fireplace safe?

LauraT

New member
Jun 17, 2012
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Parrots
Baxter - Senegal, Reilly - Blue Crown Conure, Robinson - Red Bellied Parrot
I am curious if anyone has thoughts on natural wood fires are safe for our birds when burned in fireplaces in the same rooms as our birds?
How about the Java- Log product? Java-Log | Pine Mountain Brands They are supposedly made from coffee grounds and natural wax. I have burned them in the past and there really is little no no odor or smoke.

Thoughts?

Laura
 

MonicaMc

Well-known member
Sep 12, 2012
7,960
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Mitred Conure - Charlie 1994;
Cockatiel - Casey 2001;
Wild Caught ARN - Sylphie 2013
I don't know about Java Logs, but I do know of someone else who has been a wealth of information regarding fireplaces. This is a cross-post of hers from another forum. Hope it helps!

PS, fake logs (aka Duraflame) and green (not dried) logs are also dangerous.



Facts About Vented Gas Fireplaces
Gas fireplaces are an ideal choice for anyone who wants to enjoy the warmth of a fire without the chores of hauling wood and cleaning ashes. Because gas fireplace options are growing in popularity every year, manufacturers have geared-up to offer us a wide selection of appliances. You'll find gas logs, freestanding gas stoves, and contained fireplace units that are mounted to a wall.

Some gas log fixtures are vented so that dangerous gases produced during the burn travel outside, just as they move up and out of a chimney in a traditional woodburning fireplace. There's more than one way to vent an appliance, so you can probably install vented gas logs in your home even if you do not have a usable chimney.


Top Vented Gas Logs in a Traditional Hearth

Vented gas logs can take the place of wood in a traditional hearth and chimney.

You can choose a unit that burns either natural or propane gas, but both types are always burned with the damper open.

Gas fireplaces are not a solution for a problem chimney. If the chimney is damaged, dirty, or doesn't draw air well enough to burn wood, it is not suitable for gas logs.

Chimneys previously used to burn wood should be professionally cleaned to remove creosote before gas logs are used.

Other Venting Options

If you do not have a chimney for top-venting, a special pipe can be installed to vent the appliance. Ask your installation expert about options for a top-venting pipe.

If a top-vent isn't practical, consider direct venting, which uses a 2-layer pipe running through a hole in the wall behind the unit, or positioned slightly above it. The outer pipe draws air in from the outside to create combustion for burning the gas. The inner pipe takes waste to the outside.

Direct venting is considered a safe system, since no air from inside is used in combustion, and all wastes flow to the outside. Both actions reduce the risks of carbon monoxide buildup within the house.


Flames that Resemble Wood Fires

Some vented gas fireplaces burn with a yellow flame that closely resembles a wood fire. That type of flame produces soot, so you might not want to use a blower with the logs. Other vented gas units burn with a blue flame, which is (usually) hotter, with more complete combustion and less soot.

Gas Log Building Codes

Building codes may require the damper in your chimney to be permanently blocked open if you install gas logs. You can reduce drafts and heat loss by installing glass doors in front of the gas fireplace, but the doors must remain open while the fire is burning.

Carbon Monoxide Risks

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, potentially lethal gas produced as a byproduct when fuels such as natural or propane gas, kerosene, and wood are burned. It's important to follow the manufacturer's instructions exactly when using any type of fuel-burning appliance.

DO NOT USE IF YOU HAVE BIRDS


Vent-Free Gas Log Fireplaces

Are Unvented Gas Logs the Right Solution for Your Home?

When you shop for gas logs you'll find there are two basic types, gas logs that vent to the outside just like a wood burning fireplace and gas logs that are not vented at all.

Burning gas or wood produces carbon monoxide, a potentially lethal gas, so you might wonder how a fireplace can be safely used without venting its wastes to the outside. Unvented gas logs are designed to produce a very hot flame that results in nearly complete fuel combustion, decreasing the levels of carbon monoxide and soot that are produced by other gas logs.

Unvented gas logs are always equipped with an Oxygen Depletion Sensor (ODS), which is designed to turn off the gas before carbon monoxide reaches a dangerous level in the room.

It's a good idea to install one or more carbon monoxide detectors in your home, no matter what type of fuel-burning appliance you have.

Detectors are an inexpensive way to put your mind at ease about carbon monoxide levels.

Where Can Unvented Gas Logs Be Installed?

Unvented gas logs can be housed in a masonry fireplace or in special fireboxes made to resemble a hearth.

If Your Gas Logs Create Moisture

Water is another byproduct of combustion. If you have vented gas logs, most of the moisture escapes out the vent, but when you use unvented gas logs the extra moisture enters your home. That can be a plus for many homes during dry winter months, but if your home is tightly insulated, or you have a humidifier, the excess moisture might show up as condensation on cold windows.

Gas Log Safety

Unvented gas logs generate a lot of heat. Keep combustibles away from the fireplace.

Always leave the fireplace doors open during use.

Only burn the gas logs for a few hours at a time. Never go to sleep and leave unvented gas logs burning.

Open a window slightly while the gas logs are burning, to let fresh air enter the room.

Bigger is not always better. For best air quality, the gas fireplace unit you install should be approved for the size of the room it will be used in.

Unvented gas logs are not legal in all areas, so check your local building codes before buying a gas appliance.

Always follow the manufacturer's instructions when using any type of fuel-burning appliance.


Are fireplaces safe for birds? - ParrotChronicles Ask a Vet

Winter Season Dangers-

Fireplaces -Yule logs, additives,
are poisonous. Smoke is an irritant.
Heaters - some are teflon coated,
some may be left unattended
which is ALWAYS a danger,
some may let off dangerous fumes.
 

Birdlover11

New member
Aug 23, 2012
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Pepsi and sprite, both are American male budgies
I personally wouldn't try it.maybe if it was in a different room but not in the same.
 

DebsFlock

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Banned
Jul 19, 2012
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Los Angeles County, near Palmdale
Parrots
Scooter -- male Green Cheek Conure "Normal" but that's a matter of opinion! Hatched in March 2010

Scotty -- Male Cape Parrot hatched somewhere between 2007-2009 we think

Caballo Blanco -- male C
Depends on ventilation. Not sure about the java logs, but gas and wood SHOULD be OK IF properly ventilated.
 

Rana

New member
Sep 18, 2012
280
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Dublin, Ireland (Republic)
Parrots
Scottie Pippen (Pinapple GCC) Little Bandit (Hahns Macaw)
To be honest, an open fireplace is the only means of heating we have in the winter ( i know, it's like living in the stone ages...) we only burn turf or wood, the birds are also in the same room...

Now, the chimney is cleaned regularly, and there is a lot of upwards draft so there is little to no smoke ever coming back in. the birds don't seem to mind it. there is alwasy a fireguard infront of the fireplace to avoid any "spitting". and of course the birds are NOT allowed out when the fire is on. we usually wait to get a fire going untill its close to their bed time so they are used to be in their cages allready by then.
 
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wenz2712

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Nov 16, 2011
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i mine as long as the smoke can get out of the room. dont let your parrot out of the cage when its on.

Log Burners do not let smoke out into a Room.. They have Doors on them that are closed, plus a large pipe that goes from either, the top, or the back of them and any smoke goes up the Chimney!
 

RachelKinney

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Jul 1, 2016
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It is very crucial to have your system cleaned regularly for hazard free operation of the fireplace.
 

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