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February 3, 2010
You have the fireplace you’ve always dreamed of – a hearth where your family gathers for relaxation and warmth. Now all you need is quality and attractive fireplace accessories to complete the picture. Search out these functional accents with the overall scene in mind.
If you own a wood burning stove, your fireplace will not function safely and efficiently without some well chosen fireplace accessories. A fireplace screen is essential to protect your flooring from sparks and ash and to fence off the opening from wandering children and pets. Be sure to choose something large enough and sturdy enough for your family’s needs. Look for a screen that suits the style of décor in your room – from fancy to simple, any style is available.
You will also need a place to store logs and kindling. Often a bin is sufficient, but make sure it is sturdy with a wide bottom to prevent tipping and mess. Look for one with a handle for easy transporting. A shelf or log holder can also be used and is usually more elaborate and decorative. Some have a suede or leather bottom hanging on an iron or brass frame, holding the logs easily and providing some style on the hearth. Make sure that the log holder is large enough for a few lightings but not so large that the wood will sit inside too long.
Look for some tools to use for cleaning and maintenance. A brush for the hearth is essential, with a comfortable, long handle and bristles that can pick up a fair amount of ash. Also a flat shovel is useful for scooping up ash and a lidded bucket or bin will be necessary for carrying it away. Use your bin to transport the fireplace ash into your garden as compost. Bellows are another tool that should be kept handy when burning wood.
Many fireplace accessories are made for safety and maintenance, but can still add style and a finished look. Try to purchase each piece with the whole picture in mind – some accessories even come in matching or coordinating sets. Things like fan kits and damper pulls may come with your fireplace and can be used to coordinate other pieces.
Gas fireplaces often have less accessories due to their burning technology. Still, mantels, hearth rugs and even decorative screens can be found around gas fireplaces, lending a certain atmosphere to the setting. Consider the overall look you want to convey and find fireplace accessories that suit that look. You will be much more content enjoying your fire with all of the functional accents in place around it.
February 2, 2010
Wood stoves have been around for generations. The traditional wood stove radiates heat from the burning wood inside the stove and warms anything and everything close to it. The larger the woodstove, the bigger the area of heat generated. The heating capacity of many wood stoves is not fully realized.
To improve on the wood stove, fans can be added to spread the radiant heat through the room or the home. In cold climates, the simple woodstove is added to many newer homes because of the low cost heat generated. The stoves are often added to basements when they are renovated into game rooms or family rooms as an inexpensive way to heat space that does not have duct work or would put too much strain on the heating system of the home.
Electric fans are one choice but perhaps not the best method of dispersing heat from the stoves. The heat generated by the wood burning stove can cause electric fans to have a short life span. In addition, adding electrical use increases the cost of operating the wood stove.
Some stove fans are designed to use the heat of boiling water to drive a piston turning the blade of the fan. The fan then pushes the heat above the stove into the rest of the living area.
A third type of wood stove fan can be compared to a heat sink. Heat from the burning wood is drawn up through an aluminum base. A “peltier cooler” is located part way up that base and the conflict of hotter temperature reacting with cooler temps generates low voltage electricity. This is a widely used version of wood stove fan as the low level electricity produced is enough to power the fan.
In newer homes where owners plan for installation of a wood stove, a programmable furnace fan is effective in spreading heated air throughout a room. Another way to incorporate a wood stove fan is to use existing ceiling fans with the reversible option. The fan would move the heated air that naturally rises to the ceiling and push the warm air down to the living area.
If you are installing a wood stove a fan should be part of the plan. However, wood stove fans are not necessarily mounted on the woodstove. Any fan that gently moves the heated air around the room will do the job.
Wood stoves are almost always cast iron black boxes and until recently wood stove accessories focused only on function. The tools weren’t particularly lovely but the design was clearly purpose driven. The stove pipe is another matter. There is nothing attractive about a black pipe rising from the stove and into the ceiling. It doesn’t matter what angle you view it from – that’s one ugly pipe.
Wood stoves are a big item and big marketplace in states where months of extremely cold weather drive heating bills into the stratosphere. If the black pipe from the wood stove is an eyesore for you there are wood stove accessories that can help make that pipe less utilitarian.
Wood stove pipe shams clip around the pipe itself. An open design of leaf forms and other botanicals climb up the pipe adding an architectural element to the form. Sold in six, nine and twelve foot lengths, the pipe shams also have elbow pieces available for those pipes that take a turn on their way to the ceiling.
Other wood stove accessories are used when the stove is installed. Floor and wall protection are provided by “shields” that protect walls and floor from the high heat produced by burning wood. Made of mineral fiber core with heavy gauge steel over the top surface and edge these stove shields can be found designed to look like stone or masonry hearths.
Wood stove users often add a trivet and teapot to the top of the stove. The intricate trivets are made with porcelain enamel over metal and often resemble trivets used by our great grandmothers to protect counter and tables from hot kettles.
Teapots made for wood stoves are always referred to as kettles. They are made of cast iron and may have a traditional flat black finish or be enameled inside and out to prevent corrosion and rust.
Leaning on a wall near the stove you may find a small, square edged shovel. A more decorative wood stove accessory that is also practical is a set composed of a covered ash container with a matching small shovel. These are often made in antique or shiny brass, antique copper or pewter finishes as well as the traditional matte black.
The same finishes are found on log holders where refill wood is kept near the wood stove. These are sturdy and useful but also can be purchased in a wide variety of highly decorative designs.
When you visit a home with a wood stove it is likely the stove will be surrounded by a variety of wood stove accessories that provide a design element yet also serve a practical function. If visiting on a bitterly cold day you can experience the comforting warmth provided by these simple stoves.
February 1, 2010
If your new home has a fireplace, finding the right fireplace tool set will ensure countless winter evenings spent comfortably and safely in front of a roaring fire. Buying fireplace tools may seem like a simple task until you realize the wide variation in styles, finishes and quality offered by various manufacturers.
A standard fireplace tool set includes a shovel, a poker, large tongs and a stiff bristled broom. You can purchase the tools separately but in sets your also receive a stand that stores the tools when not in use. Most stands allow the tools to hang which keeps them out of the way and provides a neater appearance than loose tools leaning against the hearth.
The poker is the most used tool for wood burning fireplaces. It has a small reverse hook a few inches from the bottom end to allow burning logs to be push or pulled into better position in the fire. Large tongs can be unwieldy but are designed to firmly lift a burning log and move it to another location in the fire. Better tongs have three points of contact rather than two and provide better balance and grip when moving burning logs in the fireplace.
The most helpful fireplace tool is the shovel. Wood fireplaces need frequent cleaning unless designed with an ash pit where ash can be removed from outside the home. Although vacuuming may seem to be an easy way to remove ash it doesn’t work except on vacuums designed to be used in such a way. The fine ash escapes the filters of traditional vacuums and can be blown as a dust throughout the room rather than being trapped in the vacuum bag. Ash vacuums are now available that work well with warm and cool ash.
The shovel is used to remove the largest portions of the ash along with charred pieces of wood left in the fire pit. Once the majority of the ash has been shoveled into a bag or bucket, the broom is used to gather the ashes left by sweeping it onto the shovel for disposal.
For frequent fireplace use, a large shovel is a wise choice when finding the right fireplace tool set. You might also consider adding an ash bucket with a lid to hold ash until disposal. Metal ash buckets with lids are the safest choice.
Fireplace tool sets can be found for as little as $19.95 and run well over $100 for high quality sets. The quality is in the size (length) of the tools, the weight (strength) of the metal tools are made of, the comfort and strength of the handles attached to the tools and the metal finish applied.
Most fireplace sets sold today are machine made but you can also find handmade wrought iron tools that are highly decorative. Most tools are constructed of steel yet finishes applied may include leaf and scroll designs and have hand grips and tool stands that feature brass or copper accents. Finding the best fireplace tool set is a fun challenge because the variety of style, size and pricing offers something for every taste and budget.
January 31, 2010
Having a fireplace tool set is important. There are 5 essential parts to every fireplace tool set. They include; a poker, dust pan, broom, shovel and tongs. Each of these pieces serve a different purpose and are important for the cleanliness and esthetics of your fireplace and surrounding area.
1. Poker
The poker is an essential tool because it allows you to move the pieces of wood around without having to touch the fire or get too close. It will allow you to spin the wood around and reposition it. If you do not move the wood around the flames will begin to decrease and the fire will lose intensity. Fireplace pokers come in different finishes and styles and choosing one that suits your needs and décor will allow you to customize your fireplace tool set.
2. Dust Pan
A dust pan will allow you to keep the fireplace hearth and surrounding area clean and ash free. If you are looking at the esthetics of your fireplace it is important to keep a dust pan on hand that can be used to clean up any dust and debris that has been left from the fire. Look for one that has a long handle that will allow you to reach into the fireplace without having to get yourself full of the dirt you are trying to clean up. Most fireplace tool sets come with a dust pan included so matching the style and finish will be easy.
3. Broom
Like a dust pan, a broom is essential for cleaning the fireplace and surround. The hearth will need to be swept often and having a small broom will allow you to clean-up the tiny dust particles and ashes. Look for a broom that can withstand heat and has bristles that are tough. The stronger the bristles the longer the broom will last. The broom is a piece that will more than likely come with an entire set of fireplace tools but if you are looking to purchase them separately find one that works well for your intended purpose that will last.
4. Shovel
Having a shovel as part of your fireplace tool set is important. The ash shovel will allow you to tend to the fire and to move the ashes from the fireplace to a trash bin or bucket. Choose a shovel that is compact with a long handle. The handle will allow you to reach farther back into the fireplace to reach any ashes that are otherwise out of reach.
5. Tongs
Tongs will allow you to pick up the firewood and position it exactly where you need it. The tongs are essential as they are made of a heavy grade material so that they will withstand the heat of the fire and can be used with ease to maneuver the large pieces of firewood into place.
There are five pieces that are essential to any fireplace tool set. They include; poker, dust pan, broom, shovel and tongs. There are many options for style, texture and material when choosing a fireplace tool set. Make sure that you find one that is suitable for your needs that will withstand heat and last for years to come. Fireplace tool sets can also be used with wood burning stoves.
Fireplace Village sells many different styles and sizes of fireplace tools and accessories. We also carry a wide selection of wood stove tool and accessories. Buy fireplace accessories online or visit one of our New Hampshire fireplace and wood stove accessories stores.
January 28, 2010
Protect your family, pets, home and yourself with safety gates for the fireplace, woodstove and grill. Child safety gates are a convenient way to separate pets and infants from fireplaces, wood stoves and grills. This is an especially important safety device as your baby becomes mobile.
A fireplace safety gate is a special type of baby gate which is designed to keep the child safe from accidentally knocking a head or other body part onto the fireplace. It is an outstanding baby gate for homes which don’t have mounting points straight across the fireplace.
Fireplace Village sells Kidco fireplace child safety gates. Purchase at one of our New Hampshire fireplace accessories stores or purchase fireplace and child safety products online.
January 15, 2010
Wood stoves are the most popular and generally efficient way to heat a home using wood. A wood stove can be located anywhere in the home where there is access to a chimney, but should be located centrally in an area that gets a lot of use. There are many great accessories that increase the ease of use, and update the look of wood stoves.
The most effective accessory is the self-powered stove fan which uses heat from your stove to turn itself on, and circulate warm air around the room. As the stove gets hotter, stove fans increases speed, circulating the most air possible. Because the fan uses no electricity it is truly the most efficient way to heat a home, and will also ensure that in the event of a power outage, the home will still be heated. There are also electric options which come with an option to manually control the speed of the fan, and therefore the heat in the room.
Other wood stove accessories that provide ease of use include firewood carriers, which allow ease of transportation between the outdoors and inside to the firewood rack or wood holder. Firewood carriers come in an array of material, including canvas and leather. Many firewood racks come with fireplace tool holders attached. For tight spaces these racks provide a compact way to store firewood, tools and even newspapers.
Cleaning out a woodstove can be a messy job, but with a warm ash vacuum, cleanup is a breeze. Many models have two filters, insuring that no ash or dust escapes into the air. Unlike regular vacuums, warm ash vacuums use a metal container to collect the ash, as opposed to a vacuum bag, which ensures no chance of flare up. This also cuts down on having to purchase replacement vacuum bags.
If small children or animals are present, it is best to surround your wood stove with a protective screen. These screens come with optional wall mounts for a more permanent option. Wood stove screens are also a great way to update the look of a wood stove, as many come with decorative designs on the top or front of the screen. Many screens come with front opening doors, allowing for access to the stove without having to dismantle the whole screen.
Fireplace Village is proud to offer an array of wood stoves and wood stove accessories. Purchase wood stove accessories online or come into any one of our great New Hampshire wood stove shop locations to see more.
January 14, 2010
When looking to update the look of an existing wood burning fireplace, hearth rugs are a great way to not only change the look and feel of the fireplace, but also to protect the flooring around it.
Wood burning fireplaces provide an authentic look and feel, and are still favored by many people over their gas or pellet burning alternatives, but there are a few downsides to a wood burning fireplace. One is flying sparks or embers that pop out of the fireplace and onto the floor below it. This is not only a great fire hazard, but also damages the flooring. By using a fire resistant or fireproof hearth rug, you can not only dress up the fireplace but also eliminate the risk of fire. Many hearth rugs today are made out of fiberglass, a flame resistant material, that will not scar or burn if embers land on it. Another option is a wool hearth rug, which unlike its synthetic counterparts, will not burn or melt.
Fireplace Village has a wide variety of hearth and fireplace rugs available for sale online and in our New Hampshire fireplace and stove shops. Please stop by any of our various New Hampshire locations to see them today or shop hearth rugs online.
December 15, 2009
Looking for a new wood holder? Our favorite wood holder is the Country Wood Holder and Tool Set from Minute Man International Hearth Tools. This is a combination wood holder, kindling and newspaper storage shelf and fireplace and wood stove tools. This cast iron wood holder has a graphite powdercoat finish and includes a large wood basket, a steel lower shelf for newpaper and kindling and a broom, ash shovel and wood tongs. This wood holder and tool set is the perfect addition for fireplaces, outdoor fireplaces, wood stoves or fireplace inserts. It also makes a great functional gift for anyone looking for the perfect wood stove or fireplace insert accessories. Dimensions: 23″W x 30″H x 11 1/2″D, Tool Set 25″L.
Fireplace Village sells a large selection of fireplace accessories and fireplace tools. We are the largest retailer and dealer of fireplace tools and accessories in NH and New England. Stop by one of our fireplace and stove shops today.
December 14, 2009
Now that the cold weather is here and the fireplaces, wood stoves and fireplace inserts are burning; check out the new Firewood Storage Racks at Fireplace Village. Improper storage of firewood can cause a multitude of problems. Our durable and long lasting tubular steel (.18 gauge) firewood storage racks are Made in the USA and have a black powder-coated paint finish and a baked-on black satin enamel finish. Raised firewood storage racks are a good idea and a cost effective, safe way to store firewood. Storing wood above ground protects against wood rotting, termite infestation and bug infestation. These firewood racks come in two sizes (45″L x 14″W x 46″H and 87″L x 14″W x 46″H).
Excess moisture will make firewood unfit to burn so it is always a good idea to protect firewood from excess moisture. With proper storage you can turn even the greenest wood into great firewood in 6 months or a year, and it can be expected to last 3 or 4 years if necessary. Fireplace Village NH carries all of the HY-C Company log racks and log rack covers. All of the HY-C Company log racks are Made in the USA.
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