Empire BF20 Blue Flame Gas Heater - Propane - BF-20LP

All ventless heaters will experience outages at elevations above 4500'.

We do indeed have a few vented heaters that are very low BTU.

This unit will use .926 pounds of propane per hour.

This will not arrive with a blower, but this optional accessory may be purchased separately and is shown under "Popular Accessories for this Item" on the product page for this item.

Both heaters offers models with the same level of heat output and efficiency, but the designs differ in the way they supply heat to the room. Infrared heaters warm a room by warming the objects (furniture, appliances, people) as opposed to the air. Many customers find that this type of heating is more comfortable, as it does not create a stuffy zone around the heater. However, the heater is limited to the reach of the infrared rays. Blue flame heaters warm the air, as opposed to the objects in the room. They can effectively warm a greater area through circulation, but the space immediately adjacent and in front of the heater can be uncomfortable.

This heater does not carry a UL listing, but is CSA certified to meet Z21.11.2 standards. This is the default standard for unvented room heaters and is accepted in most jurisdictions.

A hydraulic thermostat uses a vial of fluid to control operation of the heater. Based on the temperature that is set, the fluid will expand to a point that the heater will shut down. Once the room cools again and the fluid begins to contract, the heater will come on again. This expansion and contraction cycle will continue to maintain an even temperature in the room.

Hydraulic thermostats use what is known as a "thermally expansible fluid." This is a highly reactive fluid that swells as the heat rises and shrinks as the heat falls. This fluid is contained within a capsule inside the thermostat, and a light metal rod is extended into the capsule. As the fluid rises, the rod is pushed up, which affects the thermostat dial. This thermally expansive fluid needs to be very tightly contained--if any escapes, it severely compromises the readings of the thermostat. Very tight seals are placed to contain the fluid inside the capsule. The rod is fitted with a spring and lock system precisely made to react with the fluid, but natural fall back down into place as the fluid shrinks.

This unit is designed to be fed from an external fuel tank. While a larger fuel tank is preferable, the smallest recommended tank is a 20 pound cylinder, which would fuel this heater for approximately 18 hours before emptying. Typically a fuel tank of this size can be taken to a tank swap out facility, which is usually sponsored at local gas stations and hardware stores.

Certainly. This unit only requires a clearance of 2 inches above a combustible floor when wall mounted.

We're sorry, but we do not have a list of areas where ventless is legal. We suggest your check with your local code enforcement office.

Theoretically, the BF10 heater would be right at the capacity for the size of the space and could heat a well insulated area of this size. However, you may choose the BF20, as it would heat the space faster and would not need to run as often. Both units do have built-in thermostatic controls that would allow you to adjust the unit to a desired temperature. The heater would cycle as necessary. Unfortunately, the valves for these units are fully mechanical and will not allow for use of an external thermostat. This is the case for all of our wall mounted vent-free heaters. Only the larger direct vent furnaces and console heaters have provisions for an external thermostat.

This issue is commonly caused by a dirty or partially clogged pilot assembly. In order to clean the pilot, the nut that is threaded to the end of the pilot tube will need to be loosened and disconnected from the pilot assembly. The nut is approximately two inches down from the end of the pilot tube. The tube can then be cleaned out with compressed air and the nut re-tightened.

We recommend this product for your needs: SRS18 stand kit.

This concern is reminiscent of one we see often when supply pressure to a gas appliance is too low. Using a manometer, confirm that you have a pressure of at least 11" of w.c.being supplied to the unit.