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GAS FIREPLACES |
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> Converted to a gas fireplace. |
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Many people have moved away from a wood burning
fireplace to one that operates on gas. By using natural gas or
propane, the need for cleaning up messy wood chips and ashes is
eliminated as well as the cost of purchasing wood. If you have a
wood burning fireplace, you can have it easily converted to a gas
fireplace or simply choose a freestanding fireplace, which can be
placed in any room of the home. With many large cities battling the
problem of pollution, the gas fireplace is an ideal alternative
since gas burns much cleaner.
Just imagine coming home on a cold winter evening, tired from
working all day, and simply turning the switch to create an instant
fire. Over the past several years, the logs for gas fireplaces have
completely changed. You can now choose from various wood styles such
as birch, oak, or pine, each very realistic in appearance.
Additionally, the materials used for creating the logs now hold the
heat even better, which helps to warm your home faster and more
efficiently.
When you head off to bed, simply flip the switch off, which removes
all worry of burning embers being unattended. You can also choose to
add a direct vent to your gas fireplace, which greatly reduces any
chance for toxic combustion.
With all the positive aspects such as lower heating bills, a cleaner
burn, and better fire control, you really cannot go wrong with a gas
fireplace. The only disadvantages are that you lose the actual smell
of the wood burning as well as the crackling sound of the wood.
However, the gas fireplace is a wonderful option and a great
consideration.
The styles of gas fireplaces has come a long way from where they
were years ago. Today, gas fireplaces are beautiful and efficient,
perfect for heating your home and making it look amazing. The great
thing is that many gas fireplace designs do not require a chimney,
which means they can be installed in just about any home and in any
room. All you have to do is choose the fireplace design that you
like best, pick out a fireplace mantle, and have a professional vent
it to the outside and then you are ready to enjoy the beautiful
flames and warmth produced.
The best solution if you want to convert an existing fireplace to
gas it to have an insert added. If you are adding a gas fireplace to
a part of your home that has no fireplace at all, a direct vent
would be required, one that would not need a chimney or opening. An
important consideration for gas fireplaces is the BTU, which stands
for British thermal unit the larger the space needing to be heated,
the greater the BTU needed. Typically, 10,000 BTUs can heat around
500 square feet although there could be some variances based on the
height of the ceiling, number of windows, type of flooring, and so
on.
An insert for your gas fireplace will be another important aspect.
Typically, inserts are controlled with on/off switches. However, new
options include the ever so convenient remote control so you can
control the fire without ever getting up from the couch.
You want to make sure your gas fireplace has a good blower. The ones
that are controlled by a dial offer excellent convenience for
adjusting the speed as well as turning the blower on and off. The
blower works by being connected to the thermostat. A predetermined
range is determined and set and the blower will then turn on and off
to stay within that range. As the gas fireplace heats up, the blower
pushed the warm air out into the room so you have better heat
efficiency.
You may see different types of terminology relating to a gas
fireplace. For example, if you hear "B Vent", this unit is designed
to draw air from within the house through ports that are found in
the firebox. A "Direct Vent" works differently by drawing in air
through a pipe coming from the outside going into a sealed firebox.
In most cases, with a gas fireplace you would want the direct vent,
which is not only more efficient but also safer.
The great thing about some of the venting technologies available
today is that a hole does not have to be drilled in the roof.
Instead, the gas fireplace is vented through the outside wall. This
helps the installation process much easier, more flexible, and
provides a cost savings. One such option is the horizontal
termination cap, which looks good on the inside as well as the
outside of the house.
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