Choose a Fireplace for Beauty and Warmth
(Page 4 of 6)
October/November 2003
By John Gulland
If you already have a conventional open fireplace, you will find a fireplace insert is a far better upgrade option than glass doors. Inserts are woodstoves adapted by their manufacturers to fit within the hearth of an existing fireplace. They are EPA-certified, so they have all the features of "the perfect fireplace" (read on). If you decide to get an insert, be sure to tell the installer you want a full stainless steel liner on the top of the chimney; full liners improve heating performance and keep maintenance costs to a minimum.
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THE PERFECT FIREPLACE
For new homes and additions, a good selection of beautiful, efficient and convenient factory-built fireplaces is available. Here's what you should look for if you want a fireplace that will warm your home as well as your heart.
1. The firebox must roughly match the size of fire that most of us build. That means it must be smaller than a traditional open fireplace. Notice fires burning in conventional fireplaces and you'll see that they occupy, at most, a third of the hearth opening.
2. The door glass must be ceramic and the fireplace must have a "glass airwash" system. In such a system, preheated combustion air is released through a narrow slot just above and behind the glass. A good airwash system can keep the glass clear for a week or more of round-the-clock heating.
3. The door must be gasketed and the fireplace must have a combustion air control. The combustion air control allows you to adjust the firing rate of the fireplace; any fireplace with a controllable firing rate also must have a combustion system to convert the smoke from slow-burning wood into usable heat.
High-Efficiency Fireplace Folks
High-efficiency models are noted in parentheses. Companies may offer multiple models.
CERTIFIED FIREPLACES/INSERTS
Lennox (Brentwood)
www.lennoxhearthproducts.com
Beat-N-Glo (CBS 41)
www.heatnglo.com
Regency (Warmhearth)
www.regency-fire.com
Fireplace Xtrordinair
www.fireplacextrordinair.com
RSF Energy
www.icc-rsf.com
Napoleon
www.napoleonfireplaces.com
Security Chimneys International
(800) 361-4909
www.securitychimneys.com
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