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Hello out there in Fireplace Land - another season is upon us...get ready, check out and service your stove and fireplace...and most important, read our updates and check into HearthNet (http://hearth.com) for the most complete source of Fireplace and Stove information on the Net.
HearthNet is now seeing over 50,000 pages read per week by over 6000 separate visitors. We'd like to thank all of you - this site has surpassed ALL of our expectations and has been a true labor of love.
NEW FEATURE: Best Hearth Sites on the Web! Each issue of this newsletter will feature reviews of the best Hearth sites we can find on the internet. The reviews are written by John Harman (hearthsd@discover.net), who is the webmaster of HearthLink (http://www.hearthlink.com). The HearthLink site is a collection of EVERY hearth related link that John has been able to find. HearthLink will also archive ALL these "best links" onto a page at HearthLink.
Here's some of the first reviews:
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Wood Heat http://www.wood-heat.com/index.htm
You want to supplement your heating with wood heat but are not sure of which product to use, or even the environmental impact this will have? Visit Wood Heat ( http://www.wood-heat.com/index.htm ) - The straight goods on burning wood for heat and enjoyment in your home. Find out the differences between a masonry heater and a fireplace insert, will heating with wood damage the environment and learn a "new" technique for starting a fire. A very informative site, easy to understand and easy to navigate. A must for all to visit!
========================================================== propanegas.com
Do you use propane gas ( L.P. gas ) to heat, cook, and dry clothes? Ever wonder where propane came from? What are other residential uses and commercial uses? Take a look at http://www.propanegas.com for the answers. I suggest to start with http://www.propanegas.com/consumer/ This area is directed towards the consumer. Here you will find the history of propane, residential uses, a residential guide, commercial uses, and a consumer safety section. Also see the section http://www.propanegas.com/environment/ Learn why propane is an environmentally friendly fuel. propanegas is very informative, easy to read and navigate. Don't miss it. ============================================================ Chimney Safety Institute of America http://www.csia.org
CSIA is a non-profit, educational institution dedicated to chimney and venting system safety. Their web site offers information on avoiding carbon monoxide hazards, chimney fires and how to avoid them, why fireplaces work ( or don't work ), how to select firewood, and many other important topics. This is a very informative site. It is easy to read, understand and navigate. Don't miss this one.
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`Even MORE Q and A....
We are now up to well more than 625 questions and answers on the database at http://chi.hearth.com/search.html . Chances are that you can find the answer to your hearth questions at this link. Here's a few recent ones:
Changing the Gas Logs...
Q: We have a new house with a FMI vented natural gas fireplace. We are not happy with the logs that it came with. It is not very realistic. Can we change this log set?
A: Normally, you cannot change these logs. The design is tested in a certain way, and can only be used this way. Unless FMI themselves can sell you a different set - don't do it.
Rusted Heatilator...
Q: Have an 18 year old home with a heatilator. The flue door hinges rusted off and the door fell off. Do you have any information on repair or replacement? I don't really want or can afford to tear out the fireplace to replace the heatilator. Thanks. Great Website!
A couple options for those rusted Heatilators:
1. If it's only a problem of a bad damper, you can purchase a "top sealing damper" from a company like Lyemance (on our products page at http://hearth.com/prod.html). This allows you to control a spring loaded damper from inside the house..the damper sits on the top of the chimney.
2. Install a wood burning insert, and line the chimney partially or fully. This is a option that will cost $1200 to $2000 or more, but give you good heat from your wood and a longer burn. Stainless steel piping is used to line the chimney.
3. Replace or rebuild the Heatilator...The most expensive option - there are units made to do this, but I think you will spend $2500 to $4000 on an installed job.
Are Inserts as efficient as stoves?...
Q: If a wood/gas/coal stove gives off heat all around (sides, top, even piping), how does an insert give off as much heat. I notice the BTU output measurements are almost identical for similarly sized floorstanding vs.insert units.
A: Good question ! I've wondered the same myself. Truth is, the measurements you get on most units, especially gas, may not be accurate for one reason. I'm told that the efficiencies are calculated by a "stack" method, whereby the calculations is based on what goes up the chimney...not on the heat produced in the room. This can be misleading. Inspect the insert in question to see if the heat exchange system looks capable of doing the job. Inserts that extend out of the fireplace and have larger convection chambers are usually better at moving the heat.
NEW AND NOTEWORTHY SITE ON HEARTHNET ( all links on the products page at http://hearth.com/prod.html )
Check out Dry Keeper: A lightweight and portable shelter for firewood. This high quality product assembles with no tools and comes with adjustable racks for stacking various lengths of firewood.
Lyemance Original Top Sealing Fireplace Damper - Replace your broken, lost or inefficient Fireplace damper. Up to 10 TIMES MORE EFFICIENT in preventing heat loss than a NEW Throat Damper.
NEW ARTICLE RE: Passing a wood stove pipe through a wall or ceiling. Most house fires related to stoves occur at the point where the piping travels through a wall or ceiling. Did you know that over 90% of the wall pass-throughs are done wrong! and, that many are an EXTREME fire hazard...an accident waiting to happen? Read this informative article and check your chimney soon! Go to http://hearth.com/what/passing.html
That's all for now....BYE !