Hi.

There is several options I do not see clear, specially about fumes indoors.

 

Kerosene, propane, natural gas; in vented, not vented types, standalone, wall mount, and others. That yields a large number of combinations to choose and with no experience nor knowledge on any, can be scary.

The non-vented types, I supposed been tested and considered safe, but still something tells me to be extra careful.

 

Any suggestions ?

For use in living room (hoping to warm all the house, not to be used inside any bedroom, and to heat a small ~1100 sq.ft. dwelling.

Would smoke detectors be alert too ?

The air used by them (oxygen) has to be supplied from somewhere; how does it work on tight closed windows ?

 

-Currently using a vented-to-chimney standalone wood burning fireplace, it has never released smoke into the living area, but exploring alternatives-

Dozens die a year in each European country exactly from such heating. CO, CO₂, fire.

Smoke AND monoxide detectors are the very least.

 

You won't die from lack of oxygen, because excess of CO₂ will kill you before. Not a poison... but our lungs accept a limited amount in air until they can't remove it from blood any more - and this happens well before the oxygen is exhausted, and well before a flame shuts.

 

Kerosene doesn't catch fire easily. But its fumes are more toxic. Kerosene itself isn't perfectly sound neither: aromatics.

 

Gas bottles are forbidden within homes in many countries. Sound idea.

 

Even heaters well hold at a wall, supplied by a metal pipe from outside gas, directly connected by a metal vent to a chimney, produce explosions and fires all too often.

 

Some heaters can be put in place of the wood directly in an existing chimney. Possibly the least scary.

Thanks for your permanent wisdom words help, Marc.

 

Have a little one one like this and unable to find gas inserts for it yet ----> http://www.besthomecareservices.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/All-about-wood-burning-stoves.jpg

Finally one option I like.

 

Here we can buy cheap pellets made from biomass, which can be chipped shrub, pressed sawdust... They burn gently with small flames.

 

The standard use is in an expensive special boiler that has an automatic feed. Alternately, an automatic feed and burner can be added to existing boilers.

 

My proposal is to build or buy such an automatic feed, and burner if any useful, and fit it in your fireplace.

 

- Renewable and affordable fuel

- Decently safe, especially if the pellet silo is outside.

- Automatic operation.

 

To be checked, among more things:

- Pellets for sale where you live? Or sawdust available?

- Chimney dirtier than with good firewood

- More ash to be removed - automatically? Here the pellets seller collects it.

 

In case you don't find the automatic feed ready to buy, make your own and sell it to others...

Marc Schaefer, aka Enthalpy