Faqs
Do Gas Fireplaces Need Maintenance?
Yes, They Do. Anyone Who Represents Gas Fireplaces As Being Maintenance Free Is Not Telling You The Truth. There’s Certainly Less Involved In Maintaing A Gas Fireplace Than A Wood Burning One, But Certain Periodic Maintenance Steps Are Required. These Will Vary Slightly From Unit To Unit, But Generally Include Cleaning And Battery Replacement. We Will Give You Full Instructions On How To Properly Maintain The Unit You Select, Or If You Prefer, We Can Do It For You At A Charge.
What’s The Difference Between Vented And Vent-free Fireplaces, And Which Should I Buy?
Vented Fireplaces Are Equipped With An Outlet To The Outside Of The House, Either Horizontally Through A Wall Or Vertically Through The Roof. This Expels The Harmful Byproducts Of Combustion Such As Carbon Monoxide. Vented Products Are Generally In The Mid Range Of Efficiency And Can Be Operated As Much As You Want With No Effect On Indoor Air Quality. They Also Tend To Have The Most Realistic Appearance.
Vent-free Products Employ A Technology That Results In Super High Combustion Efficiency, Destroying Most Of The Carbon Monoxide And Other Harmful Gasses. Not Exhaust Is Required. They Do, However, Produce Large Amounts Of Water Vapor, Which Can Result In Poor Air Quality If Used Incorrectly Or For More Than Just A Few Hours At A Time. The Flame Pattern That Is Produced Is Not As Good As On Vented Products And There Can Be Odors Associated With These Products That Many People Find Distasteful Or Downright Unacceptable.
We Generally Recommend Going With A Vented Product If It’s At All Possible. Vent-free Is An Alternate Technology To Use Where It’s The Only Viable Option
Can I Put A Tv Above My Fireplace?
Most Likely, Yes, But With Certain Provisions Made. Televisions, And All Electronics, Do Not Like Heat. There Are A Few Ways To Prevent Heat From The Fireplace From Causing Damage To Your Tv. We Can Thoroughly Discuss The Various Options And Help You To Determine The Best Approach For You.
What’s The Best Way To Convert A Wood Burning Fireplace To Gas?
The Answer Depends On What Your Overall Goals Are. If You Are Simply Trying To Make Operation Easy And Clean, With No Particular Requirement For Heat Output, You Might Be Best Off Installing A Set Of Vented Gas Logs. These Look Great And Are Typically A Relatively Inexpensive Way To Convert. Given Very Heavy Use, Though, They Will Wind Up Being Very Costly To Operate. If You Want A Lot Of Heat, Or Believe That You Will Use The Fireplace A Lot, You Should Consider Installing An Air Tight Gas Insert. This Is A Product Type Which Will Be Inexpensive To Run And Will Generat Useful Heat. The Up Front Cost Of This Conversion Is Higher Though. So It Really Comes Down To Picking The Approach The Best Fits Your Lifestyle.
Can A New Fireplace Be Connect To My Smart Home System?
More And More Manufacturers Are Offering This Option. Most Premium Brands Already Offer It, And More Are Adding The Choice All The Time.
I Want To Come In To One Of Your Showrooms To Look At The Fireplaces. Is There Anything I Should Bring?
We Can Be Best Able To Advise You On Your Options If You Take A Moment To Take Approximate Dimensions Of The Area You Are Considering For The Project. Bringing In Photos Would Also Be Very Helpful.
What Kind Of Wood Should I Burn In My New Fireplace Or Stove?
Seasoned Hardwood Is The Best Fuel. Seasoned Means That The Wood Has Been Left Outside, Covered, To Dry For At Least A Year Or More After It Was Cut And Split. Wood That Is More Than A Few Years Old Can Actually Be Overly Dry And Will Burn Rapidly With Little Heat Output. Good Hardwoods Are Oak, Maple, Poplar, And Any Of The Fruitwoods Like Cherry Or Apple.
It’s Also Important To Note That Starting A Fire Requires The Use Of Very Dry Kindling. This Should Be Cut Up Very Small And Be Thoroughly Dry. Any Species Of Wood Can Be Used As Kindling As Long As It’s In Small Dry Pieces (Twigs, Branches Etc). We Also Sell Good Firestarting Materials At Our Store.