Tuesdays are "I Tried It Tuesdays" where I'll tell you about something I recently tried -- an item, a movie, an activity, etc.

Today's topic: Vent-free gas fireplace

What it is: A gas fireplace that provides supplemental room heat in a house. It's vent-free...which means it does not require a chimney, etc.

What does it look like: Well, my husband brought home one that looks like this (below), which I promptly made him take back since this looks like something you hang in a garage...not a living room.

We ended up with something like this (from Lowes):

How it works: It has to be hooked up to a natural gas line -- not something for the average home improver to try installing themselves. Fortunately, I live with pretty handy guy who can handle pretty much any home improvements (except, apparently, folding whites, but...I digress...). Once it's hooked up, you turn the knob, the fire clicks on and heat starts pouring out.

Why we tried it: We have a giant living room with high ceiling that is open to the 2nd floor landing, so....the living room is the coldest room in the house (heat rises). We also have a rising gas bill (over $200 a month on balanced billing!) that has encouraged us to find a supplemental source of heat.

Why I like it: It's clean, it's quiet, it requires no wood or chopping of wood (or mice running through piles of wood), it doesn't burn pellets or take newspaper to get it started. It doesn't smell up the house and it's not much of a danger to little fingers unless they touch the very top of it where the heat pours out (and...you can shut it off...if the little kids are around).

How much does it cost: We paid about $340 -- probably another $25 in materials to get it hooked up & working.

Will it save us money? Who knows...right now... it's making the living room nice and toast and that, alone, is worth it.