Do Duraflame logs really burn cleaner?

[Entity]

I'm a country boy at heart. Before winter used to start, my dad and I used to go out and fall a big Douglas Fir tree, cut it up, and stack the wood for winter. Anyway, the only thing I really remember is that our living room always smelled like woodsmoke when we built big fires, but damn, they were warm.

Anyway, in our house right now (Seattle) we've got a fireplace, and don't want to use our gas heater to heat the house, so we can save money. A neighbor gave us a few Duraflame logs to use for the time being, and I've noticed something very nice about them - when we burn them, our house doesn't smell like woodsmoke. Anyway, I guess the main thing I'm wondering if this is just a difference of this fireplace (built-into the house) and our old one (a Blaze King, great stove), or if Duraflame logs really burn that much cleaner. If they do burn that much cleaner, is there anywhere y'all can recommend buying them that they don't cost an arm and a leg? $1.50 for 2 hours of heat is a bit expensive, if you ask me.

Anyway...just a ramble/thought/whatever.

Rob

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

If you're in Seattle, just go into the woods and chop down a tree with a Horned owl or spotted owl nest in it and use that.

It's been my experience that the duraflame logs smell like @ss, and it must have some kinda chemical in it, you sure you want to be inhaling those fumes.

 

[Entity]

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
If you're in Seattle, just go into the woods and chop down a tree with a Horned owl or spotted owl nest in it and use that.

It's been my experience that the duraflame logs smell like @ss, and it must have some kinda chemical in it, you sure you want to be inhaling those fumes.

They contain Sterno, IIRC, and you aren't breathing the fume, if you have a proper fireplace. The lack of a heavy, smoky smell is kinda nice, actually.

Rob

 

[gopunk]

hmm... i have never noticed a smell from the wood we use in our fireplace... i'm pretty sure it all went straight up into the chimney. *shrug*...

 

[Entity]

Originally posted by: gopunk
hmm... i have never noticed a smell from the wood we use in our fireplace... i'm pretty sure it all went straight up into the chimney. *shrug*...

Yeah, basically all I was wondering is if there was a difference in smell. If you've ever used a bigtime woodstove (we used our other one to heat a 3000sqin, 3-floor house) there can be a smoky-type smell. I've noticed it in a few houses, and just wanted to make sure that I wasn't gonna go home, chop a ton of wood, bring it down here, and then stink up the house I'm renting.

Rob

 

[Noriaki]

I haven't noticed any significant difference in smell....

We burn mostly real wood...and I don't smell the heavy smokey scent all that much...

We occasionally burn the chemical logs...they don't smell much different...most of the scent goes up the chimney...