Ventless heater question

[FWR]

I am getting to the point of installing the heater for my new fish house. I still have not not bought one but at this point I am leaning towards a ventless.

My question is will I have major moisture issues with a ventless?

I do not have any bunks in the house so I at this point I will not be spending the night. The heater will only be running when I am in it. This could range from 4-12 hrs. I will not be leaving it on the lake. I have a couple of computer fans on the ceiling too. A CO detector will be going in also.

My house is 6.5x14 with foil backed insulation and a spray foamed floor. So it should be a pretty tight house.

I like DV heaters but I really do not want to spend $600 on a 15000 BTU Empire DV when I can get a Pro Com 20,000 for $150.

Thoughts/opinions???

[Random guy]

Yes. We had them in the rentals and had to remove them as the houses never dried out. Everything was always damp/wet. Plus they where a maintenance hog and the fact they didn’t vent made us nervous anyways.

[kevfish1]

You will not have a major moisture issue. You will have some moisture which if you crack a window it wont be bad. I have had one for years and would never put anything else in my house. Very efficient heat. With that said if money was not an issue I would probabley go with a large DV heater. Unfortunately money is tite for me so I go with the ventless...

[ryan p]

I dont care for the ventless, your house will never dry out. I would never even think of having one in a sleeper.

[nocturnalmotors]

From the houses I've been in with a ventless, they are humid and the heat is never where you want it. You have to stand up and you head gets hot, but sit down, and it's cold.

I wish they still made the little round ones with the 3in pipe out of it. They kept the heat near the floor and you could cook on them.

[Kyle]

YOu will aboslutely have moisture issues. After a while of sitting in there, you will have water dripping from the cealing if its really cold outside. Go with a vented heater. You can get a cheap one on the internet that will work just fine.

[Random guy]

I understand the cost aspect of vented verses non vented BUT for example. We had a Empire direct vent in the first sleeper house built. That was 10 plus years on the ice in a rental running every day all day for 90 days during the long crappie season with multiple moves per week, and we are not nice to the houses when we move. Then that house was retired and it was put into another house and still works like a champ.

Really it's like buying a good car verses a cheap economy car. One good, big investment instead of multiple small bad ones. Plus when a crapped out furnace wrecks your weekend you will ask why you skimped. I was in the same boat and after a few trips onto the lake at 2AM to fix a furnace while laying on a damp floor it was the end of the ventless.

[nocturnalmotors]

When it comes down to the physical science, combustion creates CO2 and H2O. If it's not vented, where does the water go? It's in the atmosphere of your house. With a direct vent, it goes out the pipe leaving dry, comfortable heat.

[MNice]

Read the instructions on ventless. They are for supplemental heat only, not for primary heat, not to be installed in a sleeping area, RV, etc. Read the manual, find which ever one you want on line and read it. Then make an informed decision.

[rickl1968]

I have no problems with my ventless heater. I love it!

My ice hut is an 8x12 and has picture windows in it. They never fog up or drip! My ventless heater burns 99.9% efficient.

I sleep in my hut every weekend I can get out.

I did install two 2" indirect vents in the walls one near the floor and one near the celing, just to be safe and change the air in the hut. I also run a 110v/12v battery back-up Co/Lp detector and have never had a reading or warning.

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

I've gone the ventless route. As mentioned, there is the moisture aspect of it, as well as uneven heat. The new house got the forced air Suburban, which is great.

I wouldn't hesitate to go the ventless route again if I weren't going to be sleeping in the house. They are much cheaper and WAY more efficient. You can crack a window to vent the moisture out, and install some sort of ceiling fan to push the heat to the floor.

For a day house, or a cheaper house, I think the ventless are great. If you are sleeping in it, or have kids, or have a nicer house, go vented.

[rickl1968]

I have two computer fans on the ceiling of my hut and when not running in and out of the hut, I am in socks.

[FWR]

Thank you for your input on this. I like the 18,000btu Housewarmer but I can not find a vent extension box for it. The 15,000btu Empire vent extension is too big. I checked.

The Housewarmer is now on sale at Menards if I could find a vent extension I think I would buy it. Its still a few hundred cheaper than the Empire.

If you know of an extension kit let me know.

[Smoker]

If you mean the extension for the Empire is to long you can cut them down. The instructions tell you how. I just did it a couple months ago on one I installed for a customer.

[FWR]

The hole on the Empire vinyl extension box is too big for the Housewarmer vent cap to fit on.

I guess I could buy some sheet metal and form it so it fits on the Empire extension box.....I guess I just answered my own question!

Thanks for the replies.