What’s Right For You? Wood, Gas, Pellet, Oil or Electricity?

Choosing a hearth appliance from the many options available can be confusing. Whether or not you have an existing fireplace or an older stove in your home, a hearth appliance can be found to meet your needs. In the Northwest, wood, natural gas and pellet are all popular choices for fuels. You need to choose which option will best suited to match your lifestyle and heating requirements.

Before you visit a hearth retail shop, consider the following questions:

• Where will your hearth product go?

• Do you have an existing fireplace or stove?

• Are you building a new home or remodeling?

• Do you want a fire for its aesthetic appearance or for its warmth?

• How much of your home do you want to heat?

• What fuels are accessible to you?

• Are you concerned about having heat during power outages?

• How much do you want to spend?

For a complete list of considerations, visit www.hpba.com/consumer/2/WhatsRight/index.shtml and to view products, view our Idea Gallery or view informative fact sheets on hearth appliances at www.hpba.org/communications/facts

Oregon Laws

The Oregon department of Environmental Quality established new laws in 1991 related to installation of hearth appliances. As of 1991, only EPA certified woodburning appliances may be installed in homes. Woodstoves made prior to 1990 are still legal as long as they have not been moved from their original location. Uncertified stoves, those made prior to 1991, cannot be resold or reinstalled in homes or outbuildings. For more information on Oregon laws and how to burn smart, visit Oregon Department of Environmental Quality: www.deq.state.or.us/aq/

In the tri-county area in Central Oregon, special rules are in place concerning hearth appliances that are in homes or for sale. Uncertified wood stoves (those manufactured before 1991) must be removed from the home. In many cases, homeowners elect to upgrade their woodstove or fireplace insert with a certified wood, natural gas, or pellet stove or insert.

GAS FIREPLACES

With hundreds of designs, styles and sizes, there's a gas fireplace for almost any home in North America. And, with a tremendous list of features, gas fireplaces offer many benefits, including convienience and ease-of use. Excitingly, gas fireplace are one of the hottest hearth products on the market for new and existing homes because of the incredible installation flexibility and wide array of log styles and flame choices. But the best news about gas fireplaces is how much the fire looks, and performs, like real wood.

To Heat or Not To Heat

A gas fireplace is a factory-built firebox complete with a glass face for viewing the fire. Some gas fireplaces are designed exclusively for aesthetic and decorative use, while others are built to heat a room. There are even gas fireplaces that are "heater-rated" and provide efficiency and heat output similar to a cerntral furnace. Models are also available with ducting to help circulate heat throughout a particular zone of a house.

Realistic "Wood" Fire

Cozying up to a fire in a fireplace is warm and soothing. And, today's gas fireplaces provide the oppurtunity for everyone to enjoy this type of relaxation with the touch of a button. Thanks to years of research and development by the hearth industry, the burner design in some gas fireplaces can generate a fire thats so closely relembles a wood buring fire, it's difficult for even experts to tell the difference. And, most of today's gas fireplaces also operate when the power goes out, a great comfort during winter storms.

Installation Flexibility

A gas fireplace can be installed almost anywhere in the home as long as natural gas or propane is available. Installation can even occur along an outside wall or in the middle of a room. This installation flexibility is the result of zero- clearance construction where little space is needed between the unit and combustible materials such as wood or wallboard. The three venting options, natural vent, direct vent, or vent-free, assist in making the logistics of positioning a fireplace much less complicated. But no matter how long the list of installation options, it is important to work with a professional to follow the manufacturer's guidlines for installation.

From Traditional to Ultra-Modern

When it comes to the look of a gas fireplace, there are hundreds of options from which to choose. Designs range from traditional to contemporary to ultra-modern. There are large and small sizes, as well as arched and unique shaped contours, and even see-through fireplaces that allow the fire to be seen both in and outside the house. Yet, regardless of the fireplace design selected, adding unique tiles and mantle combinations to the outside of the fireplace can enhance the final appearance.

Selecting a Gas Fireplace

Much like any other appliance, it is important to spend the time to choose a gas fireplace that fits your needs. Before making a final decision, visit a specialty retailer for experienced advice. A specialty retailer is a trained gas fireplace expert. He or she can arrange for the safe and reliable installation of a gas fireplace by a certified professional installer. A specialty retailer can assit in creating the proper look for your home. These experts are also the best source of information about how to correctly operate a gas fireplace and proper maintenance requirements.

for a list of specialty retailers, visit www.hpba.org.

More Information, The Next Step

Once you have basic idea of what you are looking for, a trained hearth products retailer can help you choose the ideal product. So you next step is to go down to retail store that specializes in hearth appliances. An important step in the process of choosing a hearth appliance is to see them in action in a show room.

A professional hearth appliance store will have a variety of appliances available to see in a “live-burn” setting. In addition, they will have pictures of the appliances in various stages of installation, with different styles of mantels and with a variety of decorating ideas.

The hearth appliances store technician will make an appointment to come to view the area where you intend to place the appliance. Measurements will be taken to ensure the appliance fits the area, meets codes, and importantly, meets your heating requirements. Often people go into a purchase intending to buy a larger appliance than is necessary to heat the space. Increased efficiency and optional blowers and ducting systems can make a dramatic improvement in the amount of space that can be heated.

To find a hearth retailer in Oregon, go to our dealer locator or visit our national website: www.hpba.org/consumer/memsearch4.shtml

Proper installation of a hearth appliance is critical. Only qualified professionals should install hearth appliances or chimney components. Homeowners put themselves and their homes and families at great risk by attempting to install or repair hearth appliances themselves.

Many OHPBA members have professional, Certified Technicians on staff certified by the national Fireplace Institute. For more information on NFI certified installers, visit http://www.nficertified.org/.

Fireplace and Stove Safety

One important and often overlooked area in the home is the fireplace, woodstove and your chimney. As a responsible homeowner, it is your obligation to learn about how to keep your home safe from fire. For more information on staying safe, visit the following websites:

Chimney Safety Institute of America:
www.csia.org/homeowners.html

Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association: http://www.hpba.org/consumer/safety.shtml