( 
)
In my eBay store, NYR4BBS (NYR4BBS eBay Store) I sell a variety of sampler packs of fuel gels designed for use in suitable burning containers like Ventless Fireplaces, outdoor firepits, chimineas, or converted wood burning fireplaces (see questions below for more on those). I am the first and still one of the few on the web to offer five different types of fuels so that my customers can choose the one or ones that they would like to try out for themselves (there are some who offer only three, which are distributed by the same company, and claim these are "the best" - but they don't offer other choices because the distributor won't allow them to: I prefer to let my customers try for themselves and make their own choice).
Along the way I've had some questions come up about fuel gels, their uses, and how they compare to some other fuels like wood and gas. For those who are considering using fuel gels I'd like to provide some information. I'll start with some of the information in my listings that I will expand on, then a few questions I've received, and finally how these compare to other fuels.
FUEL GELS ARE:
Q: I've noticed some of the gels seem to have an odor sometimes. Is this a problem?
A: According to the literature I've read these smells are not harmful, but I have smelled them myself sometimes (not always) and they can be unpleasant. Here are some ways to avoid or minimize the odors. 1) Make sure you remove the label before lighting (the paper can catch fire, and it will make smoke). 2) Be sure to shake the can well before lighting (or stir it if it's open but not lit). This helps mix it up because it may have separated some after sitting for awhile, and the better it is mixed up, the better it will burn. 3) Try to use it within a year or less. These are only made to store for about a year, and after prolonged storage they become runny and put out a much stronger odor (I use those outside in my chimnea where I can't smell the odor, but never inside because the smell gets too strong). I only sell cans I've had 10 months or less in my store to avoid this problem (I usually sell them much sooner, but have taken a handful out for the chimnea). 4) Don't add anything else to them (I tried adding a little scented oil once as an experiment, and quickly smoked up the room! Plus, if you add anything that might pop or explode it could splatter the flaming gel where you don't want it to go!) 5) I've noticed most of the odor comes when the can gets down to about the last half inch of gel or less, so when I start smelling the odor after the can has been burning awhile, I just put the lid back on to snuff out the flame and discard the last little bit. If you follow these steps you will have a successful burn and enjoy your fuel gels :-)
Q: Can I burn these in an old fireplace I have (I want to change from wood)?
A: Yes - BUT, you need to make sure it is cleared of any other flammable materials before you use it. It would be best to clean the firebox and chimney first to get rid of any residue (like soot and creosote) that could catch fire (the same cautions you need to take for a wood burning fireplace - even though you don't need the chimney, you don't want the heat to cause a problem with old build-up). Don't put the fuel gels in with wood or other materials either (you can use the same grate, but get some of the cement logs to put in front of the cans to hide them). One advantage to gels is that you can burn them with the flue closed since they don't need to be vented, so you get to keep all the heat instead of sending it up the chimney! Otherwise, any container that is basically fireproof, spill proof, and protects the surroundings from heat should work. The ventless fireplaces use a metal insert with space around it that can take the heat and keep it away from other flammable surfaces. So keep that system in mind when considering other places to burn them.
Q: Can I burn these outside?
A: Yes, as long as it is in a suitable container that is fireproof, spill proof, and protects the surroundings from heat. I use a chimnea (also chiminea and chimenea) made of clay material that can take the heat, has three legs and a heavy base for stability, and is raised off the ground to protect the surrounding area. But I've seen metal, clay, concrete, stone, and resin containers advertised too. As I mentioned before, this is also where I burn any older cans (if I have them) because the odor gets lost before I can smell it. Additionally, there are no flying sparks or embers of any kind, so fuel gels may even be better for some outdoor fires than wood or other materials.
Q: Can I burn more fuel cans to heat up the house more?
A: The manufacturer says you can burn up to three cans at a time. We have our fireplace in a room about 12 x 15 feet, and we have only ever burned two at a time because three just gets too hot. Also, if there is any odor you will get more of it with more cans lit. And more than three at a time might use up oxygen too quickly from an unvented room (just like any flame, they do use oxygen during burning).
Finally I'll just mention some comparisons to wood and gas fires. What you choose is a matter of personal choice, but these are some things to think about.
WOOD: The gels burn much cleaner with no ashes to clean up, no soot or residue to build up, and no smoke to pollute the air or aggravate senses. You don't have to go cut wood to keep it going. You can put out a gel fire and re-light it later (you don't end up wasting soaked wood extinguished with water or making a mess to clean up), and you don't have to wait for a fire to go out or leave it burning. Because of their special additives gels have the same kind of crackle and pop of wood, and glows with the same flickering orange glow as wood (if you walked into a room and just glanced at a gel fireplace you probably wouldn't realize it wasn't wood at first). The only two drawbacks compared to wood are no wood scent (though you can use a diffuser to get some of the smell - again though, don't put oil or anything else into the fuel gel) and you don't get the glowing embers at the end (the silver cans never glow - they don't get hot enough). I have a ventless fireplace, and after watching some of my friends complain about the mess and hassle of their wood fireplaces I wouldn't change. As a BONUS, I didn't have to do a major remodel project to put in a fireplace with vent or chimney. We just set up our fireplace in a corner, put in a gel can, and had our first fire about an hour after taking it out of the box! It was easy like a plug-n-play device, just the way I like it :-)
GAS: You don't need a constant fuel source like a gas line, and you don't need a chimney or vent, so fuel gels can work in places where you don't have a gas line or can't set up the correct venting (or just don't want to). The fuel gels are formulated to burn with the sound and color of a real wood fire (crackling and an orange glow) rather than the blue of gas, so gels look more natural. Also, the gels actually burn cleaner than gas, making them less polluting (though they don't put out as much heat as gas can). And gels are easier to light, you don't have to worry about a flare up from built up gas, or filling the room with dangerous gas (if the gels are left open but unlit they will just eventually evaporate without any bad effects).
I hope this information is helpful for those considering getting a ventless fireplace and/or using fuel gels. We really enjoy our fireplace for its ambiance, warmth, friendly glow, ease of use, and the simplicity of just setting it up and using it. If you have any further questions or would like to see the five gels I carry you can contact me through my eBay store NYR4BBS. Thank you, and please rate this guide to let me know what you think :-)
Paul Heath - NYR4BBS
Along the way I've had some questions come up about fuel gels, their uses, and how they compare to some other fuels like wood and gas. For those who are considering using fuel gels I'd like to provide some information. I'll start with some of the information in my listings that I will expand on, then a few questions I've received, and finally how these compare to other fuels.
FUEL GELS ARE:
- Safe - when used according to directions - it is important to follow the directions on the can, especially removing the label and not getting other flammable things near the can when it is lit.
- Clean - no smoke, soot, or ashes - because these are an alcohol based gel they don't put out the by-products that wood, paper, and other materials do when they burn.
- Environmentally Friendly - no nasty emissions - you don't even need a vent or chimney. The alcohol burns clean, leaving minimal by-products after burning. All the manufacturers state that air quality within the room remains safe by governmental standards. (However, they can produce an odor, which I will talk more about below.)
- Easy to use - you can put them out and re-light them whenever you want - They don't flare up when lit, they start slow so there is no danger of getting hurt (of course, don't leave you hand in the flame once it is lit), and you can drop the lid back on, effectively smothering the flame and saving whatever fuel gel is left to light again for later use (I use a pair of pliers to hold onto the lid a put it on so that I don't get my hand too close to the flame).
- Realistic - they burn with a wood-like glow and have the snap and pop of a real wood fire - These have organic additives that will enhance the sound and appearance of the flames, so they get the snap and pop and orange glow of real wood without the hassles. They don't pop so hard that they splatter any of the gel though, and nothing extra should be added in order to avoid that problem.
- Great emergency backups - they don't need electricity and can provide emergency or additional heat and light when needed - Since you only need a match or lighter (we use a long nosed grill lighter) to light these, they can be used in a safe burning container (fireplace, firepit, etc.) even when there is no power. And since they don't need to be vented you don't have to worry about a fan or blower to clear the room - you even get to keep all the heat inside!
- Used indoors or outdoors - no flying embers or fumes to worry about - Again, because they burn clean and don't produce ashes, embers, or sparks to fly around, they can be safe to burn anywhere in the right type of container.
- Heat producers - about 1700 to 2500+ BTU's per hour over 2 to 3 hour burn time - Depending on the brand or type, these burn from 1.5 to 3+ hours (generally 2-3, but I've seen reviews that went both shorter and longer), and put out about the same amount of heat as a small electric heater (like a little under-desk foot heater for example). You probably don't want to depend on these to heat a room, but we often use our ventless fireplace to get the room warmed up quicker on chilly winter days (we don't have central heat).
Q: I've noticed some of the gels seem to have an odor sometimes. Is this a problem?
A: According to the literature I've read these smells are not harmful, but I have smelled them myself sometimes (not always) and they can be unpleasant. Here are some ways to avoid or minimize the odors. 1) Make sure you remove the label before lighting (the paper can catch fire, and it will make smoke). 2) Be sure to shake the can well before lighting (or stir it if it's open but not lit). This helps mix it up because it may have separated some after sitting for awhile, and the better it is mixed up, the better it will burn. 3) Try to use it within a year or less. These are only made to store for about a year, and after prolonged storage they become runny and put out a much stronger odor (I use those outside in my chimnea where I can't smell the odor, but never inside because the smell gets too strong). I only sell cans I've had 10 months or less in my store to avoid this problem (I usually sell them much sooner, but have taken a handful out for the chimnea). 4) Don't add anything else to them (I tried adding a little scented oil once as an experiment, and quickly smoked up the room! Plus, if you add anything that might pop or explode it could splatter the flaming gel where you don't want it to go!) 5) I've noticed most of the odor comes when the can gets down to about the last half inch of gel or less, so when I start smelling the odor after the can has been burning awhile, I just put the lid back on to snuff out the flame and discard the last little bit. If you follow these steps you will have a successful burn and enjoy your fuel gels :-)
Q: Can I burn these in an old fireplace I have (I want to change from wood)?
A: Yes - BUT, you need to make sure it is cleared of any other flammable materials before you use it. It would be best to clean the firebox and chimney first to get rid of any residue (like soot and creosote) that could catch fire (the same cautions you need to take for a wood burning fireplace - even though you don't need the chimney, you don't want the heat to cause a problem with old build-up). Don't put the fuel gels in with wood or other materials either (you can use the same grate, but get some of the cement logs to put in front of the cans to hide them). One advantage to gels is that you can burn them with the flue closed since they don't need to be vented, so you get to keep all the heat instead of sending it up the chimney! Otherwise, any container that is basically fireproof, spill proof, and protects the surroundings from heat should work. The ventless fireplaces use a metal insert with space around it that can take the heat and keep it away from other flammable surfaces. So keep that system in mind when considering other places to burn them.
Q: Can I burn these outside?
A: Yes, as long as it is in a suitable container that is fireproof, spill proof, and protects the surroundings from heat. I use a chimnea (also chiminea and chimenea) made of clay material that can take the heat, has three legs and a heavy base for stability, and is raised off the ground to protect the surrounding area. But I've seen metal, clay, concrete, stone, and resin containers advertised too. As I mentioned before, this is also where I burn any older cans (if I have them) because the odor gets lost before I can smell it. Additionally, there are no flying sparks or embers of any kind, so fuel gels may even be better for some outdoor fires than wood or other materials.
Q: Can I burn more fuel cans to heat up the house more?
A: The manufacturer says you can burn up to three cans at a time. We have our fireplace in a room about 12 x 15 feet, and we have only ever burned two at a time because three just gets too hot. Also, if there is any odor you will get more of it with more cans lit. And more than three at a time might use up oxygen too quickly from an unvented room (just like any flame, they do use oxygen during burning).
Finally I'll just mention some comparisons to wood and gas fires. What you choose is a matter of personal choice, but these are some things to think about.
WOOD: The gels burn much cleaner with no ashes to clean up, no soot or residue to build up, and no smoke to pollute the air or aggravate senses. You don't have to go cut wood to keep it going. You can put out a gel fire and re-light it later (you don't end up wasting soaked wood extinguished with water or making a mess to clean up), and you don't have to wait for a fire to go out or leave it burning. Because of their special additives gels have the same kind of crackle and pop of wood, and glows with the same flickering orange glow as wood (if you walked into a room and just glanced at a gel fireplace you probably wouldn't realize it wasn't wood at first). The only two drawbacks compared to wood are no wood scent (though you can use a diffuser to get some of the smell - again though, don't put oil or anything else into the fuel gel) and you don't get the glowing embers at the end (the silver cans never glow - they don't get hot enough). I have a ventless fireplace, and after watching some of my friends complain about the mess and hassle of their wood fireplaces I wouldn't change. As a BONUS, I didn't have to do a major remodel project to put in a fireplace with vent or chimney. We just set up our fireplace in a corner, put in a gel can, and had our first fire about an hour after taking it out of the box! It was easy like a plug-n-play device, just the way I like it :-)
GAS: You don't need a constant fuel source like a gas line, and you don't need a chimney or vent, so fuel gels can work in places where you don't have a gas line or can't set up the correct venting (or just don't want to). The fuel gels are formulated to burn with the sound and color of a real wood fire (crackling and an orange glow) rather than the blue of gas, so gels look more natural. Also, the gels actually burn cleaner than gas, making them less polluting (though they don't put out as much heat as gas can). And gels are easier to light, you don't have to worry about a flare up from built up gas, or filling the room with dangerous gas (if the gels are left open but unlit they will just eventually evaporate without any bad effects).
I hope this information is helpful for those considering getting a ventless fireplace and/or using fuel gels. We really enjoy our fireplace for its ambiance, warmth, friendly glow, ease of use, and the simplicity of just setting it up and using it. If you have any further questions or would like to see the five gels I carry you can contact me through my eBay store NYR4BBS. Thank you, and please rate this guide to let me know what you think :-)
Paul Heath - NYR4BBS
Guide created: 10/15/07 (updated 07/04/08)
Thank you for voting. If your vote meets our 
