Ventless fireplace fumes?

[Orchid Whisperer]

Lots of places in the USA still do allow wood fires. A properly functioning wood stove does not smoke much.

[bil]

Originally Posted by estación seca

A lot of places in the US no longer permit wood fires most days, due to excessive smoke and air quality issues.

What, they ban one of the few carbon neutral fuels? Are they insane?

[dbarron]

I can attest that using a propane ventless heating system wrecked my plants while staying at my father's house for a year. It was clearly a problem when the heating was used in the winter.
I also felt it affected me as well.
Just don't do it.....please.

[estación seca]

Stay away from devices that can kill you or render you brain damaged within a few minutes if they aren't in perfect repair, installed just right, and operating as well as possible.

[bil]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Stay away from devices that can kill you or render you brain damaged within a few minutes if they aren't in perfect repair, installed just right, and operating as well as possible.

Yeah. Spot on.

[Ray]

When my greenhouse heater failed a few years ago, I used one of those construction-site heaters that's basically a gas grill burner in a large can. Kept my plants alive, but "no blooms for you!" I now have a separated combustion heater that uses outside air for combustion, leaving the interior air untouched by the fumes.

On the other hand, I have a "3-season" room, converted to year round use by the addition of an unvented propane heater, and I have had no issues with plants or us in 5 years. Of course, the sliding windows (custom-made storm windows), aren't the tightest thing known to mankind...

[bil]

Originally Posted by Ray

When my greenhouse heater failed a few years ago, I used one of those construction-site heaters that's basically a gas grill burner in a large can. Kept my plants alive, but "no blooms for you!" I now have a separated combustion heater that uses outside air for combustion, leaving the interior air untouched by the fumes.

On the other hand, I have a "3-season" room, converted to year round use by the addition of an unvented propane heater, and I have had no issues with plants or us in 5 years. Of course, the sliding windows (custom-made storm windows), aren't the tightest thing known to mankind...

There's also the catalytic heater that needs no flue because all the CO is combusted. It gives of a shedload of humidity. For every l kilo of gas burnt, you get more than a kilo of water into the air.

[silken]

We bought a kerosene heater that is supposedly OK to use in the home. I'm not sure I could live with the kerosene smell or that it would be safe to inhale for prolonged periods. But late last winter we had a 7 hour power failure. My greenhouse is heated with a natural gas furnace with a proper chimney and venting. So with the power off, this couldn't run. I held off as long as I could and then brought in the kerosene heater. It was about 5 ft. away from the nearest plant but no fans running because of no power. I had one plant in bud nearby and those flowers bloomed but were ruined. The sepals (outside cover when in bud stage) all turned brown almost as soon as they bloomed where as the petals and lip looked fine. The next blooming without kerosene fumes were so much better. I have to blame it on the kerosene but it was that or lose most of my orchids to freezing. If this happens again, I will remove all orchids in spike either into the house or far away from the heater. I couldn't bring them all in the house so I needed to use back up heat.

[bil]

Originally Posted by silken

My greenhouse is heated with a natural gas furnace with a proper chimney and venting.

My envy is almost palpable.

[silken]

Originally Posted by bil

My envy is almost palpable.

Until you have -40C winter and a power failure