When you have a wood stove you will need to run a chimney from the stove out through the roof of your home. Modern stoves do not require that you place them near an exterior wall of the home. You can place your wood stove in the interior of the home and use chimney pipe by running it through an interior wall out through your roof. You can also run piping to an existing fireplace chimney as an alternative method for venting the wood stove.

There Are Two Different Types of Chimney Connector Pipe

There are two different types of chimney connector pipe available for wood burning stoves on our website, here at Copperfield Chimney Supply. You can choose from single wall stove pipe and double wall stove pipe. Both types of stove pipe can be used with all types of wood burning stoves and is available in six, seven, or eight inch diameters.

There are different types of fireplace inserts available for existing fireplaces. You can convert a wood burning fireplace to gas, by adding this type of insert and installing a gas line to the unit. Or if you prefer to burn wood, you can install a wood burning insert. Both types of inserts offer a solid sealed design to keep heat in and come with a blower to force the hot air into the room and provide heat. You can find inserts as well as a variety of fireplaces online at Copperfield Chimney Supply .

Here are some much needed tips on fireplace and wood stove safety:

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 keep 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

Protect the Outside of Your Home

Stack firewood outdoors at least 30 feet away from your home.

Keep the 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

Installing a gas fireplace into your home provides the ability to have a fire whenever you desire. When selecting an area to install a new gas fireplace you will want to place it along an exterior wall or in a corner where at least one section is part of the exterior wall for direct vent units. You will also need to have access to the gas line in order to run gas pipe to the fireplace. If there are sharp corners where traditional gas pipes will not work, you can use flexible gas pipe instead.

Flexible Gas Pipe Can be used on All Your Gas Appliances

You can use flexible gas pipe for a variety of home appliances which run off of natural gas and propane. You can use this type of gas pipe for gas dryers, hot water heaters, gas logs, gas fireplaces, and gas grills. The flexible pipe can provide the gas to still flow, even around tight corners and strange angles where solid gas pipe will not work. You can find a complete appliance kit from Copperfield Chimney Supply which carries a wide selection of hearth products and equipment for your entire home.

The first fall chill usually prompts homeowners with fireplaces to light a fire. It's sometimes followed by a knock at the door from a helpful chimney repairman, offering a safety inspection.

Safety inspections are all well and good, but they can sometimes be the prelude to a chimney repair scam. New Jersey Attorney General Paula Dow recently sued a chimney cleaning and repair company accused of using high-pressure, deceptive tactics to mislead consumers – including several who were elderly or had disabilities – into paying thousands of dollars for repair services they did not need.

Far from enhancing safety, a scammer who isn't properly trained might make your chimney unsafe. By performing shoddy work, for example, the untrained repairman could create the danger of carbon monoxide leaks into the house.

The dangers from a chimney are real. After years of heavy use, a fireplace may build up a thick coat of creosote, a flammable tar-like substance, lining the chimney. Sparks from a fire that float up the chimney can ignite the creosote, causing extensive damage and even completely destroying your home.

However, it takes years for dangerous levels of creosote to form. If your chimney has been cleaned in the last year or two, it is unlikely to be in need of it now.

If you have just moved into a home and are uncertain in the chimney has ever been cleaned, it's a good idea to have it cleaned and inspected before using the fireplace.

Damaged and missing bricks

Besides creosote buildup, masonry fireplaces – especially older ones – may be damaged by missing mortar or even bricks. A scammer may claim that he noticed from the street that you have such damage and offer to fix it. It's always a good idea to seek a second opinion.

“Consumers must do their homework before hiring a contractor, and they must be extra vigilant before inviting someone to work on their chimney,” Thomas R. Calcagni, New Jersey's Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs, said. “The average consumer is unable to discern whether chimney repair work is truly necessary, or whether it's completed properly. Improper work can result in dangerous, even deadly, carbon monoxide leaks and fires.”

Before hiring a contractor, consumers should call their local building codes office to learn whether the business is properly registered, and whether it has been the subject of previous consumer complaints.