For centuries, homeowners have gathered around a fire to keep warm, chat and cook their meals. Today, most American homes have central heating, but the allure of a fire hasn’t diminished — whether it’s a wood-burning fireplace, a free-standing gas stove or, in a pinch, even the image of a burning log on a midnight television screen!

While there’s something to be said for the sounds and smell of a wood-burning fireplace, a lot of homeowners are opting for the ease of a gas insert. Today’s gas fireplaces look realistic, need minimal maintenance and can heat an entire room.

There are three kinds of gas fireplaces.

Gas inserts: This is gas fireplace that can be fitted into an existing wood burning fireplace.
Built-ins: A fireplace that can be installed into the wall where there wasn’t one previously
Log sets: Gas burners that sit in existing fireplaces and are more for aesthetics than heat

Gas Fireplace Cost: $2,000 to $5,000 for the fireplace and installation. This is not a DIY project and should be handled by someone who can verify that the fireplace is vented properly.

Ventilation:

Although a gas fireplace doesn’t emit the smoke or leave ashes like a traditional wood-burning fireplace, they do emit carbon monoxide and other chemicals. Many gas fireplaces and inserts are vented versions that recycle air 
and exhaust directly through an exterior opening.

However, a vent-free gas fireplace can be installed anywhere because they don’t require access to an exterior wall opening. They are required to be cleaner burning and have an oxygen-depletion sensor that will shut off the fireplace if the level of oxygen is too low in the room. Vent-free gas fireplaces are not allowed in California, New York City and a few other places.

Pros of Going Gas:

A gas fireplace can be built nearly anywhere in your home and provides a clean, low-maintenance look of a fireplace. You can control the temperature of the fire with a built-in thermostat and can start the fire with a switch or button. Unlike wood-burning fires, gas fireplaces are efficient and return as much as “75 to 99 percent of a fuel’s energy back as heat,” according to “This Old House.” Some gas fireplaces have built-in fans which can heat an entire room quickly.

Cons of Going Gas:

For most people, the cost of installation and the gas or propane to run it is a big enough turn-off due to cost. Additionally, there are some environmental concerns with gas fireplaces, specifically vent-free versions due to carbon monoxide output.

Shop Gas Fireplaces Here

At the end of the day there is nothing like the warmth created by a real flame, but messing with wood or pellets can distract from that relaxing atmosphere. In addition, if your home is newer, you may not have a chimney, or the skills to install extensive piping. A good choice here is a direct vent fireplace. 'Direct vent' fireplaces burn natural or propane gas and are vented through the outside wall, making them less costly to install and maintain than traditional fireplaces.

Where to Get a New Direct Vent Fireplace Delivered Directly to Your Home

Purchasing a new direct vent fireplace is as easy as paying a visit to Copperfield Chimney Supply's web site at www.woodstoves-fireplaces.com . They offer you a no hassle way to get a new direct vent fireplace in your home quickly. They deliver to all of the United States and provide you with technical assistance as well. You can call them toll free at 800-218-4947 and one of their representatives will assist you in finding the perfect fireplace for you and your home.

As winter comes to a close we all need to be careful with our fireplaces and chimneys. With that in mind more than one-third of Americans use fireplaces, wood stoves and other fuel-fired appliances as primary heat sources in their homes. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of the fire risks when heating with wood and solid fuels.

Heating fires account for 36 percent of residential home fires in rural areas every year. Often these fires are due to creosote buildup in chimneys and stove pipes. All home heating systems require regular maintenance to function safely and efficiently.

Here are some tips to assist you in cleaning and maintenance.

• Have your chimney or wood stove inspected and cleaned annually by a certified chimney specialist.

• Clear the area around the hearth of debris, decorations and flammable materials.

• Leave glass doors open while burning a fire. Leaving the doors open ensures that the fire receives enough air to ensure complete combustion and keeps creosote from building up in the chimney.

• Close glass doors when the fire is out to keep air from the chimney opening from getting into the room. Most glass fireplace doors have a metal mesh screen which should be closed when the glass doors are open. This mesh screen helps embers from getting out of the fireplace area.

• Always use a metal mesh screen with fireplaces that do not have a glass fireplace door.

• Install stovepipe thermometers to help monitor flue temperatures.

• Keep air inlets on wood stoves open and never restrict air supply to fireplaces. Otherwise you may cause creosote buildup that could lead to a chimney fire.

• Use fire resistant materials on walls around wood stoves.

• Never use flammable liquids to start a fire.

• Use only seasoned hardwood. Soft, moist wood accelerates creosote buildup.

• Build small fires that burn completely and produce less smoke.

• Never burn cardboard boxes, trash or debris in your fireplace or wood stove.

• When building a fire, place logs at the rear of the fireplace on an adequate supporting gate.

• Never leave a fire in a fireplace unattended. Always extinguish the fire before going to bed or leaving the house.

• Soak hot ashes in water and place them in a metal container outside and away your home.

• When stacking wood try to keep it at least 30 feet away from your home.

• Keep your roof clear of leaves, pine needles and other debris.

• Cover the chimney with a mesh screen spark arrester.

• Remove branches hanging above the chimney, flues or vents.

• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home and inside and outside of sleeping areas. Test them monthly and change batteries at least once a year.

• Provide proper venting systems for all heating equipment.

Last year alone the Brained Fire/Rescue Department responded to approximately 30 some calls that involved issues of this type.

And as I always say, be safe out there!! For any questions or concerns feel free to call or stop. Our number is 828-2312 andw e are here 24 hours/seven days a week to assist you.

Shopping for a new fireplace or replacing an existing one allows you the design freedom to determine what type of fireplace you want installed. Napoleon fireplaces are available in different types and include gas fireplace, energy efficient wood burning fireplaces, and electric fireplaces, all of which are available from Copperfield Chimney Supply . You can find all different designs to fit the décor in your home from traditional looking cast iron finishes to more modern styles in a variety of colors.

Things to Consider Before Installing Napoleon Fireplaces

Before installing Napoleon Fireplaces, there are a few things you will need to consider first. You will need to determine where you want the fireplace installed, either in a corner or along an exterior wall. You will need to decide if you want a traditional looking chimney or are satisfied with a space saving direct vent. Finally, you will need to think about whether you want a flush fireplace or one that sticks out into the room.

A relentless decade-long campaign by a Canadian pediatrician is about to change North American safety standards to protect children from scorching their skin on glass fireplace doors.

The North American industry group Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association on Tuesday will meet with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission about new rules to make screens in gas-fired glass front fireplaces mandatory.

At least 2,000 small children have suffered serious burns between 1999 and 2009 from touching the glass fronts of gas fireplaces, which can reach 200 C just 10 minutes after the fire is switched on and take 30 minutes to cool down.

Investigations, particularly by FairWarning.org, have described toddler’s skin sticking and “melting” onto the white-hot glass doors.

Dr. Cynthia Verchere, a pediatric plastic surgeon who has led the campaign, has called the glass doors like “having your oven on with the door open in the middle of your living room.”

Article Continued Below

Verchere, who works at British Columbia Children’s Hospital, said one to two dozen burn victims turn up in the emergency room each year.

“Each winter I see more than a dozen second and third degree fireplace burns, mostly on the hands and faces of toddlers,” she said. “These burns are incredibly painful, and can take months to years to heal with repeated medical visits, possible skin grafts, rehabilitation and potential loss of range of motion. In most cases the incident happens while adults are in the room supervising.”

“She spearheaded this,” HPBA spokeswoman Leslie Wheeler told the Star on Monday of Verchere.

Prodded by Verchere and HPBA’s Canadian branch, HPBA in the U.S. started a few years ago to include warning labels with all glass fronted gas fireplaces.

And prodded again by the Canadian Standards Association Working Group, the HPBA has now put together industry-wide rules requiring fireplace glass doors to be shielded by a screen.

“It will get hot, yes, but it won’t cause burns,” Wheeler said of the screens.

Wheeler said the new rules for all North American manufacturers should be in place via the CSA and the American National Standards Institute by mid-2012 and will come with a fresh education campaign.

The HPBA changes started in 2007. Wheeler acknowledged some in the industry resisted mandatory screens in favour of warning labels. The CSA Technical Advisory Group, acting on the Working Group’s recommendations, declared in December they should be mandatory.

The industry is trying to stave off government rules via the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the HPBA’s Tom Stroud acknowledged.

While some fireplace manufacturers include screens now, “many of them do not.”

And some homeowners, she pointed out, don’t like the screens blocking the “pretty” view of the crackling fire.

CSA standards now tell consumers: “Always turn off the appliance when babies or young children are to be active in the area, or put up a permanent screen or gate if you use the fireplace as your main heat source in the home.”

Shop Gas Fireplaces Here

Over continued use your fireplace can wear out over time even when it is properly maintained. Brick enclosures can start to crack from being heated and cooled. Tearing out the entire fireplace can be an expensive home improvement project. Instead you should look into different types of fireplace inserts . Inserts fit into the existing space and are a new fireplace system, which is energy efficient. Many models will work with your existing chimney system or may require only slight modifications.

Gas Fireplace Inserts Can Provide More Flexibility than Wood Burning

You will find that you can use gas fireplace inserts, like those available on our website, here at Copperfield Chimney Supply, in more places than wood inserts. The only major difference is that you will need to have a natural gas line ran to the fireplace. This flexibility allows you to use gas inserts to convert wood burning units over. Venting is often accomplished by installing a direct vent through the back of the existing chimney, which allows you to seal the rest of the chimney off to prevent cold air from getting into the home.