Napoleon provides all different models and styles of fireplaces for you to choose from, when getting a new fireplace. Napoleon fireplaces are available in gas, wood burning and electric styles. When picking out the style you prefer, you will need to consider how you plan to use the fireplace. If you are using it for decorative purposes and want the unit to remain looking clean, then you should select a gas or electric model. If you are using it to heat your home and save on energy bills, then you will want to look at wood burning units instead.

Napoleon Fireplaces Available with Free Delivery

Shopping for Napoleon fireplaces is easy, when you visit our website, here at Copperfield Chimney Supply. We also carry Napoleon brand accessories for completing the interior installation of your new fireplace, as well as any direct vents and chimney supplies you might require. We offer free shipping on all orders over $500, which saves you the hassle of having to pick up your fireplace from a shipping terminal.

Previously published at highschimney.com

The gas log fireplace has a number of advantages over a traditional wood burning fireplace. While some of the reasons might appear to be obvious others might turn a few curious glances. Gas fireplaces do not have the same amount of realism and the impact of a wood burning fireplace but with added features gas fireplaces are widely considered realistic and beneficial enough to exceed the expectations of the hearth design.

Nothing mimics a wood burning fireplace. The natural crackling and popping and sizzling of sap and the sweet, harsh olfactory effect of a wood fire triggers a physical sensation and psychological relaxation similar to the sounds and smells of the ocean. However, fumes can become toxic, crackling sap sends arcs of sparks off in random directions and a slowly dying fire leaves embers pulsing for hours waiting for an incendiary mistake. While gas fireplaces lack many of the features that create the allure of a wood burning fireplace the gas fireplace is safer, easier to use and more attractive than most wood stoves and wood burning fireplaces.

A gas fireplace offers a level of realism that doesn't take away from the effects that its traditional counterpart offers. Because of the advancement in technology gas fireplaces offer an authentic looking hand painted ceramic log that comes complete texture and charring. Well designed gas fireplaces have been commonly mistaken for wood burning fires. Although a wood burning fireplace has burning wood and a gas fireplace burner emits flames from just below the logs the design mimics real flames more reliably than wood logs that often burn inconsistently.

Different gas log manufacturers create gas logs with varying processes and materials. Gas fireplace logs are manufactured of ceramic that has been treated for flame, reinforced with steel supports, hand painted for realistic textures and molded from casts of wood logs. Some gas fireplace logs are also made of a heat resistant foam similar to the architectural foam used for the decorative exterior of homes. Foam refractory logs are lighter and easier to remove to clean and much less expensive but it is also easier to crack the external shell.

Because a gas fireplace doesn't operate on electricity gas burns at a reduced cost compared to a standard home heater. While fireplace wood can be expensive wood can also be found free. A gas fire will burn until it is turned off and will simply cool down until the next time it is used. In comparison, a wood burning fireplace has to burn down and go out, before it will be safe to leave it unattended with glowing embers dangerously hot several hours after flames have burned out.

A gas fireplace also offers more flexibility in temperature and the appearance of the flames. The fire level is easily adjusted to deliver the amount of warmth and aesthetic appeal that a home needs. When it gets too hota gas fire can be instantly lowered or be increased when the room gets too hot. With a wood burning fireplace a fire cannot be adjusted in a matter of moments to get the room the temperature to a comfortable place. While a talented use of the poker and flue can affect the heat of a wood burning fireplace it is certainly easier and more reliable to simply push a button and adjust flame height.

There are also dangers and headaches associated with a wood burning stove. For example, a wood burning stove needs to be cleaned after each use or at least often enough to remove fine silt ash. Ash build up can be messy and difficult if cleaned poorly or left unattended and the fine ash can ruin clothing, air conditioners and get everywhere. Burning wood fireplaces also generate creosote and a chimney must be cleaned on a regular basis to ensure that no chimney fires occur. A gas fireplace will only need to be checked periodically for carbon soot or a leak after a forceful storm there is no cause for alarm when setting it up for operation.

Ease of use should be noted as well. Many gas fireplaces keep a standing pilot like gas stoves and heater. When the gas fireplace is used a button pushed or knob rotated will have flames at a perfectly selected height and heat emitting from the hearth almost instantly. With any gas fireplace a manual control valve is operated like a barbeque. However, remote control options provide transmitters that function like a hand-held remote, wall switch, automatic thermostat and with a timer.

The wood burning fireplace must be built with lighter kindling setup around and below wood chunks stacked below the logs that will be burned. A wood fire must begin with a single flame nursed to the point that kindling burns and grows to burn chunks that burn to ignite actual heat producing logs. Wood fires are never easy to start and a poorly stacked fireplace can ignite, and go out only to be rebuilt until it burns properly to ignite the fireplace logs.

In the winter, a person will need to go out and pick up wood and kindling to build a fire and keep it going. While that might not be too bad in 50 degrees, when it is snowing or a blizzard outside it might become a problem. With a gas fireplace there is no need to worry about tracking down wood as long as gas is running into the home.

Wood burning fireplaces and vented gas log fireplaces both require a chimney or similar ventilation to remove dangerous chemicals created by burning fuels. Direct vent and B-vent gas fireplaces are capable of safely venting through horizontal ventilation flues that offer interior design versatility unavailable with wood burning fireplaces that can only vent vertically. Ventless gas fireplaces are capable of burning in a reduced vent or vent-free environment by minimizing carbon emissions and detecting oxygen levels within the control valve. While wood burning fireplaces were a great item in their time they don't hold up to the efficiency that a gas fireplace can offer. If your having either type of fireplace installed, consider a stress-free remodeling company to help improve the entire room from floor to ceiling.

By Associated Press and Carole Feldman

People are drawn to a fire, whether for roasting marshmallows in summer or cuddling up near the fireplace in winter.

Just as you take precautions to prevent campfires from getting out of control, there are things you should do to make sure fireplaces and chimneys are safe.

Burning fuel in fireplaces or wood stoves leave the gummy residue creosote, which can stick to the lining of the chimney. Creosote — created by soot, smoke, gases and other particles — is flammable, and can be the source of a dangerous chimney fire.

From 2005 to 2008, an average of 26,900 fires annually were blamed on fireplaces, chimneys or chimney connectors, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Experts recommend that chimneys be inspected every year by a certified chimney sweep and cleaned if necessary. The cost can range from $100 to $300 or higher.

Cleaning a chimney is not a do-it-yourself project, says Kit Selzer, a senior editor at Better Homes and Gardens. It’s a dirty job, and it also can be risky, especially if you have to climb onto the roof.

Chimney sweeps are trained to determine whether chimneys are structurally sound and whether they need to be cleaned, says Ashley Eldridge, education director for the Chimney Safety Institute of America. They also will make sure the chimney is up to code, which is especially important in older houses.

Selzer recommends that homeowners use the institute’s website, www.csia.org, to select a certified chimney sweep.

To become certified, a sweep must pass two tests: one on the inspection process and tools, and the other on the international residential code, as it applies to chimneys.

“Each job is different,” said Christina El-Hagen, a certified sweep with Pride Clean Chimney Sweeps in Bethesda, Md., but there are some basics. “We’re looking to make sure the flue is fully safe,” she said. “We’re making sure there are no third-degree burns of creosote on the lining.”

Chimney sweeps also check to see if there are any birds or animals in the chimney, or anything that would block the flow of smoke. They also check that there’s no water coming in.

Cleaning the chimney also involves removing creosote.

When thinking of chimneys, El-Hagen says, many people focus on the one attached to the fireplace. “Yes, they can catch on fire, but we’re not dealing with a deadly gas, carbon monoxide,” she says, as is the case with chimneys leading from furnaces. Whether they burn oil or gas, furnaces vent carbon monoxide outside into the atmosphere, and those chimneys also need to be inspected.

“It’s the No. 1 reason why we are in business,” El-Hagen said. You can choose not to use a fireplace, she said, but “you have to use your heat.”

There are steps you can take at home to reduce creosote buildup and the risk of a chimney fire.

Foremost is picking dry wood to burn, Eldridge said. To determine whether wood is sufficiently dry, “take two pieces and bang them together. You get almost a ring as an indication it’s ready. If not, it’s a dull thud,” he said.

Dry wood also will appear gray on the surface and have cracks on the end.

Don’t throw combustible trash in the fireplace, El-Hagen said, because it causes a thicker smoke, which lowers the temperature in the chimney. “The hotter the fire, the better the burn,” she said.

While many people use a newspaper to start a fire, she recommends a fire log or fire starter instead.

To reduce the risk of a spark flying out of the fireplace, use a screen and stay in the room while the fire is burning.

Also recommended: a smoke detector, carbon monoxide detector and fire extinguisher.

Over the years, fireplaces have been a familiar feature in many homes, however until very recently, they have undergone very little change from the traditional hearth.

2014 is heating up to be a very different year for the fireplace. Fireplaces are becoming the design focus for many rooms in the house and with new technological advances it’s now possible to do more with the fireplace than ever before.

“We’re seeing some very interesting home designs that incorporate fireplaces in many creative new ways,” said David Coulson, of Napoleon Fireplaces. “While the traditional hearth will be a mainstay for many homes, modern fireplaces with crisp lines and glass frames will continue to rise in popularity with new homes and redesigned rooms. That being said we’re seeing several new trends emerge this season that are really changing the way people are thinking about fireplaces.”

Coulson suggests keeping the following hot trends in mind when looking for a new fireplace this season.

• Modern: The upcoming season will continue the trend of sleek and modern fireplaces. Look for clean, linear lines with less metal and more glass. People want the full flame and don’t want black or chrome metal frames blocking the view or interfering with the lighting.

• Gas: Gas fireplaces will continue to rise in popularity this season. The convenience of flicking a switch compared to collecting, piling and lighting firewood is quickly winning out. The younger generation of fireplace buyers want a quick lighting fireplace that is cleaner and easier to maintain.

• Outdoors: 2014 will be a big year for the outdoor fireplace as people create or expand on their backyard oasis. The idea of turning a backyard into another room of your house is fueling the outdoor fireplace trend and Napoleon has developed several new models to accommodate this demand.

• Heat rises: Much like HD televisions, consumers are placing their fireplace inserts higher up on the wall. New technology allows for home owners to insert enclosed gas fireplaces almost anywhere in the house and many people are taking inspiration from designers who are playing with the traditional ideas of where you find a fireplace.

• Unlikely locations: Much like the migration of fireplaces up the wall, more fireplaces are being installed in unlikely rooms. For example, Napoleon makes several models which are ideally suited for the kitchen or bathroom. These fireplaces however are typically used to decorate the room, not to heat it. Another hot spot is the home theatre. More fireplaces are being installed in high end home theatres to create dramatic lighting schemes.

Does your fireplace always seem to have an odor, even when you're not using it?

If you're fireplace chimney has not been inspected and cleaned for some time and has a build-up of creosote and other materials, that will almost certainly be the problem. The problem is exaggerated if you have any negative pressure in the home which will result in air coming down the chimney and into the room. Negative pressure can be caused by any number of things including kitchen and bath fans, improper chimney height, smaller homes with no make-up air system.

Don't be fooled by false claims that artificial logs and powders will clean the chimney. While they might elimiate some light soot build up in the firebox, they will not clean your chimney to the extent it should be cleaned. They could leave you with the idea your chimney is clean when in reality it is not and could result in a dangerous chimney fire. The only way to properly clean the chimney is to brush it with commercially available brushes. Once you have the chimney clean, burning better quality dry hardwoods will help prevent future build-up.

Glass doors can also help the odors from within the fireplace from escaping into the room. However must glass doors do not seal tightly and will not totally eliminate the problem.

You may not be thinking much about your fireplace or wood stove as temperatures start to warm up during the spring and summer months. Even though the temperatures are nice right now, it will not be too long before winter will return once more. Rather than waiting until the last minute, now is a great time to inspect, clean, repair, or replace your fireplace or wood stove. This is also an ideal time to get a wood stove insert installed when you want to improve your heating efficiency.

A Wood Stove Insert Fits Into Existing Spaces in Your Fireplace or Stove

A wood stove insert, which is available on our website, here at Copperfield Chimney Supply, will fit into the existing space of your current fireplace and will create a sealed system. You can also use this type of insert when you want to improve the efficiency of your current wood stove. In most cases you can use your existing chimney by making slight modifications to accommodate the insert.