I have planned for installation of three direct vent gas log units in the new house. I am concerned that two of the installaltions will have overheating problems. These units were not intended to be the primary heat source but to be mostly decorative (we like to see the flames and not hassle with the wood and ashes). However, they are the backup heat for periods of electrical outage so a picture of a fire isn't sufficient, there has to be some real heating ability.

The walkout basement is burried in the ground on three sides. Those three sides are insulated with R-10 rigid foam. The ceiling has from 2 to 10 inches of styrofoam above it. The floor slab sits on 2 inches of rigid foam (R-10). In short the basement can be heated with a candle and cooled with an ice cube.

So what is the problem? I need to find a gas log fireplace or decorative stove (direct vent) fired by propane that doesn't have such a high Btu output that its duty cycle will be so low that there is not much opportunity to view the flames. Any suggestions would be appreciated. The typical gas stove with ceramic radiator elements (like the vent free models use) is not aesthetically pleasing.

One idea I had was to put a grill in the ceiling above the corner mounted basement fireplace location and use a small quiet fan to draw off the warm air rising above the fireplace and send it upstairs before much of it gets out where the ceiling fan can get hold of it. A variable speed fan would allow tuning the system to remove or leave heat in the basement as required. In case of electrical outage we can forfeit the aesthetics and let the thermostat control the basement temp.

The sitting room is ICF on all 4 sides (although one wall is mostly glass) and has an insulated slab floor and insulated concrete ceiling. IT is scheduled to get a direct vent gas log fireplace. The room is about 12x15 feet and I am concerned that the fireplace's duty cycle will have it turned on for only brief intervals yielding very little time to SEE THE FIRE. As in the case of the basement, I could draw off the heated air above the fireplace and send it out of the room but wondered if anyone here in the brain trust had some alternate solultions.

Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated.

Pat