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July 28, 2009
Did you know that over 45,000 chimney fires occur in the Unites States every year? These fires do more than harm your chimney – in one recent year, chimney fires caused 130 deaths, 230 injuries, and total property losses of more than $184.4 million!
The sad fact is that many of these fires could have been prevented with regular maintenance of chimneys and fireplace venting systems. Unfortunately, many homeowners either don’t understand the importance of regular, preventive chimney maintenance, or they downplay it. Chimney problems are easy to ignore. Until a fire or indoor air quality problem occurs, there are usually no signs of a problem.
The best way to avoid chimney fires and other chimney-related problems is to hire a chimney service professional to clean and maintain your chimney system. The basic job of a chimney sweep is to clean your chimney. This includes:
- Removing accumulated (and highly combustible) creosote produced by burning wood and wood products;
- Eliminating the build-up of soot in coal-and oil-fired systems;
- Getting rid of bird and animal nests, leaves and other debris that may block the flow of chimney emissions; and
- Checking for any other unsafe conditions that can cause home fires or threaten residents with dangerous or unhealthy indoor air quality.
Finding a good chimney sweep is easy, but make sure whoever you choose is certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America. CSIA certification ensures that your chimney sweep is properly trained to identify and repair potential problems.
With regular chimney maintenance, you can rest easy knowing that your home and family are safe while your fire burns!
July 22, 2009
The occupation of chimney sweep is one of the oldest in the world. Today, the chimney sweep industry has expanded from the maintenance of wood-burning fireplace and appliance venting systems to include venting for many types of heating appliances. Venting systems for heating oil, natural gas, wood and pellet burning appliances, including building furnaces and space heaters are maintained by modern chimney sweeps.
Wikipedia defines a chimney sweep as a “laborer … usually trained to diagnose and repair hazards along with simple maintenance such as sweeps.” This means that your chimney sweep should not just clean your chimney – they should identify any potential problems and be able to repair them for you.
If you’re not sure what a chimney sweep should be doing when they pay you a visit, check out the information available from the Chimney Safety Institute of America. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has set minimum chimney inspection standards and more information on these is available on the CSIA site.
Qualified chimney sweeps are generally certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and/or members of the National Chimney Sweep Guild (NCSG). If you are looking to hire a chimney sweep, you should make sure they are CSIA-certified or NCSG members. This way, you can be sure they’ve received the proper training and will conduct a thorough evaluation and cleaning of your chimney. And remember, its important to have your chimney cleaned and serviced once a year in order to avoid chimney fires and other home air quality problems.
July 18, 2009
People use fireplaces in many different ways. For some, the fireplace is a great way to add atmosphere on a chilly night, while for others, it is a fundamental part of their home heating system. If you are interested in using your fireplace to heat your home, then a fireplace insert may be for you.
Fireplace inserts are devices that are installed in conventional, open fireplaces to make them more energy efficient. Inserts fit into the existing fireplace, with some models protruding out onto the hearth. There are a range of fuel options from which to choose when purchasing an insert. The most common are wood-burning and pellet inserts.
Why are fireplace inserts more energy efficient than traditional fireplaces? There are a number of reasons:
- Inserts keep the fire behind closed doors, trapping the heat inside;
- An insert that protrudes out over the hearth radiates additional heat through its top, bottom, and sides;
- Many inserts have blowers, which improve heat circulation and efficiency; and
- Some also feature thermostats and remote controls to ensure that the fire burns consistently at the most efficient level.
Fireplace inserts are available in a range of styles and prices (check out the Jotul C450, above, available in our New Hampshire showrooms!). Good quality, EPA-certified inserts generally cost between $1,200 and $2,200, and installation can cost anywhere from $400 to $2,000+ (for a complete chimney relining). Inserts should always be installed by a professional chimney sweep to ensure that they are vented properly. Installed properly (the addition of an insert may require you to reline your chimney), a fireplace insert can transform the way you heat your home and help you save money on your home heating bills.
July 15, 2009
Pellet fuel is a renewable, clean-burning, cost-stable, and price-competitive home heating alternative currently used throughout North America. It is a biomass product made of renewable substances – generally recycled wood waste. There are approximately 800,000 homes in the U.S. using wood pellets for heat, in freestanding stoves, fireplace inserts, and even furnaces.
A pellet stove looks much like a wood stove, but is automated. Heating a home with pellet fuel requires only the ability to add pellets into a hopper, set the desired heat output and provide necessary appliance maintenance, such as cleaning out an ash pan. All other aspects of the heating process occur automatically. Pellet stoves and fireplace inserts come in a wide range of styles, sizes and finishes.
North American pellets are produced in manufacturing facilities in Canada and the United States, and are available for purchase at fireplace dealers, nurseries, building supply stores, feed and garden supply stores and some discount merchandisers.
According to data from the Pellet Fuels Institute, pellets are a limitless fuel source. In addition to wood waste, pellet fuels can be manufactured from forest-thinning byproducts and other biomass ingredients. In short, pellet fuel is a way to divert millions of tons of waste from landfills and turn it into energy.
July 11, 2009
There are many reasons that homeowners convert their wood burning fireplaces to gas models. One of the biggest advantages with gas fireplace models is efficiency. Overall, gas fireplaces tend to heat a home much more effectively than traditional wood fireplaces. But how to compare the many models of gas fireplaces available? The official measure of a gas fireplace’s efficiency is the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency rating. In this case, the higher the rating, the more efficient the fireplace.
In addition to efficiency, gas fireplaces offer many advantages over wood burning models:
- Gas fireplaces are incredibly convenient. With most models, you can light the fire with the push of a button and there is no cleanup required.
- Unlike traditional fireplaces, gas models don’t produce any smoke. As a result, they are much cleaner and easier to maintain.
- If you have a small home or yard with limited storage space, gas models are ideal because they don’t require a place to store firewood.
- Gas fireplaces are better for the environment, producing fewer emissions than their wood burning counterparts.
- A key advantage of a gas fireplace system is that it can offer zone heating, and because no electricity is required, you can still heat your home in the event of a power outage.
If you are considering converting from a wood to a gas fireplace, talk to a knowledgeable fireplace dealer to learn more about which gas model makes the most sense for your home. And make sure to ask about the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency rating of any gas fireplaces you are considering buying. Properly installed, a gas fireplace will warm your home and reduce the labor associated with having a fire. Enjoy!
July 8, 2009
This is not your grandpa’s woodstove!
Traditional woodstoves provided an inexpensive way to heat your home, but they were not terribly clean or environmentally-friendly. Today, most woodstoves on the market use advanced combustion technology that makes them 95% more efficient than their predecessors. This means less pollution, and less cost to you as a homeowner.
When used as fuel, wood is effectively ‘carbon-neutral,’ meaning that the CO2 released when burning is being absorbed by the tree that has been replanted. In fact, the same level of CO2 would have been emitted by a tree that had been left to rot naturally on the forest floor. When the use of sustainably-harvested, properly processed and seasoned wood for energy displaces the use of fossil fuels, the result is a net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
If you are interested in a new woodstove for environmental reasons, take note that the cost savings are substantial as well. A study conducted by Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, found that adding a woodstove to the ground floor of a 3200ft2 home reduced the mean annual gas cost by 60% (from $2260 to $880). With these kinds of savings, a woodstove will pay for itself in no time.
When shopping for a new woodstove, look for labels that show the product is EPA-certified. An EPA-certified wood stove or wood heating appliance has been independently tested by an accredited laboratory to meet emissions limits and will help you reduce your impact on the environment while also saving you money.
July 5, 2009
The glow of a fireplace is one of the best ways to create a warm and inviting atmosphere in your home. Not only does a fireplace add warmth – it can also provide a focal point for your décor and a place to gather with family or guests. When a fire is lit, the fireplace becomes the center of attention in any room.
With so much attention focused on it, most homeowners want their fireplace to look nice and fit with the rest of their décor. A fireplace screen is a great way to dress up an unlit fireplace, while at the same time serving an important safety function when fires are lit. Screens keep ashes and embers inside the fireplace, and keep pets, children and any flammable items out.
Fireplace screens are available in a seemingly endless array of styles, colors, materials, and sizes. With so many options, choosing a screen that is right for you can be difficult. When shopping for a screen, keep in mind the following guidelines to make your decision easier:
- A good screen will be designed to keep the occupants of a room a safe distance away from the fire.
- Make sure you get the right size screen. As a general rule, screens should be at least 12 inches away from the heat source in all directions. This means when you are measuring your fireplace opening, the screen that you buy should be 12 inches wider on both sides, and provide 12 inches of clearance in the front. The screen should also extend at least 5 inches higher than the aperture of your fireplace.
- Stability is crucial. Make sure that the screen you choose will not fall over easily if bumped or knocked.
For safety reasons, a fireplace screen should be in place any time a fire is lit. But while screens are important for safety reasons, they can also be a beautiful, decorative addition to your room. And with so many options to choose from, there is a screen for every style and budget.
July 2, 2009
If you are interested in enhancing the look and feel of an existing wood burning fireplace, a fireplace insert can provide a great solution. The installation of a fireplace insert can turn an occasional source of warmth into a convenient and easy-to-use supplemental zone heater that can help control high home heating bills while protecting winter air quality.
Fireplace inserts are heating units that retrofit into an existing fireplace (masonry or factory-built), and use a variety of fuels for operation (natural gas, propane, EPA-certified wood, pellet and coal). Inserts are made from cast iron or steel and have self-cleaning glass doors that allow the fire to be viewed while the insulated doors remain closed, making the fire more efficient. Many manufacturers also augment the operation of fireplace inserts by offering state-of-the-art features such as fans and thermostatic controls (depending on the fuel).
Almost anyone with older wood burning fireplaces can benefit from the installation of a fireplace insert. Generally, older fireplaces have efficiency ratings of just 5 to 10 percent. This low efficiency is due to the open combustion design that allows an abundance of heated room air to be drawn into the fire, causing the fire to burn too fast and wasting energy. By contrast, a fireplace insert is an insulated, closed-door system that slows the fire down and increases the temperature of the fire to facilitate more complete combustion. This closed combustion system can assist in generating efficiencies of above 65 % in many cases, which can translate into more heat output. When it comes to burning wood, an EPA-certified wood burning fireplace insert can also reduce emissions from wood burning to almost zero.
Determining which fuel type to select when purchasing a fireplace insert depends on the cost and availability of the fuel, the desired efficiency and heat output, as well as the level of maintenance requirements and the desired appearance of the fire by the user. While most fireplace inserts manufactured today are extremely efficient, the choice is often dictated by a person’s individual needs. Fuel choice may also affect your budget – both wood burning and pellet inserts are covered by the new Federal tax credit and can result in significant savings for you!
If you are interested in an insert, give us a call or stop by one of our stores (the photo above shows some of the many options available at our Peterborough location) and our experts will be happy to discuss the range of options with you.
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