Make Any Room in Your House Warm and Inviting
Living in Oregon, a wood stove or fireplace are both attractive and comforting to ward off the chill, even if you already have forced-air heat.
Oregonians are no strangers to cold, rainy nights. This is why a wood stove or a fireplace in the home is such an attractive idea, it will take the chill off even if you already have forced-air heat. Today most new construction spec homes and a large majority of custom-built homes are being equipped with at least one natural gas fireplace.
Of course, not all of us live in new construction homes, myself included. So what options are there for the homeowner with an existing wood burning fireplace or stove? Plenty! There are gas inserts for the existing wood-burning fireplace, fireplace units that can be framed in and installed on an inside or outside wall, in a corner, vented off the rear, or up, over and out. A variety of face/front and trim options are also available to make each fireplace your own creation. Visit www.heatnglo.com to build a virtual fireplace for your home and get an approximate price quote on-line. Nearly all heating companies in the valley either carry or have access to the Heat-N-Glo line.
What if you have an all-electric home? No problem. Heat-N-Glo makes electric fireplaces and stoves with lifelike flames as well. The electric fireplace can even be installed with a mantle to give the impression of an authentic fireplace. Propane fireplaces are also available for those who do not have access to natural gas, or, assuming you’re in an area where gas is available, NW Natural will run a gas service to your house free of charge as long as you’re committed to converting 2 major appliances to gas. Major appliances can include your furnace, water heater, or a gas fireplace. For more information, visit www.nwnatural.com to see if gas is available in your area.
When we installed a gas fireplace in our home, we had it on every evening, all evening and I can honestly say there wasn’t a significant change in our gas bill. Most gas fireplaces today burn at an average of 80% efficiency (this could be higher than your old gas furnace) and put out between 25,000 and 30,000 BTUs per hour.
Overall there are countless reasons to switch your existing fireplace to gas, set aside a corner in your living room for a fireplace, even put a through-the-wall unit between your master bedroom and bath. You’ll be surprised by the sophistication you can add to your home and by the price. Keep warm this winter and get a quote today!
Tips for Gas Fireplace Owners
- Know how to light your pilot!
Gas fireplaces will usually have a standing pilot and most people like to turn it off during the warmer months. Before your installers leave, make sure that they show you how to turn your pilot on and off .
- Glass doors will get dirty!
As with any other appliance, maintenance is necessary. Although your burners will only need cleaning every other year or so, your glass doors may begin collecting a soot-like substance. There is a product, White-Off, or something similar that you should be able to purchase from any fireplace dealer that is used for fireplace glass doors.
- Your fireplace may condensate!
With Oregon’s humidity and Oregon’s cooler temperatures, when the fire ignites there may be condensation on your doors for a few minutes while the air inside of the fireplace warms up and mixes with the cool air coming in from your vent. This is normal and only a matter of the simple laws of nature, there is no need to panic.
- Smell Gas?
If you ever smell gas in your home, immediately call NW Natural at 1-800-882-3377. They will come to your home free of charge to detect a leak with superior and sensitive leak-detection equipment. Once they locate the leak, you can call your heating company and have them fix the leak for you. Some companies suggest that you always have a carbon-monoxide detector (CO detector) in your home just in case there are fumes or gases you can’t smell that may be harmful to you and your family.
