Direct Vent Gas Fireplaces Reviews
Back in issue #171, I wrote a piece for our What's the Difference? department that briefly compared the pros and cons of direct vent vs. vent-free gas fireplaces.
The day that the issue hit newsstands, we received an angry letter:
"I'm sorry that you didn't call the Vent-Free Gas Products Alliance to determine exactly what information was missing or miused in your discussion...why didn't you print that your readers could request a free copy of the consumer guide...rather than try to scare them. Why would so many manufacturers produce these products if there were any problems?"
"I find it unbelievable that you can uncritically compare sealed-combustion to vent-free gas appliances...any heating appliance that requires an open window to ensure safety is incomprehensible...I would never suggest to anyone that these two technologies are a matter of personal choice...you have a responsibility to your readers to discern the difference between manufacturers' hype and real world consequences."
My (then) editor-in-chief Kevin Ireton walked by my office and said "well, we must have done something right to fire 'em up like that"
So, I'm wondering what you think. I've attached the original What's the Difference? writeups, but I think the discussion is not about what we got right and wrong in the article, it's about whether vent-free appliances really are an acceptable (smart?) choice...



