fireplaces?

[LMB]

Originally Posted by wythors

The radiant style (which is what we bought) basically heats the glass and housing and radiates the heat into the room. The models with the blower actually have a fan that circulates air around the fire box and blows it into the room. This style is capable of heating a much larger area and would be ideal for a one story house with an open floor plan.

Also, nothing beats gas for heating water or cooking. We'd never go back to electricity for those purposes.

Good info, Wythors. In a power outage, both types would become radiant I guess, unless a generator was available. I think the radiant style would work for our needs. We have a 1950s house with a fairly large L-shaped living room/dining room (the stone fireplace is in the living room), but it is not an open floor plan.

I'm anxious to get back to a gas stove, and we're planning to replace the huge electric water heater here with a more energy efficient gas one. Is yours an insta-heat water heater? We're looking into those, but we've heard some cons recently.

Lynn

[scirocco22]

Oh, a just a note about gas fireplaces ...if one of the reasons you want to have one for warmth during power outages, be sure you have the type that has a standing-pilot and not an electronic ignitor. If you have an electric ignition, you'll have to figure out a way to get the fireplace ignited with no power.

[wythors]

Originally Posted by scirocco22

Oh, a just a note about gas fireplaces ...if one of the reasons you want to have one for warmth during power outages, be sure you have the type that has a standing-pilot and not an electronic ignitor. If you have an electric ignition, you'll have to figure out a way to get the fireplace ignited with no power.

They have a piezo igniter on them. Ours has an electric remote control and worked fine during power outages last year.

And yes, they natural gas-fired generators. My eventual plan is to install an "instant-on" generator that will automatically fire up when the power goes off. With natural gas, you never have to worry about running out of gas since it's hooked directly up to your feed line.

[scirocco22]

Oh man, they have piezo igniters on them now? When I had one installed, they told me the only way is to have a pilot. So I turn the pilot on in the fall and off in the spring. It's a hassle.

[StealthRabbit]

If you have Nat Gas, consider a free standing gas heating stove. They are much more efficient for heat than a fireplace, and you can cook on them. We put them in the chalets we built as home school projects, and they were loved by the purchasers. (We use wood at home)

If you don't have NG, then consider a fuel oil / bio-diesel free standing heating stove. They work equally well. The one's displayed at the recent Bio-D conference at Seattle Center put out Mega Heat (~50,000btu's) on very little fuel, so... get yourself a friendly restaurant and brew your own (See Appleseed biodiesel processor). While you're at it, find a diesel genset and you will be set. I have a friend in CA (Sierras) that uses his diesel genset 4hrs / night and heats his floors with radiant heat from engine, + sells excess power back to PUD and gets $70/ month check instead of a bill! All on free grease !