A fire on the hearth makes
your house a home! The following questions are intended to help
you identify the right unit for your home. It may be a
fireplace, a fireplace insert or a free standing stove. Remember
that the starting point is you, your home, your tastes and your
lifestyle. Use our Dealer Locator and then visit your local
hearth retail store for more information.
1. Where will your hearth product go?
With today's venting options, hearth products can be installed
almost anywhere in the home. Consider a fireplace for
nontraditional locations, such as the kitchen, home office or
master bedroom or bath. Even outdoor fireplaces by patios and
decks are a very popular trend today.
2. Do you have an existing fireplace or stove?
If you have a unit that is inefficient or seldom used,
converting to a new hearth product may be simple and
surprisingly affordable. Gas logs or a fireplace insert may be
just right for you.
3. Are you building a new home or remodeling?
You can add atmosphere and focus to your home by incorporating a
hearth product early in the design stage. Talk to your architect
or remodeler.
4. Do you want a fire for its aesthetic appearance or for its
warmth?
Some hearth products are simply decorative, while others are
extremely efficient and beautiful to watch at the same time. How
much heat output would you like?
5. How much of your home do you want to heat?
One room, a living zone or an entire house?
Note: The right size unit is very important to your
enjoyment. Your local hearth retailer can help you determine the
right size, factoring in your climate, floor plan and lifestyle.
6. What fuels are accessible to you?
What's available to you will limit your hearth product
selection. Firewood, natural gas, propane, wood pellets, coal,
oil or electricity?
7. Are you concerned about having heat during power outages?
One of the benefits of most hearth products is that they can
operate during power outages, when you need the heat the most.
8. Are there any other special considerations?
Having a fire can be as simple as pushing a button or engaging
as supplying your own wood, building and tending a fire. If
someone in the house has allergies, that needs to be considered.
9. What finished look do you want for your home?
The hearth products industry offers many choices to consumers.
10. How much do you want to spend?
Price is always a consideration. Hearth product prices range
from several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. Fuel
prices also are a factor to consider and vary by region.
11. Do you Qualify for Rebates or
Financial Assistance?
There are many programs in Oregon that provide tax credits,
rebates and financial assistance for low income home owners.
These include:
- Energy Trust of Oregon:
www.energytrust.org/residential/index.html
- Ore. Housing Community Services:
www.oregon.gov/OHCS/SOS_LowIncomeEnergyAssistance.shtml
- Oregon Heat:
www.oregonheat.org
- Warm Oregon:
http://warmoregon.org
- State LIHEAP:
www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/liheap/grantees/states.html
Starting December 1, 2007, Oregon will
offer a tax credit through the Residential Energy Tax
Credit (RETC) program for installing qualifying pellet stoves
and EPA certified wood stoves (up to $300) AND for burning
pellets and cord wood ($10 per bone dry ton). For more
information visit Oregon Department of Energy:
www.oregon.gov/ENERGY
Visit our
Design Center and use our
Dealer
Locator so you can visit your local hearth retail
store for more information.
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