World Marketing of America, Inc.

Vent-free gas heaters, stoves and fireplaces are best located in a central point in the living space. Care should be taken to avoid high traffic areas and drafty locations. If the appliance uses an electric blower make sure to locate the unit near a 110-volt outlet.

Below Grade/Tight Construction

If your home is “newer construction,” built after 1980, and heavily insulated, you will need to follow the instructions in the beginning of the owner's manual to ensure that you provide proper ventilation. This is also true of basement/below grade installations even in older homes.

Vent-free heating appliances produce about one gallon of water for each gallon of fuel consumed. If the room/area is too tight to let this water vapor escape, you may experience moisture problems.

Signs of Moisture/Ventilation Problems

If you are having troubles with dirt, soot or mildew appearing around doors or windows this is a sign that the moisture is trying to escape. Moisture will try to find the coldest spots in the room to escape to the outside.

This is not a defect in your heater. You can correct this situation by installing some vents to the outside or a dehumidifier may be used to reduce or eliminate the problem.

BTU Restrictions & Carbon Monoxide

National Standards prohibit the use of vent-free gas heaters over 6,000 BTU's in a bathroom and 10,000 BTU's in a bedroom.

The use of too big of a heater in too small of a space can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning!

In normal operation heaters give off carbon dioxide, a harmless gas. However, if the room is too small to let the carbon dioxide escape, it can be re-burned through the heater. When the excess carbon dioxide is burned it changes into carbon monoxide.

Finding the Right Sized Gas Appliance for the Room

You can find the right size heater if you know the square feet of the room you intend to heat, or better yet the cubic feet, taking into account the ceiling.

10 x 18 = 180 square feet times a factor of 28 = 5,040 Btu's, a perfect size for any of our portable electric heaters.

10 x 18 x 8 ft. ceiling = 1440 cubic feet x 3.5 = 5,040 Btu's.

Clearance to Combustibles

Clearances are different for most models. Check your owner's manual. Heaters that are installed too close to combustibles could cause a fire or damage to the surrounding walls or other items in close proximity to the heater.

It is not a great idea to mount expensive pictures, wall hangings etc. directly over or behind any kind of fireplace as even just the normal heat from the appliance may discolor delicate items.

Ambient Room Temperature

It is important to know that national standards for the maximum allowable surface temperature of the walls, ceilings and floors next to a vent-free heater is regarded as 117 degrees above the ambient room temperature.

The temperature is to be taken 18" above the heater and on the ceiling above and in front of the room heater. For example if the room temperature is 75 degrees Fahrenheit it can reach 192 degrees Fahrenheit and still be acceptable. Is this hot? Sure! Water boils at just 20 degrees higher, but paper doesn't ignite until 451 degrees Fahrenheit; therefore there is little danger of fire as long as this standard is not exceeded.

Floor Bases

Floor bases are available for most wall heaters.

A base is required when wall mounting is not possible. You can not install a wall heater flush to the floor.

Gas Supply Lines

Type: The preferred pipe is made of black iron and is commonly available. If you wish to use anything else, you need to check your local building codes FIRST!

Some plumbers use a very neat type of pipe called CSST or corrugated stainless steel tubing.

Is easy to use, but only sold to professionals certified to use it. It's as good if not better than black iron.

Copper, although permitted in some areas of the country, can develop problems as the metal may deteriorate and create tiny holes and gas leaks to appear.

Pipe Sizing

If too small of a diameter of pipe is used there will not be a sufficient volume of gas to run the appliance. When a complaint is heard that the pilot light burns fine, but when they light the main burner, the pilot grows small or goes out, this is a sign of LOW GAS PRESSURE.

Propane Gas:

0-10 feet 3/8" O.D. is OK, However 1/2 is better for appliances over 20,000 BTU's

0-40 feet 1/2" O.D. is OK.

0-200 feet 5/8" O.D. is OK.

Natural Gas:

0-20 feet 3/8" is OK, However 1/2 is better for appliances over 20,000 BTU's

0-100 feet 1/2" is OK.

0-250 feet 5/8" is OK.

It is always better to have a supply pipe that is a little larger in diameter than required. Using pipe that is too small can cause delayed ignition, especially on stoves & fireplaces. It may also result in the unit shutting down shortly after the main burner is lit.

Drip Legs/Manual Shut off Valves

All gas installations should include a sediment trap or drip leg as it is commonly called.

A drip leg is just a small 3”- 4" piece of pipe turned down toward the floor and capped with a removable cap. The idea of the trap is to catch any dirt or water traveling in the gas, by letting it fall down this drip leg before it can enter the heater and damage the components. Dirty gas is common and can foul regulators, ODS/pilots, valves and burner orifices.

A Manual Shut-Off installed just prior to the heater is important. It provides an emergency way to turn off the gas and also makes it easy to cut the gas supply in case the heater needs to be removed for service. A shut-off valve with a pressure test port for checking gas pressure is nice, but not required.

Gas Leaks

All gas appliances must be checked for leaks during installation. All joints must be checked, not just the easy to reach ones! A small mirror affixed to a wand can make it easier to see some connections. A 50/50 soap and water mix is fine, or an electronic gas sniffer will work equally as well. DO NOT USE AN OPEN FLAME. AN OPEN FLAME CAN MISS A SMALL LEAK AND IT WOULD BE BAD TO FIND A BIG LEAK WITH A LIT MATCH!

Note: A gas leak can sometimes cause a carbon monoxide detector to activate. Carbon monoxide is odorless. If you smell anything, there's probably a gas leak. Follow the instructions in the owner's manual to correct the leak.

Pipe Dope/Teflon Tape

ALL connections made during installation should be treated with either a pipe dope resistant to LP gases or Teflon tape. Any connection not treated may leak!

Gas Pressures

Anytime you service or install a heater the gas pressure must be checked to insure that it is within the allowable range. Too much pressure and the regulator can be destroyed. Too little pressure and the heater will not operate correctly.

The correct gas pressure is referenced in the owner's manual and is also printed on the heater’s registration label or tag. Gas pressure is measured in Inches of water column, not PSI (pounds per square inch). 26 inches of W. C. = just 1 PSI.

Gas pressure can be checked by either using a gas gauge or a water manometer. If your installer can’t check the gas pressure, tell him to stop and find a qualified installer who can perform all pressure and safety checks.

A Look at Basic Components

Plaque vs. Blue Flame Burners

Plaque heaters have more radiant heat, and it is said they burn with a less of a gas smell.

Blue flame burners are more convective heat and perceived to first warm the air, then nearby objects. Blue flames operate with less maintenance than plaque heaters as they only have one gas injector and the holes in the burner are much larger and stay cleaner than plaque burners. This is why blue flame heaters are preferred for garage and utility applications.

Manual Control Valves

These controls are most popular due to their low cost. They allow heat adjustment by simply varying the gas flow from high to low by how far the valve is opened. They are similar in operation to a dimmer switch on a light. Manual valves seldom need replacement.

Modulating Thermostat Control Valves

This valve employs a copper thermostat sensing bulb attached on or near the back of the heater. As the room cools/warms, the liquid in the bulb expands/contracts to open or close the gas supply. The temperature range is from about 60 degrees to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. These thermostats don't always work as consumers would like due to the fact that they are so close to the heating appliance. The sensing bulb may be removed from its mounting and placed in a better position to sense the air temperature. If either the sensing bulb or the knob breaks in use they can not be replaced. Everything is interconnected. In nearly all cases, a thermostat valve problem can only be solved by returning the heater under warranty.

Millivolt/Remote Ready Control Valves

Some appliances use millivolt valves that rely on temperature change to vary the amount of electricity created to vary the flow of gas from high to low. Since millovolts are used, a remote control or wall t-stat switch is used to adjust the temperature and control the heater.

A millivolt system without an external thermostat control will only function in a manual mode. This valve is most popular in high end fireplaces, stoves and gas log sets.

Piezo Ignition Systems

The Piezo system relies on a push button mechanism utilizing magnets to create an electric spark. This allows for appliances to be lit even during a power failure. As long as this part makes a loud snap or bang it should be fine, however sometimes the spark can jump from a bad spot on the ignition wire instead of the electrode on the pilot assembly. This problem can usually be correct with a small piece of electrical tape to insulate the wire. If there is no bang or spark, then the Piezo may need to be replaced.

Gas Pressure Regulators

Regulators are used to control the flow of gas into the heater. If too much gas pressure is present, the diaphragm within the regulator will snap shut to protect the heater and to prevent an accident. This situation will require replacement of the regulator and an adjustment by the gas supply company to reduce the pressure flowing from the supply cylinder.

Oxygen Depletion Sensor/ODS

This is a safety device that shuts off the gas supply to the heater when the oxygen level drops below a safe level. Normal oxygen concentration in air is 21%; the ODS shuts the heater off if that level drops below 18%. Note: People will feel the effects of low oxygen when levels fall under 15%. During CPR, the air supplied to the victim is about 15% oxygen. This is enough to revive life; therefore 18% is a very safe threshold.

Thermocouples

The thermocouple is the part of the ODS that senses the presence of the flame. The action of the heating of the thermocouple by the pilot flame creates a millivolt electrical current that is sent to the valve.

When the user presses down on the control knob during the ignition process they force the valve stopper inside of this assembly to stay open as the thermocouple heats up to the point where it produces millivolt electricity. When enough electricity is present the valve stopper will be held open by an electromagnetic. At this point the consumer can let go of the knob and turn the valve knob to the "on" position, lighting the burner. If anything reduces the pilot flame's size or its position, the thermocouple will cool, and the electromagnet will lose its hold on the valve stopper. The valve stopper then falls, closing off the gas supply to the burner, and the heater shuts off.

Common Mistakes

My Gas Stove/Fireplace is Smoking

In most cases, this is a problem in log placement or use. If a log is touching the flame or just "licking" it once in awhile it will still leave soot. Wipe the appliance clean and burn it without logs for an hour or so. Chances are it will be clean indicating that you have placed the logs incorrectly. If the flames are bouncing around, it may be a draft from a doorway or a ceiling fan causing the problem. If there seems to be smoke coming off a hot painted surface, then it's probably just some oil left behind from the factory. This will stop.

If the soot is not in the heater, but on the walls, around windows etc., then this is a sign that something in the air (household chemicals, dust, candle wax, cigarette smoke etc.) is being burned. This will stop once the air in the room is clean and clear of contaminants. Other factors affecting the heater can be a lot of cooking odors in the air, high moisture from a big family with heavy shower use, any remodeling, etc.

Problems in Use Above 4500 ft

Vent-free heaters will not work consistently above 4500 feet. At these elevations there isn’t enough pure oxygen present to produce the correct pilot flame. The flame will burn high and erratically as it “hunts” for oxygen to burn. This erratic flame fails to heat the thermocouple completely resulting in a drop in the millivolts produced and the gas valve shuts off the gas supply to the heater. There is no solution to solve this complaint. If your home is above 4500 feet you may need to look into appliances that do not require an ODS.

Ceiling Fans/Humidifiers

Since these appliances create humidity in normal use, you should not operate a humidifier. Using a humidifier could really cause trouble.

Ceiling Fans can help distribute heat, but if they are even slightly affecting the flame, you may notice sooting, odor etc. as the disruption in air flow may cause the heater to burn improperly. A vent-free appliance should only be used in locations where the air around it is calm.

Recreational Vehicles

Some retailers sell gas heaters to people who own RV's but none of our heaters are certified for this use. This is because RV's bump up and down every highway and goat path in the USA and could develop a gas leak at any time.

Use of Kozy-World vent-free heaters in over the road vehicles such as travel trailers and RV’s should be discouraged. Kozy-World gas heaters may be installed in after market mobile homes where not prohibited by local codes.

20-pound LP tanks

These small cylinders should not be used with any of World Marketing’s installed gas products. The appliance's performance will drop quickly as the gas level falls in the tank and a 20- pound tank won't last long!

One pound of gas will produce only 21,604 Btu's per hour; therefore a 30,000 BTU heater would deplete a 20-pound LP gas cylinder in under 15 hours of use.

Also, it is illegal and potentially dangerous to store a 20 pound cylinder in the home. The smallest mistake can spell disaster. Only small quantities of 1 pound disposable gas cylinders are permitted inside a dwelling.

Utility Heaters with 20-pound cylinders

Same as above! They cannot be used or stored with the cylinder attached inside a home! These are for use outdoors on the patio, etc. - the same areas where a gas grill might be used.

I Bought the Wrong Gas Type

Sorry, but you can't convert it! This alteration voids the warranty and places the responsibility for any accident solely on the user! That's a big risk!

My Gas Heater Won’t Light!

Over the summer months dust, dirt and even spiders may have settled into an idle heater. This can clog the pilot light orifice. A simple cleaning could have this heater operating in less than 15 minutes.

Cleaning instructions are provided in the owner’s manual. However, we’ve prepared the attached Adobe Acrobat file for photocopying & distributing to your customers who have this complaint.

If you offer service, pass the insert on to your technicians for their quick reference.