(ARA) – As winter approaches and you reach for the thermostat, you might be thinking of ways to save money and energy. Installing an environmentally friendly vent-free gas product could do both.

Vent-free gas appliances – such as wall heaters, logs, stoves, inserts, and fireplaces – are modern, cost-effective, and easy to install. Because they require no chimney or vent, vent-free gas systems are less expensive, and quicker and easier to install than other types of gas zone heating systems.

These products provide supplemental heat to complement your home’s existing central furnace or heat pump, improving energy efficiency and providing tremendous comfort and ambiance.

A great way to use a vent-free gas product is for zone heating, which allows you to turn down your home’s central heat system and focus the heat from a vent-free gas unit in the rooms your family uses most often. This can save precious energy dollars – more than 20 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy – compared to maximizing the heat in both occupied and vacant rooms in your home.

In addition to zone heating to reduce energy costs, vent-free gas appliances are very economical. They operate at 99 percent efficiency – delivering 99 cents worth of heat for every dollar of energy cost.

Environmentally friendly vent-free appliances are fueled with natural gas or propane, among the cleanest of all fossil fuels, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Both gases are domestically abundant and are secure sources of energy. In addition to a clean, green output, vent-free gas products don’t generate hazardous waste when they’re manufactured.

When winter weather hits your neighborhood and puts your power supply at risk, you can be assured of having a reliable, efficient heat source with a vent-free gas product. That’s because these systems require no electricity, so they will continue to provide reliable heat even when the electricity is interrupted.

In addition to saving money and energy, vent-free gas products have a remarkable safety record. These products have been available to consumers for more than 30 years, with more than 20 million units sold. As with any gas appliance, proper installation, basic care and regular maintenance are required.

You can learn more about vent-free gas appliances at www.ventfree.org.