If you’re considering new fireplace options in your home, one of the excellent modern formats you might be looking into is gas logs. A perfect alternative to collecting actual wood for your fires, a gas log appears as burning wood but comes without all the mess and hassle that comes with real wood, and minus all the maintenance needed as well.

At Uintah Fireplace and Design, we’re proud to offer high-quality, environmentally friend gas logs among our various fireplace services. One of the big decisions you’ll have to make if you choose to go this route is whether to use vented logs or vent-free logs – what are each of these, and which should you choose? We’ll go over both sets of options in this two-part blog post.

Vented Log Basics

For those who want gas logs but don’t want to eliminate the large, realistic flames that come from the fireplace, vented logs are generally the way to go. They create the most realistic and grand look available, with fire wrapping around logs and tall flames.

Now, vented gas logs will take a bit of care when it comes to your home and chimney venting system. Vented logs to produce carbon monoxide emissions, but these are easily manageable if you have a proper chimney and vent system. One unavoidable element of vented logs is that they’ll take up a bit more energy than vent-free options – this is because the damper or flue needs to be open while they’re in use to ensure indoor air quality.

For this reason, vented logs are often considered more decorative than anything else. They allow for many accessory types and design formats.

Vented Gas Log Benefits

Some of the primary reasons homeowners look to vented gas logs include:

• Their realistic appearance, including details in both the logs themselves and the resulting flames you see.
• Vented gas logs utilize existing fireplace areas without major renovations, including those previously used to burn real wood fires.
• Vented gas logs tend to be less expensive than their vent-free counterparts.

Vented Gas Log Drawbacks

There are also a few reasons why you might look to other options besides vented gas logs, including some of the following:

• While vented logs are perfect for existing fireplace spaces, they require a new installation in cases where you didn’t previously have this space.
• If warmth is your primary goal from a new fireplace, you might consider vent-free options instead. This is because vented logs do not produce as much warmth, given the fact that the chimney is open during operation and air can escape.
• Because the flame is actively touching the logs, vented logs produce more soot and mess than vent-free options and will require more regular cleaning.

For more on choosing between vented and vent-free gas logs for your fireplace, or to learn about any of our contemporary fireplace options, speak to the staff at Uintah Fireplace and Design today.