Fireplaces & Stoves

Heating With Fireplaces & Stoves

Before setting out to begin shopping for a fireplace or stove, give some thought to what will work best for your home and your lifestyle. Why do you want a fireplace? Is it for heating your home, for decoration, or a combination of both?

Modern myth says that wood or pellet burning fireplaces are more capable of providing heat, while gas burning models are only for decoration. While we do offer wood stoves, we also handle gas fireplaces that can easily deliver a combination of heating performance, design, and style.

Depending on the brand, model and available options you choose, heat output can be powerful enough for many rooms, or just enough to take the chill off the area near the fireplace. With advances in technology, electric fireplaces could also be a viable option.

When choosing a fireplace, determine how involved you want to be with its operation. With a wood burning unit, you get the authentic look, sound and smell of a crackling wood fire. Unfortunately, that means you also need wood, which needs to be cut, split, stored, carried, and added to the fire.

Chimney maintenance, fire safety, and insurance impacts should also be considered. Depending on where you live, and your personal situation, wood might be harder to find, gather, transport, and store. Also, with health and air-quality concerns, some communities may frown on wood-burning. Before proceeding with a wood stove purchase, be sure to check your local regulations.

The main alternative to wood is gas. The main attraction is sheer convenience. You get instant fire with the flick of a switch with no wood to handle, no ashes or bark to clean up, no bugs, no smoke, no chimney to clean, and no fire to build. If you live in an area where natural gas is not available, most models are also available to burn propane. If your home already has a wood-burning fireplace, it may be possible to convert it with a gas-burning insert. All it takes is a gasline, and some minor modifications to the chimney system.

Once you have picked your fireplace or stove, there are still a few other considerations - things like mantelpieces, hearths, tile, trim kits, fan kits, etc. Regardless of what room you are adding a fireplace to, you will find many options to help match your individual decor scheme.

You will find a wealth of information on fireplaces and stoves in our showroom. We carry some of the most popular and reputable brand names available in North America - names like Valor, Majestic, Vermont Castings, and Enviro.

Our knowledgeable staff would be happy to show you the features and benefits of each model, and to give you a personal demonstration. We would also be happy to give you a free in-home inspection & estimate.

For more information on stoves & fireplaces, please visit the following links: