I AM GETTING AN ODOR FROM MY HEATER, WHAT'S HAPPENING?
Are you using any paint, stain shellac, polyurethane, laying new carpet, spraying hair spray, room deodorizers, burning candles, or is there anything new in the area? These heaters will pick up new odors from the environment and spread them throughout the room.

MY BURNER FLAME IS YELLOW, WHATS WRONG?
First check the gas pressure to the unit. If this is correct, the unit needs cleaning. We recommend cleaning your unit at least once, sometimes twice, during the heating season.

MY PILOT FLAME IS YELLOW AND CURLS UP CAUSING THE HEATER TO SHUT DOWN. WHAT'S WRONG?
The pilot needs cleaning. You remove the front panel by removing the two screws located in the lower left and lower right corners. Locate the pilot. Going back to the right from the pilot, and you will see a silver bi-metal strip. Keep going to the right and you will see a black clip. Remove the clip, exposing a mixing chamber. Using compressed air (30 lbs max) spray the air into the mixing chamber in the direction of gas flow. This will clean the pilot assembly of dirt or debris. When you are finished, reassemble the unit.

THE HEATER/FIREPLACE IS GETTING MY WALLS/MANTEL HOT! IS THIS DANGEROUS?
No. The American Gas Association (AGA) certifies that a heater can get the surrounding walls to 117 degrees above ambient room temperature. This means that if the room is 70 degrees the wall can be 187 degrees without incident.

CAN I CONVERT MY HEATER FROM PROPANE TO NATURAL?
No. The American Gas Association certifies the unit according to the gas type used. Changing this gas type will change the certification, which is not allowed per the AGA. Even if the approval was given, it would cost more to convert a unit than to purchase a unit for the proper gas. Conversion of any appliance would also void any remaining warranty on the unit.

WHEN I USE MY HEATER, I GET A FILM ON MY WINDOWS, WHAT'S WRONG?
All vent-free appliances, whether natural or propane, produce water. The accumulation can range from 3/4 to 1pint of moisture per hour in the room. Under normal conditions, this does not cause a problem. However, if you have a problem, you will need to provide an outlet for this moisture. This can be accomplished by providing adequate ventilation or using a dehumidifier to help control the moisture.

MY NATURAL GAS PILOT HAS AN EXTREMELY LONG PILOT, WHAT'S HAPPENING?
The natural gas pilot is approximately 2 1/2 to 3 inches long. A pilot this length on natural gas heaters is normal and no cause for alarm.

I AM USING TOO MUCH PROPANE, DO I HAVE A PROBLEM?
Depending on several variables, you would use .83 pounds of propane per hour on the 18,000 btu heater, or 1.29 pounds per hour on the 28,000 btu heater, assuming that the unit is burning for one solid hour. Using these figures, you can calculate how much propane you are using.

MY WALLS ARE TURNING YELLOW, WHAT'S WRONG?
Are there any smokers in the house? If yes, the heater will pick up tobacco smoke and spread it through the house in the form of a yellow film clinging to walls. If you have pets, please also note that animal dander will produce the same results.

CAN I INSTALL MY HEATER IN MY BEDROOM OR BATHROOM?
Yes/No. According to NFPA54, you can install up to 10,000 BTU heaters in a bedroom or up to 6,000 BTU heaters in a bathroom. You must also check your local code to see if this is permitted.

CAN I INSTALL A HEATER/FIREPLACE IN MY MOBILE HOME?
Check with your local codes. If you do not have a code prohibiting it, your heater or fireplace can be installed in your mobile home.

I CAN SMELL MY HEATER GIVING OFF CARBON MONOXIDE, IS THIS DANGEROUS?
First, you cannot smell carbon monoxide it is an odorless, colorless gas. You would need to have your heater tested by the local gas company for carbon monoxide. Vent-free appliances are permitted up to 35 parts per million. Our vent-free heaters produce between 8-10 parts per million. When your home is being tested for carbon monoxide, you first must measure the outside rate of CO, because any CO outside will also be measured inside.

I BOUGHT A MANUAL CONTROLLED UNIT LAST YEAR. CAN I CHANGE IT TO A THERMOSTAT UNIT?
No. You have to purchase the unit either with or without the thermostat. It cannot be added as an option later.

I BOUGHT A THERMOSTAT CONTROLLED UNIT LAST YEAR. CAN I CHANGE IT TO A MANUAL UNIT?
No. You have to purchase the unit either with or without the thermostat. It cannot be added as an option later.

SAFETY FEATURES BUILT INTO EVERY HEATER
REGARDLESS OF WHICH VANGUARD MODEL YOU SELECT IT WILL INCLUDE STATE-OF- THE-ART SAFETY FEATURES:
Vent-free gas burners are precision engineered to produce the cleanest, most complete gas burn with no lift-off or flashback.

An automatic shut-off valve which stops the gas flow if the pilot extinguishes or the gas flow is interrupted. The internal, nonadjustable pressure regulator prevents over firing in case of increased gas pressure.

A piezo ignitor eliminates the need for matches in starting the pilot flame. A safety pilot system, also known as oxygen (ODS) technology, has been required by the ANSI Z21.11.2 standard since 1980 and has been supplied in all vent-free products sold in the U.S. since that time.

ODS technology originated in Europe, and has been used in European gas heating appliances for more than 35 years with an outstanding record of safety.

Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in depth accident/incident data accumulated since 1980 reveals an equally strong safety record for ODS equipped vent- free gas products installed in the U.S. for more than sixteen years.

HOW THE SAFETY PILOT SYSTEM WORKS
THE SYSTEM CONSISTS OF THREE MAIN COMPONENTS:
A precisely designed, oxygen sensitive pilot burner that regulates flame characteristics; a thermocouple positioned in the mantle of the pilot flame; and a safety shut-off valve.

The pilot is designed to be stable within a very narrow operating range. The thermocouple responds to changes in the pilot flame characteristics and, when heated, generates a milli-voltage, which keeps the gas supply valve in the open position. In the rare instance that the room oxygen level approaches ANSI defined minimums, the flame extinguishes. The loss of flame causes the thermocouple to cool. This cooling reduces the milli-voltage, which causes the gas valve to return to its normally closed position, thus turning off the fuel supply to the appliance. The unit will not operate until the living space is properly ventilated and adequate oxygen is introduced, and the appliance is manually restarted.

THE SAFETY PILOT IS TAMPER-PROOF
Every ODS system contains a precision orifice. This orifice will disintegrate with any attempt at drilling out to enlarge the pilot flame. Additionally, it is not interchangeable with a normal standing pilot.

"Let ’s Clear The Air " Regarding The Effect of Vent-Free Gas Heaters on Indoor Air Quality
In 1995 the scientists at the American Gas Association’s Research Division (AGAR) tested the levels of all five major contributors of indoor air quality - oxygen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and water vapor (humidity)—against the latest Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) guidelines and concluded that vent-free gas heating products performed well within nationally recognized guidelines for indoor air quality. This research proves that vent-free gas heating products meet applicable emissions requirements, even when used over extended time periods, among sensitive populations, and even with oversized units.

IS VENT-FREE GAS HEATING RIGHT FOR ME?
While most states permit installation of vent-free gas heating appliances, a handful of states still prohibit residential use. Very often, that’s because a state’s building codes haven’t caught up with vent-free gas technology.

Because states, counties and municipalities adopt various codes, please check with your salesperson, installer or local codes officials to assure the current code in the city where you plan to install permits vent-free gas appliances. Please note, all Vanguard Manually Variably Controlled Gas Log Heaters are cross-listed to the ANSI Z21.60 Vented Log Decorative Standard and can be installed using a damper clamp where vent-free installations are prohibited. Several counties and municipalities in Colorado, and Minnesota permit the product. Wisconsin restricts installation in homes built after 1980.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS...
Also double-check with your retailer or installment professional before installing a vent- free heating appliance in:

Homes of Extremely Tight Construction —if your home shows symptoms of an inadequately ventilated home (moisture on inside of windows, mildew, and shower or bath humidity lingers), additional ventilation may be required prior to adding additional vent-free gas appliances.

Homes With Other Fuel Burning Appliances —if there are other fuel burning appliances that use inside air for combustion (i.e. gas ranges, fireplaces, clothes dryers) in the area you plan to operate your vent-free heating product, you must provide adequate fresh air to support the operation of all the appliances. Consult your installer and refer to the Air for Combustion and Ventilation section of the Owners and Installation Manual for your specific Vanguard Vent-Free Appliance.

Homes At High Altitude—(i.e. homes at 4,500 feet above sea level or higher)— may experience nuisance pilot outage and flame shutdown due to lower atmospheric pressure.

Bedrooms and Bathrooms — in many areas the installation of vent-free products is permitted up to 10,000 BTU in bedrooms and 6,000 BTU in bathrooms. ANSI Z21.11.2 Standard and National Fuel Gas Code permit wall mounted installations of vent- free gas heaters of 10,000 BTU or less in bedrooms and 6,000 BTU or less in bathrooms.

AGA RESEARCH COMPARISON OF RELATED IAQ GUIDELINES TO VENT-FREE GAS PRODUCTS’ EMISSIONS

Combustion by product Specifying agency National IAQ Standard/Guidelines exposure level/time Vent-free gas product

Carbon Monoxide (CO) CPSC 15 ppm avg/8 hours 2.5 ppm/8 hours 25 ppm avg/1 hour 1.5 ppm/1 hour

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) CPSC 0.3 ppm avg/1 hour 0.22 ppm/1 hour

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) OSHA 5000 ppm avg/8 hours 1500 ppm/8 hours

Oxygen (O2) NIOSH 19.5%minimum/continuous 20.4%continuous

Humidity (H2O) ASHRAE 60%maximum/continuous 36.5% maximum with no condensation

WATER VAPOR LEVELS
When outside temperatures fall, so does relative humidity (water vapor). Many people in cold climates use humidifiers to supplement indoor moisture. Vent-free gas heating products are not intended to replace humidifiers, but they do perform a similar function.

AGAR researchers examined relative humidity at 0°F outdoor temperature and a 0.25 air change rate (American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineer’s minimum acceptable air change rate is 0.35/hour). Even under these extreme conditions, the highest relative humidity measured was 49 percent. That’s still well below the recognized comfort level of 60 percent.