• Tax credit of 10% of purchase price (not to include installation), up to a maximum credit of $300
• Applicable for purchases in 2011 only
• Kept the 75% efficiency level because it referenced the prior credit and did not explicitly (or implicitly) remove the 75% number
• Explicitly removed the Low Heating Value (LHV) testing methodology from TRUIRJCA at Sec. 710(b)(2)(B) but did not mention any substitute method.

1. What is the Biomass-Burning Stove Tax Credit?
2. What is the difference between a tax deduction and a tax credit?
3. What is the difference between a non-refundable tax credit and refundable tax credit?
4. When does this tax credit go into effect and how long will it last?
5. How is the value of this tax credit determined?
6. What appliances qualify for the tax credit?
7. Why was 75% efficiency selected?
8. How is the 75% efficiency requirement determined?
9. Are biomass stoves installed in new or vacation homes covered by this tax credit?
10. What is meant by "renewable biomass?"
11. What is the definition of a "Wood Burning Furnace?"
12. If a consumer purchases other products, such as solar collectors or window upgrades, does this mean a biomass stove tax credit can't be taken?
13. Will other wood and solid-fuel appliances (like inserts, EPA-certified wood-burning fireplaces and hydronic heaters) qualify for the tax credit?
14. How do I ensure that I can collect on my tax credit?
15. What should a retailer provide and the customer retain for tax purposes?
16. Are installation costs included in this tax credit?
17. Does the stove need to be manufactured in the U.S. to qualify for the credit?
18. Where can I find more information about this tax credit?

• What is the Biomass-Burning Stove Tax Credit?

• What is the difference between a tax deduction and a tax credit?

• What is the difference between a non-refundable tax credit and refundable tax credit?

• When does this tax credit go into effect and how long will it last?

• How is the value of this tax credit determined?

• What appliances qualify for the tax credit?

• Why was 75% efficiency selected?

• How is the 75% efficiency requirement determined?

• Are biomass stoves installed in new or vacation homes covered by this tax credit?

• What is meant by "renewable biomass?"

• What is the definition of a "Wood Burning Furnace?"

• Will other wood and solid-fuel appliances (like inserts, EPA-certified wood-burning fireplaces and hydronic heaters) qualify for the tax credit?

• If a consumer purchases other products, such as solar collectors or window upgrades, does this mean a biomass stove tax credit can't be taken?

• How do I ensure that I can collect on my tax credit?

• The name and address of the manufacturer.
• Identification of the class of qualified energy property (Biomass-Burning Stove) in which the property is included.
• The make, model number and any other appropriate identifiers of the stove.
• A statement that the product is an eligible qualified energy property.
• A manufacturer's certification statement must contain a declaration, signed by a person currently authorized to bind the manufacturer in these matters, in the following form: "Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have examined this certification statement, and to the best of my knowledge and belief, the facts are true, correct, and complete."

• What should a retailer provide and the customer retain for tax purposes?

• Are installation costs included in this tax credit?

• Does the stove need to be manufactured in the U.S. to qualify for the credit?

• Where can I find more information about this tax credit?

Here is a short video on how to clean your Napoleon Fireplace Blower

Affordability is always a concern when looking into sprucing up your home. Nothing kills a project faster than being over budget but that shouldn't be a concern when looking at installing a fireplace. Napoleon fireplaces are reasonably priced and easy to install. They may also even qualify for a government credit on your taxes, which eases the pocketbook yet again, so surf on over to www.woodstoves-fireplaces.com today and check out how much you can save on your next fireplace installation.

Choosing to add a gas or wood stove to your home can provide an alternative cooking source which also provides heat. You can choose between different models of Napoleon stoves which offer classic looking cast iron wood stoves as well as more modern gas stoves with direct vents. Direct vent gas stove only require a chimney to be run to the exterior wall of the home and do not require a chimney be ran the entire length of the house or other the roof.

Napoleon Stoves for Your Entire Home

You can use Napoleon stoves throughout your entire home and place wood or gas burning stoves in your bedroom, bathroom, living room, and kitchen. You can even place a stove in your existing fireplace opening to create a truly rustic appearance. Stoves which offer a flattop surface can be used to boil water to add humidity to the home in cold dry winter months, or even cooked onto of to prepare meals. You can find a selection of Napoleon brand products when you shop at Copperfield Chimney Supply .

When you want a modern style of fireplace but already have an existing unit, there are a few different options available. You could rip out your old fireplace and replace it with a brand Copperfield chimney supply efficient design. However this can be quite costly when the fireplace is built into the home and may require major construction to remove and install the new one. Another option, which lets you use your current opening, is to use fireplace inserts , which are also energy efficient, but less expensive to install.

Fireplace Inserts Are Very Heavy and Should Only be Removed to Clean

Fireplace inserts slide into the existing opening of your current fireplace. You may need to make some modifications to the chimney in order for the insert to be properly vented. Inserts can be very heavy due to their solid steel or cast iron designs, and should only be removed for cleaning purposes after they are installed. You will find a variety of quality hearth products for the entire home, including inserts available here at Copperfield Chimney Supply.

When the weather outside is frightful, you want the fire in your fireplace to be delightful. That means getting the fireplace ready for the season.

While a wood-burning fireplace should be cleaned about once a year, it also depends on how much you use it and what type of wood you burn, according to Dan Machin, owner of Top Hat Chimney Sweeps in Scotts.

“You don’t want to burn anything that hasn’t been cut, split and dried for at least nine months to a year, because it creates too much creosote,” he said.

Even following that recommendation, if you don’t clean the chimney regularly, the creosote builds up and changes form, eventually making the chimney more difficult to clean.

“First- and second-degree creosote is like a powdery soot-type material,” Machin said. “When it gets to the third-degree stage, it changes over to more of a rock-hard glaze. You can’t brush that right out with a brush. Even with the most expensive professional chimney brush, you can barely put a scratch in that stuff sometimes.”

Every time you build a fire, you have small chimney fires, said Eddie McCormack, an installer with Sackett’s Fireplace in Portage.

If you keep up with chimney maintenance, those small fires will burn themselves out. But, if you don’t clean the chimney regularly, third-degree, tar-like creosote builds up.

“If that catches fire, then you have to have the fire department out, and it could cause major damage,” McCormack said.

To help get third-degree creosote out of a chimney, Machin recommends burning a chimney-cleaning log.

“It won’t clean your chimney, but it will soften up those hard deposits,” he said. “It makes it so when you do get it brushed out, you will get a lot better results.”

Machin said he begins the chimney-cleaning process by placing a tarp in front of the fireplace. Then he checks the inside of the chimney with a flashlight to determine how dirty it is, and whether to clean it from the inside up or from the roof down. The decision, he said, often depends on ice, snow and the pitch of the roof.

For cleaning from the inside, Machin uses a machine that pulls air from the room and forces it into the fireplace, creating a big updraft.

“So, while I’m pushing my brush up and down through the chimney flue, most of the lighter stuff goes right up the chimney and out the top,” he said. “What does fall down in will hit the floor of the fireplace.”

When Machin cleans a masonry chimney, most creosote falls behind the damper. It must be removed, he said, because it’s more dangerous there than inside the chimney.

Having a professional clean a chimney also provides a safety inspection, McCormack said. Cleaners look for cracks in the liner, check the mortar joints in a masonry chimney and inspect the flashing around the chimney for leaks.

“If you have the terra cotta clay liners, I’d look for cracks in there because you can get creosote build-up in the cracks, where you can have a chimney fire past the fire-protective wall,” he said.

Rain caps and animal guards are also important to have on the top of your flue, Machin said.

“Water does a lot of damage to the inside of people’s chimneys,” he said. “Also, raccoons love to get in there. ... Right behind your damper is the perfect place for them to have babies. I get a lot of calls about that every spring.”

Gas fireplaces usually don’t require quite as much maintenance as wood-burning fireplaces — as long as they are installed and adjusted properly, Machin said.

“If it’s burning way too rich, the air/gas mixture is wrong (and) then they’ll produce a lot of soot,” he says. “But, if everything is adjusted properly, then they don’t require a lot of cleaning.”

A gas fireplace probably should be serviced about every two to three years, McCormack said. That involves a cleaning, checking the gas line and looking for cracks in the logs.