Natural gas does not smell naturally, so energy companies add a smell to it when processing the natural gas, which gives it a rotten egg smell. When first turning on a gas fireplace, it may have a slight smell as a result, but should dissipate when your fireplace is properly vented. Venting a gas fireplace or stove, with Duravent gas vents is necessary in order to prevent carbon dioxide and other harmful gases from being released into the air in the room.

Duravent Makes Several Pieces Needed to Install a Venting System

There are several different pieces needed to install a gas fireplace or stove venting system. You will need a Duravent termination cap, gas vent pipe, couplers and other such items to connect to your gas fireplace or stove, which are available on our website, here at Copperfield Chimney Supply. While you do not need a complete chimney, like with a wood burning fireplace, you will need at least a direct vent exhaust.

It's been quite a while since homeowners have felt it's worthwhile to put good money into their houses. Given years of declining home values, there has been little hope of getting one's money back with major remodeling projects. A new report indicates that in the months ahead, however, owners will be picking up their hammers - or at least hiring plenty of contractors and handymen - in what's expected to be a major growth period for remodeling. More

When you want to improve the efficiency of your existing fireplace you can look at upgrading and adding a wood stove insert . A fireplace insert is a self-contained box made out of steel, cast iron or other durable metal which can withstand high heat levels. You will find that inserts include options for blowers to help force warm air from within the heated chamber into the room where the fireplace or stove is being operated.

Two Basic Options Available for a Wood Stove Insert

There are two basic options available in a wood stove insert, available from us, here at Copperfield Chimney Supply. You have the choice to choose between wood burning and gas inserts. You can use a gas insert in an existing wood burning fireplace with a few conversion modifications. However, you cannot use a wood burning insert to convert a gas fireplace into wood burning.

Older types of wood stoves are not energy efficient, and actually allow a good portion of the heat to go up the chimney and right out of the house. As the fire burns, warm air is sucked into the stove to help with combustion. As the heated air goes up the chimney, cold air is pulled in and can get into the room through any small cracks around windows and doors. A wood stove insert remedies these problems because it is a self-contained unit. This keeps heat in the room rather than letting it go up the chimney.

Get More Heat Out of Your Fireplace with a Wood Stove Insert

Rather than purchasing a brand new fireplace, you can get a wood stove insert instead. This type of insert fits into an existing wood burning fireplace and creates a sealed system. While smoke is vented up chimneys, heat is transferred into the room with a heat circulating blower. You can find inserts for your wood fireplace available for Copperfield Chimney Supply .

When you want a fireplace in your home, but do not have a brick chimney installed you can run metal chimney pipe as a venting source for your fireplace. This pipe is not complicated to install and easily connects to the top of the fireplace to allow gases and other harmful by-products of the fire to escape from the home while retaining the warmth from the fire. You will also need this type of pipe when installing wood burning stoves.

The CSA - America Vented Heater Technical Advisory Group met in Cleveland on Dec. 13, 2011 and approved language mandating certified barriers to protect children and other at-risk people from the glass fronts of gas fireplaces. This recommendation for a revised standard now goes to the CSA Z21.50 and Z21.88 committees for their review.

If ultimately approved by the ANSI Board of Standards, a gas fireplace or gas heater must include a certified barrier if the temperature of the glass front can exceed 172 degrees F. The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA) supports this revision and is committed to educating homeowners on safety precautions when using their fireplaces and other home heating products.

"Safety is our first priority, and we want people to enjoy the warmth and ambiance of their fireplaces and stoves, but be reminded that they can get hot," said Jack Goldman, president & CEO of HPBA. "Children are by nature curious and need to be protected from hot surfaces."

In 2007, HPBA developed an internationally-recognized warning symbol for manufacturers and retailers of gas fireplaces and gas heaters to inform homeowners that glass fronts can become extremely hot due to their high efficiency, and precautions should be taken. HPBA also recommends that consumers follow the manufacturer's instructions for the safe use and maintenance of their heating products. To learn more about HPBA's safety guidelines, please visit the website .