We have open rooms---no doors in living portion, have the fire place model, for the living room, and it really keeps it nice and warm. The unit does not get hot because it just heats only the air in the room. Our house is out in the open, no wind block, and all the living rooms are facing the West. So it gets straight West wind all winter. We like ours and I just bought a small model for my sewing room upstairs, hope it works. Our fuel bill is really big. Both units do not get hot to the touch.