If You Are Thinking Of Having A Fireplace You Should Consider A Gas Fireplace
By Gregg Hall

Every good home should have a fireplace, right? What can be better than relaxing by a warm fire on a chilly evening? Doesn't a good fireplace almost seem required when thinking about a good home? Who can deny the immediate sense of peace and calm we feel in the presence of a nice fire? Since the dawn of humanity, we have been mesmerized and comforted by fire.

Conventional wood burning fireplaces have their drawbacks, though. First, you need to somehow acquire firewood. Many people don't live in a place where they can just go out back and start chopping wood. Furthermore, most of us have no interest in putting forth that kind of effort. You can have firewood delivered, but that can be costly. Plus, where are you going to put it? You need to have a place to stack all that wood.

Wood burning fireplaces create a lot of ash and debris. This can be a hassle to clean up. And let's say you want a fireplace, but your home doesn't have a chimney. Are you going to pay thousands and thousands of dollars to have a chimney put in?

For these reasons and others, more and more people these days are going with natural gas fireplaces instead of conventional wood burning ones. Yes, you miss out the crackle and pop of a wood burning fireplace, but natural gas fireplaces more than make up for it with convenience, ease of use, and cleanliness. Natural gas fireplaces are more energy efficient than wood burning fireplaces and they produce less pollution. Convenient, energy efficient, and clean: that's what's convincing people to switch to natural gas fireplaces.

People these days are thinking about the environment when making major purchases and it's better to burn some natural gas than chop down more trees. Let's not forget costs, either. Natural gas is relatively cheap and the monthly bills will be surprisingly low. Natural gas fireplaces are also safer than wood burning ones. There's no ash build-up and fear of chimney fires.

There are two main styles of natural gas furnaces. There are freestanding units and built-in units. If you already have a fireplace in your house, then you should go with a built-in one. If you don't, then you're going to want a freestanding unit. You also have a choice in how the fireplace is vented.

There are vented and non-vented natural gas fireplaces. Vented ones are great if you already have a fireplace or are willing to spend the money to have a vent installed. With the convenience and advanced technology of modern gas fireplaces, you can get ones that don't require venting at all. That means almost any home can be fitted with a natural gas fireplace.

Natural gas fireplaces come in a variety of sizes. Make sure you choose yours based on the size of the area you want to heat. If you're not sure what size to go with, ask your local furnace dealer.

People today are choosing natural gas fireplaces over wood burning fireplaces. They're more convenient, less harmful to the environment, and suitable to a wider range of residences.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as electric heaters at http://www.fireplacesandelectricheaters.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gregg_Hall

Fireplace Chimneys
By Kent Pinkerton

An essential part of both indoor and outdoor fireplaces, fireplace chimneys vent the hazardous and noxious gases, produced by the combustion of fuels, safely to the outside atmosphere. Fireplace chimneys regulate the flow of air and keep excessive heat from combustible materials that surround the fireplace.

Initially, fireplace chimneys were made of brick and mortar, bordered with fireproof tiles. But the newer models of metal are easy to install. Fireplace chimneys must be able to withstand the recurrent heating and cooling process of the fireplace and also the corrosive compounds produced after combustion.

Flue, containing the products of combustion, forms the inner and the most important layer of fireplace chimneys. In the case of wood burning fireplaces, a highly flammable substance called creosote is deposited on the flues, which blocks the passage of air through the system. A clean flue is crucial for the unhindered dispersal of combustion products.

Apart from flues, fireplace chimneys include chimney caps, chimney flashing, chimney dampers, chimney liners, and cleanout doors. Chimney caps usually made of copper, stainless steel or black steel act as the chimney cover that prevent downdrafts and protect the chimney against rain and animal invasions. Chimney Dampers close the fireplace chimneys when they are not in use, whereas Chimney flashings provide strength and waterproofing to the chimneys. Stainless steel, cast-in place (a thick layer of cement-like material), aluminum, and terracotta chimney liners create a smooth path for drafting and improve the performance of fireplace chimneys. The cleanout doors are metal doors, found at the base of the fireplace chimneys, which facilitate easy cleaning of ash pit.

The design and size of fireplace chimneys can affect the performance of fireplaces. A good diameter and height is needed for the proper combustion of fuels. Further, the fireplace chimneys must be tall enough to allow a smooth airflow.

In order to avoid the risk of chimney fires, the fireplace chimneys must be cleaned at least once in a year. This will also prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

Fireplaces provides detailed information on Fireplaces, Outdoor Fireplaces, Fireplace Chimneys, Gas Fireplaces and more. Fireplaces is affiliated with Wood Fireplace Mantels .

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kent_Pinkerton

Fireplace Accessories - Things You Need
By Daniel Roshard

Fireplaces are becoming extremely popular, not so much for heating the home, but for recreational purposes. This popularity is providing an explosion of fireplace accessories, equipment and safety equipment. A visit to any home improvement store will reveal an almost mind blowing array of choices that are available for fireplaces today. So, how do you choose, how do you know what you need and what is essentially fluff?

There are some items that are a must to have if you are using a fireplace in any capacity. These fireplace accessories include; a wood cradle, heat resistant gloves, a fireplace screen and pokers to name a few. Great, now you know what you need, but what exactly are they for and how do you know which ones are the best picks for you?

A wood cradle is an important fireplace accessory if you are carrying your wood through your house before it reaches the fireplace. This nifty little device is available in a variety of styles, colors and materials. It does just as the name suggests, it is a place to store the wood until it is burned. Because it has a cradle shape, it keeps the annoying little pieces of bark that falls off of the wood from becoming embedded in the flooring that surrounds the fireplace.

The next set of essential fireplace accessories falls into the all important category of safety. When dealing with fire, safety should be the first concern. Using fireplace accessories such as gloves and pokers will help you to keep your hands, arms and fingers safe when working with the fire. While the fireplace screen keeps people, especially kids and pets a safe distance from the fire.

A good place to find a selection of fireplace accessories is at a home improvement store. They generally have a large enough assortment of supplies to give you a choice, but not so many as to confuse you. However, if you are looking for both selection and a knowledgeable staff, visit a fireplace specialty store. These stores are staffed with people who can answer any of you questions on which gloves protect the best to what kind of firewood burns hottest.

Another great way to decide which fireplace accessories interest you the most is to visit friends and family that have active fireplaces and see what they are using. Don’t be afraid to ask if you can build a fire with their tools and equipment, get a feel of working with the accessories before you purchase your own.

While burning wood and building fires is fun, please don’t neglect fireplace accessories that are used for safety reasons, these are what you will be happy you purchased when you really need them.

A nice Fire Place is just what you need to add character and warmth to your home this winter. Discover fireplaces designs, plans and different kinds at Daniel Roshard’s Fireplaces Accessories and Fireplace site http://fireplace.advice-tips.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daniel_Roshard

Fireplace Tips

In this day age many people are trying to cut down on gas and heating costs by trying to heat their homes with a fireplace.  Installing a fireplace can be a big project that can cost a lot of money, so before starting be sure to keep these things in mind:

1. What type of fireplace do you want? There are a few options, the most common options being electric fireplaces, wood stoves, gas fireplaces, and the traditional fireplace. Each have strengths and weaknesses.  Determine how much use you plan to get from your fireplace and then decided which type to go with.
   
   
2. It is best to have professionals install a fireplace.  The problems that could arise if mistakes are made are so disastrous it is not worth taking the risk.  Many insurance policies don't cover damage caused by a fire from a fireplace or wood stove that wasn't installed professionally.
   
   
3. If installing the fireplace on a combustible floor surface then it will be necessary to also install a non-combustible hearth.
   
   
4. Before selecting a fireplace, you need to know where you are going to locate it within the room.  Ideally it should be in a spot removed from foot traffic and have plenty of clearance with doors and windows.  Also, don't forget to make sure there aren't any construction obstacles on the floors above and below.
   
   
5. Often a corner of a room is the most efficient place to install a fireplace or wood stove because it will take up less floor space and be less intrusive.
   
   
6. The fireplace or wood stove is going to need to be vented to the outside.  The flue pipe must be higher than any other vents or combustion pipes on your roof.  A chimney must extend at least 3 feet above your roof and should also be a minimum of 2 feet higher than anything else that surrounds it for a 10 foot radius.

Fireplace installation contractors may also provide the following services:

• Firewood
• Foundations
• Interior Design
• HVAC
• Masonry