Any one use a ventless gas stove for heating.???

[kenmac]

Now that you mention it... that would be a great addition to my garage/shop. I have a bit of an issue plumbing from my main tank but I suppose buying a smaller dedicated tank wouldn't be a big problem. Thanks sld! Not sure why I didn't think of that before. I have been using a kerosene portable heater and the kerosene is not cheap and a bit of pain to refill, it, etc.

Some people I know use the small 20 # bbq grill tanks for heating for short periods

 

[dragoneggs]

Some people I know use the small 20 # bbq grill tanks for heating for short periods

I do have one of those double burner reflector units that mounts directly on top of a 20lb tank... don't remember the BTU output on it and never felt like it put out the heat I wanted. I guess it worked okay on second thought, but I was always worried about it falling over due to dragging an extension cord or swinging a piece of wood around or whatever. I would love something more permanent mounted on a wall and out of the way. Same issue with my kerosene heater. It's always out in the middle and in the way.

 

[sld]

you would have to have a very small garage for the heater to be going off because depleting the oxygen in a garage

The garage I use it in is a detached 24 x 24 with 11 foot ceiling.

I've always wondered if there is something not quite right. I've been using it for at least the last 10 years with adequate results. Much better than the alternative but I really need to think about getting a real furnace and just punching a hole in the roof for exhaust.

 

[dragoneggs]

The garage I use it in is a detached 24 x 24 with 11 foot ceiling.

I've always wondered if there is something not quite right. I've been using it for at least the last 10 years with adequate results. Much better than the alternative but I really need to think about getting a real furnace and just punching a hole in the roof for exhaust.

And by my math, you could (by code... again 15yr old info) have more than a 100K BTU heater in that space!

 

[kenmac]

The garage I use it in is a detached 24 x 24 with 11 foot ceiling.

I've always wondered if there is something not quite right. I've been using it for at least the last 10 years with adequate results. Much better than the alternative but I really need to think about getting a real furnace and just punching a hole in the roof for exhaust.

Something ain't right with that heater.. It would never burn up enough oxygen in that room to activate the ODS system.. You need to clean the pilot assy. or buy another pilot assy..

 

[dadster4]

Before the era of forced air furnaces we had gravity flow furnaces. 100% efficient natural gas heat. Furnace in the basement was unvented and no return air ducts. Heat went up and cold air drawn to the basement to feed the furnace. The furnace was 70k btu output. That type of furnace was used for decades.

Gravity furnaces still had a flue to vented to a chimney. They did not have a blower to circulate the air inside the home- thus relying on "gravity"...hot air rises. My Grandfather installed them, my Dad converted them to a gas burner from oil, my Dad and I ripped those out and installed an "efficient", 60%, furnace, then I replaced that with a 90% model.

 

[JerryK]

I remember, as a kid MANY years ago, the big monster furnaces in the basement of several of my relatives. Huge air pipes leading from the furnace to several big floor grates upstairs where the heat would naturally rise into the home. Several were modified with 'new fangled' hopper devices that you kept full, and a big screw drive would move coal from the hopper into the the fire area when a thermostat called for more heat. Folks did not even have to get up several times a night to shovel coal into it when it needed more. Modern technology...!!!! We have it so made these days....

 

[tbrooks26]

Gravity furnaces still had a flue to vented to a chimney. They did not have a blower to circulate the air inside the home- thus relying on "gravity"...hot air rises. My Grandfather installed them, my Dad converted them to a gas burner from oil, my Dad and I ripped those out and installed an "efficient", 60%, furnace, then I replaced that with a 90% model.

Now thats job security!

 

[ultrarunner]

I remember, as a kid MANY years ago, the big monster furnaces in the basement of several of my relatives. Huge air pipes leading from the furnace to several big floor grates upstairs where the heat would naturally rise into the home. Several were modified with 'new fangled' hopper devices that you kept full, and a big screw drive would move coal from the hopper into the the fire area when a thermostat called for more heat. Folks did not even have to get up several times a night to shovel coal into it when it needed more. Modern technology...!!!! We have it so made these days....

My 1922 unit was converted to gas in 1930... still works like a champ... silent warm air throughout the house...

I really loved that furnace when I lived there... no loud blower to deal with and when power was out for almost a week that furnace never missed a beat...

 

[crackerjack222]

in my 30+ yrs of installing and working on all types ventless.. I have never seen a case where a ventless heater, logs consumed enough oxygen in the room to activate the ODS pilot system, and shut the heater / logs down..

I believe the low O2 was the result of a combination of the high altitude (8850'), plus running both the ventless propane heater and the wood stove (without outside air provisions) in the same room. The room is 24x18 vaulted ceiling and with a ceiling fan. At any rate, cracking a window seemed to solve the problem after a few minutes. I have only seen this happen maybe once or twice in 12 years, although we are only there for about two weeks at a time every few months.

And kenmac, thanks for posting the link to the explanation of how the ODS works. I just installed last month another ventless 20k btu propane heater in our now finished basement. I noticed that from time to time that the pilot jumps away from the end of the tube and makes noise while doing so. In the 10 days we had it on it only lost pilot one time. This heater is a different brand (Mr. Heater ?) than the one I have been using for 12 years. I dont believe there was any reason for the O2 to be low in the basement (other than the altitude factor) at that time. Unfortunately, this was two weeks ago and I dont remember the color of the pilot flame. If you have any thoughts or suggestions re this potential problem, I would appreciate your insight.