If it is installed according to the manufacturers certified instructions than she can run it 24/7 no problem. I'd be more concerned of the cost because of the lower efficiency.

[koffinkats]

Its more expensive to run a gas fireplace than a furnace to heat an area unless the home owner spends most of their time in the room of the appliance. the best thing you can do is install a fan if not allredy installed or explane that the fireplace is more of a decoration than a heat source and explane the different colors of flames and what they mean. or just laugh yourself to sleep.

[Piper78]

Depending on what gas F/P she has and the size of the house, it could work.

[BarTech]

I have no doubt about the fireplace heating the house. Regular log set is only 50% efficient if vented. Vent free- 100%. Very good chance of Monoxide. Sounds like more info required.





pay me now or pay me later

[grs7]

We purchased a Napoleon GDS50, 44,000 BTU 3 burner stove type fireplace to replace the electric baseboard heaters in our house. This unit with it's 2 blower fans will heat the house in Southern Ontario very well on the coldest days.

With the blower fans, and a ceiling fan to draw the heat to the upper floor it works well. At a temperature setting of 72F, it will keep the upper floor around 69 to 70F.

For us, retro fitting for a gas furnace was not an option, as the house had been completely renovated just before we bought it.

Overall it has cut our heating cost by over 40%. We have not had to use the 3rd burner yet.