Gas Logs
It was about 20 to 25 years ago that cement fireplace logs started showing up in fireplaces. If you were around back in those days you remember that these first logs were pretty fake looking and the flames didn't look right either.
Today, I'm sure that if you saw a high quality set of gas logs actually burning, most likely you would think they were real. Today's logs are very real looking, in fact you can find them looking like several different wood species. The vented gas logs contain vermiculite and glass wool. When the flames burn around these items, it looks just like glowing embers, exactly like you would see in a real wood fire.
At first there was only one type of log and that was the vented type. The vented type log requires a working chimney. These logs produce a large amount of heat but there is a reason the damper must be open so a large amount of that heat goes right up the chimney. The reason for this is because of carbon monoxide, a deadly, toxic gas. The carbon monoxide results from a low tech burner that is used to combust the gas. To keep people safe the gas has to be vented, and so the heat follows.
Today we have a second type of cement gas logs, the vent free type. Vent free logs are entirely different. They have specially designed burners that are not covered by anything, they are behind and beneath the logs. These burners combust with enough air so as to burn at the highest efficiency rates, producing very minimum amounts of carbon monoxide. Vent free logs approved by the American Gas Association are equipped with oxygen depletion sensors for your health. These logs are not as realistic as the vented logs because you can not cover them with anything, thus no burning embers.
G. Leer owns and operates http://www.yourbestfireplaces.com - Best Fireplace For You
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