| Flue-less gas heaters are convenient ways of | | | | and geometry of the area in which the heater is |
| providing more heat to you home without having | | | | in use. A large room with high ceilings and big open |
| to add a lot of infrastructure. A flue is a vent or | | | | doorways to other rooms is ideal. That tiny closet |
| chimney which will route the exhaust from burning | | | | you call an office: less so. Everywhere in between |
| natural gas in your heater outside. Byproducts of | | | | you'll have to use good judgment. The judgment |
| burning natural gas are nitrogen dioxide, carbon | | | | of your local heating professional will be better |
| monoxide, and carbon dioxide. Though small | | | | than yours. Trust them. In any case, a slightly |
| amounts of these gasses won't hurt you, they | | | | opened window should provide enough ventilation |
| are nasty and poisonous chemicals in volume so | | | | for almost any situation. |
| you definitely don't want much of them in your | | | | Further a flue-less heater is only safe if it is |
| home. A heater with a flue solves this problem by | | | | burning as cleanly as it was designed to. This |
| sending them outside where they can be safely | | | | means keeping it well-maintained. You can refer to |
| dissipated. | | | | your heater's manufacturer's instructions on how |
| First a word of caution: it is absolutely essential | | | | to maintain your heater. Follow those directions |
| that you do not operate a heater which was not | | | | religiously. It wouldn't be out of line to have a |
| designed for flue-less use without a flue indoors. | | | | heater repairman come and service your heater |
| The byproduct gases it produces are invisible and | | | | every couple of years either. |
| odorless so you will likely not realize that they | | | | Some other things to bear in mind is that young |
| have reached dangerous levels before you | | | | children are more susceptible to the ill-effects |
| experience the physiological effects. If you are | | | | from many chemicals more adults are. It is more |
| lucky, you'll get a headache, but you could also die! | | | | common these days to recommend against using |
| A flue-less gas heater is designed to produce | | | | flue-less heaters in rooms with small children for |
| small enough amounts of these exhaust gases so | | | | extended periods of time. If you have kids |
| it is safe to release them inside your home. Safe | | | | around, take a little extra to get some extra |
| provided you take certain precautions, that is. You | | | | ventilation. |
| should only use flue-less heaters in rooms that are | | | | There may be various local or state ordinances |
| well ventilated. Exactly what constitutes | | | | that indicate how much ventilation is required |
| "well-ventilated" is open to interpretation. Much will | | | | when using a flue-less heater in different |
| depend upon the size of the heater being used | | | | situations. You should be familiar with them and |
| (heaters generating more heat generate more | | | | meet those regulations at least. Use common |
| pollutants), the efficiency of the heater (more | | | | sense, though. Just because it is legal doesn't |
| efficient heaters produce less pollutants for the | | | | mean it is safe. |
| same amount of heat generated), and the size | | | | |