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Tag: fireplaces

DIY Fireplace Maintenance Tips

Keeping yourself warm in an inviting location is one of the winter season’s greatest luxuries! It doesn’t come without its fair share of work, however. You want to make sure that the fuel source you’re using burns efficiently, cleanly, and for a continuous length of time. If you don’t know the right practices for fireplace maintenance, goals like this become significantly more difficult to attain! The best way to keep your fireplace operating at its peak is to enact regular maintenance on it. We’ll give you our best tips for what to do below!

Wood Fireplaces: Focus On The Soot

For those homeowners with wood-burning fireplaces, you should be focusing your efforts on minimizing the soot buildup within your system. This includes cleaning and inspecting your chimney, flue, and firebox! Fireboxes should be examined after each use of your wood-burning fireplace. Make sure you use a deep cleaner to get out the creosote! For a foolproof deep cleaner, take heavy-duty cleaner, dish soap, and a gallon of warm water and mix them together in a bucket. It will be able to clean up the toughest of afterproducts!

Electric Fireplaces: Changing The Bulbs

Every electric fireplace has an insert, called a firebox insert, which helps supply power to the unit and gives it the efficiency that it’s known for. However, this bulb is the most important thing to maintain! Make sure that your unit is unplugged and powered down for a significant amount of time, then remove the insert from your unit according to your manufacturer’s specifications. You’ll likely know which light bulb will fit within your insert, but the operator’s manual should be able to tell you what to use if you aren’t sure. Your unit’s efficiency will go back to normal!

Gas Fireplaces: Prevent Dirt Buildup

Since gas fireplaces don’t produce soot and aren’t powered by electricity, it should go without saying that the maintenance will be different! The biggest thing to keep in mind with gas fireplaces is the dirt and grime buildup. When combined with gas, this isn’t good for your property’s breathing air. To fix this, make sure you give special attention to your airflow, louvers, and exterior glass. For the glass, make sure you’re using a cleaner specifically designed for fireplace glass to avoid residue and buildup.

Fireplace Installation With The Stove Shoppe

Do you know what the above types of fireplaces all have in common? The Stove Shoppe can install them all with ease! We’ll provide you with superior fireplaces from the nation’s top manufacturers. We’ll make it easier for you to stay warm through New England’s chilly winters – all for a lower utility bill price! Click here to contact us directly and secure your new fireplace!

What Fireplaces Add The Most Value?

Are you thinking about putting your home on the real estate market soon? If so, it’s a wise idea to make improvements to it before you do so! Making necessary upgrades to your property can have a big impact on how much you’ll be able to get for it on the market. If your home doesn’t have a fireplace yet, it can be a great investment to boost your home’s property value! In order to command the most return for your investment, you should have a good idea of which fireplaces add the most value to a property. We’ll give our expert advice on which fireplaces and stoves meet the criteria below!

Electric Fireplaces

There are pros and cons to every fireplace in terms of the value that they can bring to your home, but no fireplace will detract from your property value! Electric fireplaces are simple to install, more affordable than other fuel types, and can add inviting aesthetics to any room that it’s placed in. They also require less maintenance, as there’s no need for adding any venting! The main drawback with electric fireplaces is that they don’t always add the aesthetic appeal that homeowners want. Regardless, they’re an investment that brings in more potential buyers than otherwise possible.

Wood Fireplaces

In terms of aesthetic appeal, a wood-burning fireplace will add more than any other option! They give the room a cozy feeling that makes it an inviting space to be in. They tend to be the focal point of the room and can act as a place where people go to hang out. Other prospective homebuyers point to the idea of romanticism when considering a wood fireplace, as they can add a flair of intimacy as well! Wood-burning fireplaces require the most maintenance of the three, however, and logs can rack up a hefty bill depending on how frequently you use them.

Gas Fireplaces

Gas fireplaces are some of the easiest to use, operate, and maintain out of all of the types of fireplaces out there! The heat is far easier to regulate, as you simply need to move a needle or flip a switch to get it to the temperature you want. Like electric fireplaces, gas fireplaces are also more versatile in terms of the areas you can install them in. They can even work without power! However, the big drawback with gas fireplaces is the cost. As a fuel source, gas is significantly more expensive today than other eco-friendly options, which can affect how many buyers look your way.

Install A Variety Of Fireplaces & Stoves With The Stove Shoppe

Do you know what the above three heating sources all have in common? The Stove Shoppe carries all of them! We can install a variety of fireplaces and stoves for your New England-area home to help you get through those brutal winters. Learn more about the ways we can make you comfortable in your home by contacting us today!

How To Pick The Most Effective Fireplace For Your Home

If you were to ask a homeowner what the most important aspect of their heating solutions is, we’re willing to bet that they would all say the same thing – its efficiency! Having a heating system that warms your home optimally will save you tons of money on energy bill costs throughout the winter. Fireplaces and stoves are both fantastic options for this purpose, but picking the right one for your home is easier said than done. After all, every property is different! We show you how to narrow down your selection and pick the best fireplace for your needs below!

Narrow Down Your Fuel Source

Choosing the right fireplace for your home’s needs works similarly to a domino effect. Once you make one personal decision, the rest start to fall into place alongside it! Your fuel source is arguably the most important decision you can make for your fireplace or stove. This will depend on a few key factors, the most crucial of them being your budget. Different heating fuel sources offer different price points, so you need to narrow your choices down to what you can afford. Reliability is another key factor – how easy is your fuel source going to be to obtain? Maintenance is another key aspect for your fuel source. Once you’re able to juggle these and come up with the best solution, your choice will be much easier to make!

Consider The Style You Want

A new fireplace or stove is a great way to increase your home’s property value! The next thing to consider when narrowing down your fireplace selection is the style of fireplace you want. What room in your home should it go in? Do you want it to be built into the wall or be an external unit? How much effort do you want to put into creating the mantle around it? All of these questions are things you should answer when considering the style of fireplace you want. Once you have it installed, it’s difficult to make big changes to it. Make sure you ponder over this choice carefully!

Consider Its Purpose

The most important question you can ask yourself before buying a new fireplace is this: what’s the purpose of you buying it? Are you using it as a legitimate heating source or is it more for decoration and aesthetics? This will let you know whether to prioritize efficiency or design choices in your fireplace search.

Fireplace & Stove Installation With The Stove Shoppe

Heating your home through those brutal New England winters is easier than ever! The Stove Shoppe carries a wide variety of fireplaces and stoves that serve to meet any purpose for your purchase of them. Whether you want to increase your property value or comfort level throughout the winter, there’s only one contractor qualified for the job; contact The Stove Shoppe today to learn more about our options!

The Buyer’s Guide To Fireplace Inserts

Fireplaces are among the most wanted amenities of homeowners. They bring comfort, warmth, and look absolutely stunning inside of your home. Almost every family can picture themselves snuggled up in front of their fireplace on a snowy, winter evening. The only problem is, traditional fireplaces are a lot to maintain and can be pretty inefficient. Luckily, there is an energy-efficient, easily maintained option to replace your traditional fireplace; fireplace inserts!

Follow along as the professional fireplace design and installation team at The Stove Shoppe go into detail about the fireplace insert options available for homeowners!

The Benefits

Traditional fireplaces are inefficient in heating rooms; as much as 80% of the heat produced escapes through the flute. Fireplace inserts are placed in your existing fireplace to increase heat efficiency. Fireplace inserts offer drastically better heating efficiency; they are designed to reduce fuel used while maximizing the heat that radiates the room. They allow homeowners to continue enjoying the warmth and look of their fireplaces while actually retaining the heat inside. 

Types of Inserts

Fireplace inserts are categorized by the type of fuel they burn; wood burning, pellet, natural gas, propane gas, or electric. 

Gas Inserts

If your fireplace insert goals are heat and efficiency, gas is the way to go. It offers absolutely no mess or ash to clean up; it is better for the environment, does not disturb the air quality of your home, and does not require extra purchases like wood or pellets. They do require a new or existing gas line, and your gas bill will increase. 

Wood Inserts

Wood inserts do not offer as much heat efficiency as gas or electric, but for those with easy access to firewood, it can pay for itself. It provides a source of warmth and a look that you cannot replicate with anything other than burning wood if you are into aesthetics. 

Electric Inserts

If your insert goal is to heat a larger space, electric fireplace inserts do the trick. They can heat up to 400 square feet of living space! Many electric inserts cost less than other fuel sources, but you will need to add an electrical outlet near or within your existing fireplace. 

Pellet Stove Inserts

Pellet stoves are a highly efficient use of fuel and produce good heat. The pellets are fed to the fire by an automated auger that pulls pellets out of a hopper above. They do require electricity to run, but most come with a backup battery in case of a power outage. There is very little ash produced while burning, and they are remote-operated! Good pellets can be expensive and hard to find, and you go through them quickly. 

Contact The Stove Shoppe

The Stove Shoppe has a team of fireplace insert design and installation experts. If you hope to get more heat efficiency out of your traditional fireplace, inserts are an incredible investment. For more information or to check out our extensive selection of fireplace inserts available, be sure to give us a call today or fill out our online contact form!

Call Now: 800-892-0456