ARLINGTON, Va. — A study commissioned by the Vent-Free Gas Products Alliance product section of the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) on nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) emissions from vent-free gas fireplaces, logs, inserts, space heaters, and stoves found that the use of those appliances in tight homes does not result in NO₂ concentrations that exceed IAQ guidelines.

Tight homes are those that are designed to be as airtight as possible, usually with mechanically controlled ventilation. Today, many new homes are designed in this manner. The study included 100,000 simulations.

“There has been some concern recently about NO₂ levels in homes that are sealed more efficiently than they have been in the past,” said Sue Walker, chair of the Vent-Free Gas Products Alliance product section and senior director of government affairs at Empire Comfort Systems, Belleville, Ill. “As manufacturers of this energy-efficient home-heating option, it was incumbent upon us to investigate this matter and ensure the safety of these products.”

Third-party toxicology firm, toXcel, conducted the study, which compares predicted NO₂ levels from vent-free appliances against NO₂ limits specified by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Health Canada, and the World Health Organization.

Publication date: 5/13/2013 

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