Well one way to look at it is that the gel logs are certainly better than nothing and good for old fireplaces which only have brick lined flues or cracked/broken flues which would otherwise need a re-build or re-line.

They're easy to light and extinguish, (basically on-demand for both), last a fair amount of time and do put out some heat. However, not a lot of heat. While you can burn some of them with the damper closed, you still should leave it open a crack. The main thing is that depending on the model they either look nice or look like three big cans of Sterno on fire since that is basically what gelled alcohol is.

There is one I really like where you pour the fuel in a log set reservoir and the fire burns through slits in the log set. It looks a lot more like a real fire rather than a flaming buffet behind a concrete log. It's called the Condar Flamenco and is about twice the price you saw on QVC. The link is at the bottom.

Here is a link that might be useful: Condar Flamenco

thanks for the info!

Andre:

How are you making out with your new Trane heat pump?

garyg...

Voted down again. My better half is adamant that we wait until the thing starts to go or 2010 when our electric rates go up 35%.

We will go with the 14 though and a variable speed blower. I hope the thing gives some warning before it croaks!

Andre:

I hope you have an emergency plan for a/c and heat if the old unit should go out in the prime seasons. For heat, you always have the auxillary/electric strips in the air handler (Plan B).

My emergency plan (for my 21 year-old Trane heat pump) was my masonry fireplace w/insert as Plan C, and a brand new kerosene heater which still sits in the attic as Plan D. Both Plans C and D can be used in a power outage (all electric house).

For summer a/c, I had a Plan B but never went through with it. I was going to buy 2 window units for emergency a/c, then wait out the summer busy season so I wouldn't be rushed or ripped off.

All that changed when Maryland electric rates went up 65%. New heat pump is good-to-go and electric consumption reduced by 42%.

I forget, do you have a wood-burning fireplace? Have you given up on the propane logs or propane insert?

I have a masonry fireplace. We may add a gas log set or not, negligible heat at best but better than nothing. I'd likley pick up a couple of fin oil filler radiators and we'd huddle in two bedrooms until the unit was installed...assuming the aux heat failed.