A crackling fireplace during the winter is an aesthetically pleasing heat source and a desirable one in many homes, and it’s an asset the National Association of Realtors estimates can add as much as $12,000 to a home’s value.

How often the unit will be used, whether its purpose is ornamental or utilitarian, a homeowner’s cost limitations, or whether the heater is built during construction or added to an existing home factor into choosing the right type of unit.

Generally, there are three – gas, wood-burning and pellet units – and local suppliers offer varying recommendations to their clientele.

Pellet stoves are a popular choice because of their energy efficiency, but because they run on electricity, they’re not 100 percent reliable as a heat source, even with a backup generator.

Gas fireplace inserts are more expensive to fuel than wood units, but they’re less labor-intensive, or cheaper to install and provide a cleaner burn. Unlike wood, they also don’t leave creosote deposits, the leading cause of chimney fires.

Wood-burning fireplace inserts are favored as the most authentic option, but they need more maintenance and tend to be the most arduous to fuel. The Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association rates older wood-burning models manufactured before 1990 at 10 percent efficiency or less.

But fireplaces and stoves are becoming much cleaner sources of heat and decoration because of new and more rigorous federal emissions standards.

All Environmental Protection Agency-certified wood stoves meet an emissions standard of no more than 4.5 grams per hour. By 2020, that emission limit for room heaters will fall to 2 grams per hour, a standard announced in 2015 to be phased in over five years.

Homeowners can take their own steps to boost overall efficiency by installing fireplace inserts – boxes of steel or cast iron that fit into the fireplace unit, connect to a flue and create a cleaner burn; an insert can increase a wood-burning fireplace’s efficiency up to 80 percent.

They basically fill cavities in the fireplace so it doesn’t lose heat. Selecting the right type of fuel, particularly with wood-burning stoves, also cuts down on excessive smoke.

Cured, seasoned wood is important. If it’s been split and stacked, sitting there for a year, that’s probably not usable wood.

Homeowners should never burn anything in a wood-burning unit other than well-seasoned wood with a moisture content below 25 percent. Likewise, homeowners should never burn anything in a natural gas unit other than natural gas. Gas logs are typically installed in a way to maximize unit efficiency, so homeowners shouldn’t rearrange these for cosmetic purposes.

In addition to consulting with suppliers about the best option, a homeowner can use the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association home heating calculator to help determine the most cost-effective and clean unit.

For more information on stoves and inserts, contact West Sport in Sudbury.

durangoherald.com

West Sport encourages Consumers to Shop Small on November 26, 2016 – West Sport is a family-owned, full-service fireplace and grill shop with the knowledge and expertise to help you with any hearth  and  home improvement project. We are proud to announce our participation in the seventh annual Small Business Saturday, taking place on November 26, 2016. Small Business Saturday is a day dedicated to strengthening the community by supporting local small businesses.

Created by American Express in 2010, Small Business Saturday serves as the ceremonial kickoff to the holiday shopping season for small businesses across the United States. In 2015, 95 million consumers shopped at small businesses on Small Business Saturday and spent an estimated $16.2 billion dollars at independent retailers and restaurants on the day.

The Fireplace Shop and Grill Center at West Sport is a premium member of Independent We Stand, a national small business movement and a partner of the Small Business Saturday event. Independent We Stand and its member businesses and partners seek to focus attention on the importance of small businesses across the nation, the jobs they create, and the economic benefit they provide their local communities.

“This national event encourages people to reinvest in their communities by shopping with local” said Bill Brunelle, co-founder of Independent We Stand. “Locally owned retailers return 3x more to local economies then chain stores, so Small Business Saturday shoppers will be supporting their communities when they support their favorite local businesses.”

“We’ve been selling hearth and grill products around the Boston area for over 40 years and we treat our customers as our neighbors and friends. We offer top of the line fireplace and hearth products as well as outdoor grills. We pride ourselves on our knowledge, products, and customer service. Come and shop with us this Saturday let us help you make the right decision for your home and your lifestyle.” Larry Shewan, Owner.

For more information, contact West Sport in Sudbury.

Whether it’s the corner café with the delicious dark roast or the record store down the road that sells vintage vinyl, we all have a favorite small business. The Fireplace Shop and Grill Center at West Sport is proud to support Small Business Saturday, the day dedicated to celebrating these beloved businesses.

Let’s help make this Small Business Saturday one of the biggest yet. Here’s what you can do:

• GO OUT AND SHOP: Make sure to support the businesses in your neighborhood on Nov 26
• SHARE YOUR SUPPORT: “Like” and share posts from Small Business Saturday and Independent We Stand Facebook pages to get friends and family to #ShopSmall
•  JOIN IN: Visit ShopSmall.com to get more ideas on what you can do for the big day

Get out and Shop Small to make an impact on your community. Thanks for your support! To learn more, visit ShopSmall.com or IndependentWeStand.org.

For more information on The Fireplace and Grill Shop at West Sport or Small Business Saturday, contact us.

Unlike open wood burning fireplace or old decorative gas fireplaces, today’s gas fireplace inserts are heat-producing dynamos that use propane or natural gas to fuel a steady flame on realistic looking logs, decorative modern glass chips, or stones behind a sealed glass face.

Gas inserts for fireplaces can be used in masonry or prefab fireplaces; they can be vented through the existing chimney (or a wall for a free-standing unit).

Gas is the easiest fireplace insert to use and needs very little maintenance. Flip a switch; have fire. Its best application is for zone heating—turning up the gas in the room you’re in and lowering the thermostat in the rest of your house.

Green Factor: 58% to 85% efficiency rating; very little pollution, smoke, ash, or creosote. Zoned heating allows you to reduce overall fuel consumption.

Ventless versions burn very clean — they have to, because they also release pollutants into your home. In fact, some states don’t allow ventless systems.

Because fuel prices change constantly, any saving measurements are a moving target. Roughly speaking, yearly savings could range from $64-$255 (based on an average heating bill of $638) if you use an insert for zoned heating and turn down your thermostat.

For more information contact West Sport in Sudbury.

www.houselogic.com

Adapt your fireplace, an inefficient heating source, with a fireplace insert to improve efficiency and maintain that cozy hearth look while generating heat.

Sitting before a crackling fire may be your favorite way to warm up this winter, but an open fireplace isn’t only an inefficient heating source, it also can create high levels of smoke inside and outside your home.

But an energy-saving wood burning insert lets you transform your existing hearth into a super-efficient heater that can cut your energy bills — by as much as 40%.

However, savings vary greatly depending on the insert’s efficiency, your climate, your home’s layout, the R-value of your insulation, the height of your ceiling, and regional differences in fuel costs, which are constantly in flux.

What You'll Spend

Inserts generally run about $3,000 to $4,000, including installation and a chimney liner.

But don’t rely on any insert as a primary heater; you need a furnace just in case something goes wrong and to protect pipes from freezing in cold climates.

Wood-Burning Insert Creates Real Heat With Real Logs

If a freestanding wood stove is too large to fit into your hearth or the style of your hearth makes it impractical, you can opt for a wood-burning insert — a wood stove without legs. This firebox slides into your existing masonry or metal fireplace and burns real logs.

Your installer snakes a stainless steel liner down your chimney and fits a decorative flange made of black cast iron or steel or colored porcelain around the insert, hiding its steel sides and filling the gap between the box and your hearth.

A front door with ceramic glass radiates heat into the room. You open the door to stack the wood, then shut it, on most models, while your fire is burning. Most wood-burning inserts also create convection heat with a fan located underneath the firebox.

Wood-burning inserts can heat anywhere from 1,000 to 3,000 sq. ft., depending on their size. Inserts are small enough to fit into most traditional masonry fireplaces.

An insert designed to heat 1,500 square feet will burn for three to five hours before you need to reload; for 1,500 to 3,000 sq. ft., you usually have an eight- to 10-hour burn window.

Green Factor: Efficiency rating of 60% to 80% on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-certified models.

For more information contact West Sport in Sudbury.

houselogic.com

Adding a Design Specialties fireplace door not only adds beauty to your fireplace, it also helps your fireplace burn more efficiently, reduce heating and cooling costs and provides protection for your family and home.

Protection

If you have a wood burning fireplace, a fireplace glass door provides protection from sparks or logs tumbling out of the fireplace which can harm your family and home. If you have a gas fireplace, our screens and doors add an extra layer of protection from the hot glass found on many of today's contemporary fireplaces. Our doors also prevent children and pets from getting too close to the fireplace.

Increase energy efficiency

An open fireplace is just like an open window. A fireplace door helps prevent warm air being lost up the chimney during the winter and keeps cool air in during the summer which can help reduce your heating & cooling costs.

More efficient burning

Glass doors actually help your fire burn better. By enclosing the burning area, firewood is able to burn greater and produce more heat. The glass doors also absorb and radiate heat into the room better than a fireplace without doors.

Beauty and Style

Design Specialties fireplace doors bring a new look and style to your fireplace. Whether you're replacing an old existing fireplace door or doing a complete renovation, you'll find the door that will complete your fireplace. Choose from over 20 different door models and over 35 different finishes.

For more information on glass doors for your open fireplace, contact West Sport in Sudbury.

glassfireplacedoors.com – Design Specialties

When it comes to glass fireplace doors there are hundreds of options available. You can choose stock or custom doors. It all depends on the size and style of your fireplace the type of fireplace doors. Here are some reasons you might choose a custom fireplace glass door rather than standard, stock sized door.

Typically the reason a homeowner chooses a custom fireplace door because of a unique size. Stock fireplace doors are generally made in just a few sizes so you may see something you like but it just won’t fit your fireplace. In that case, you can get something made that is similar and that fits the opening. Many times fireplace openings will be much too large for a stock door or you may have a smaller opening that is not a common size.

Another reason you may choose a custom fireplace glass door is because you have a unique opening on your fireplace. Stock sized doors are generally not made to fit anything that is not perfectly square. For example, if you have a Rumford style fireplace (a fireplace opening that is taller than it is wide) or an arched opening you most likely will not find a stock size to fit. Many fireplaces even have unique openings, like a scrolling design at the top, for which fireplace doors are not traditionally made and would require custom design.

In some cases, a stock size may fit your opening but it wouldn’t look like you had pictured. If you already have a door on your fireplace and are looking to replace it you may also require a precise fit. A stock sized door may be slightly larger and overlap more than your previous door and cover decorative tile or marble. Alternately, a stock size that will fit your opening may be smaller than your current door leaving exposed brick or tile that is now discolored or damaged from having a door attached to it. A custom door can easily solve both of these problems by providing a perfect fit.

But maybe you just have a specific design in mind. With so many doors on the market, you can get just about anything you can imagine. Fireplace glass doors come in endless styles to fit any décor. There are a variety of craftsman style doors with unique designs that are only made to order. Most steel doors are only custom made and have heavier hinges and feel and have smoother opening and closing doors. Many stock doors are only available in a few stock colors, but the same door may also be available in a custom color to coordinate with your decor.

Whatever your reason for choosing a custom door, there are hundreds of options so you can get exactly what you want. While this can be an overwhelming task, at West Sport in Sudbury we can help.

For more information contact us.

fireplacedoorsguide.com

Fireplace doors are crucial to any home with a fireplace. Most homeowners think that having a fireplace allows them to control and create the heat in their home. That's not true. Installing fireplace doors has numerous benefits.

Glass fireplace doors will make your home safer. They keep small children and pets safe from the fireplace and they keep any sparks, hot ash, and other debris in the fireplace instead of on your carpet. They also prevent pests that enter your chimney in the spring and summer from being able to enter your home.

Fireplace doors also allow you to better control the heat and increase the efficiency of your fireplace. Doors keep the cold air from entering your home through the chimney, and they keep the warm air from escaping up the chimney. In fact, they can reduce air loss through the chimney by 90%. This saves you money year round on your utility bills.

Installing fireplace doors is also a great way to make your fireplace look more attractive, up-to-date, and creative. With so many designs and colors available, as well as custom fireplace doors – you will be able to find a door that looks great with your décor.

There are fireplace doors to fit any size and shape fireplace. You will be able to find whatever style door you want, and you can personalize your fireplace doors to fit your style. It’s a great way to tie in your fireplace with the rest of your home.

For more information, contact West sport in Sudbury.

fireplacedoorsguide.com

It is important that as a homeowner you make the right purchase when it comes to glass fireplace doors. There are many reasons why you should purchase doors for an open fireplace and all those reason should come into consideration while you’re making your decision. At West Sport in Sudbury, we sell quite a few sets of glass fireplace doors, and we talk to a lot of homeowners in the area about them. If you are a homeowner that has been wondering what all the fuss is about and what the benefits are of purchasing and installing fireplace doors; here are your answers.

Benefits:

1. SAFETY

Fireplace Doors create a strong barrier between a hot, dangerous fireplace and your children and pets. This isn’t just the case when the fire is burning. You don’t want your kid putting their hand into hot ashes left over from a fire and you don’t want your cat to think that it has found a new litter box.

Fireplace Doors also protect your home from the sparks and embers that could escape from the fireplace and burn your carpet or wood floor.

As a side note: the tempered glass that is used for the fireplace door is considered to be safety glass. If it were to break it would shatter into millions of fragments rather than breaking into a few sharp, jagged pieces, making it more difficult to be cut.

2. EFFICIENCY

Glass Fireplace Doors create a thermal barrier between your room's conditioned air and the outside world. Think about this; you spend hundreds of dollars throughout the winter heating your home and then you have a 36” square hole in the middle of your living room where that conditioned air can escape.

Now, most of the fireplaces have a throat damper. This little contraption does help. It is located at the top of the firebox and closes the flue – but…it is made of metal and has no seal (it can’t – the seal would be too close to the fire and burn up). So there are all kinds of gaps and spaces where that air is escaping – OR – the cold wind is blowing down the chimney and into the room.

Something else to consider is the efficiency you gain by burning a fire with the doors closed. This will increase your fireplaces efficiency because you will use less conditioned air to feed the fire and you will still realize the benefit of the radiant heat from the fireplace.

3. DECORATIVE

Gone are the days of the gold and brass finishes being your only option when it comes to your fireplace door. With the advent of powder coat finishes, a host of modern finish options are available to you. The draft assembly of the door used to be masked by a filigree – but the 1970’s called and asked for it back. Now the draft assembly is hidden so it does not take away from the design of the door. Very creative patterns can be laser cut into sheets of steel to create any type of fireplace door you can imagine.

For more information on glass fireplace doors contact West Sport in Sudbury.

fireplacedoorsguide.com

The fireplace is the heart of the room. Our custom built fireplace doors and screens bring a new level of style to your fireplace that you and your family will enjoy for years.

If you live in a home with an open masonry fireplace, you may want to consider custom designed fireplace doors. If you enjoy a nice roaring fire on a cold winter night, fireplace doors can make the fireplace more efficient and more attractive, for less cost and hassle than a fireplace insert. Another benefit, with glass fireplace doors you can choose  what you want your fireplace surround to look like. You’re not beholden to the design of a manufactured insert.

Glass custom fireplace doors are designs that reflect your style.

Want to make it even easier? We also offer a great variety of existing fireplace doors. Masonry fireplaces can have a variety of looks. Contemporary. Traditional. Transitional. And your fireplace door should reflect that style. West Sport in Sudbury offers the widest variety of doors in the widest design styles. Choose the clean, sleek lines of the Moderne for a contemporary look. The Brookfield and Carolina doors feature popular design options that work with a variety of styles. The Hammered Edge door features a traditional look that shows the "Old World" craftsmanship that goes into every door. The almost unlimited finish and design options allow you to design a fireplace door that shows your style.

For more information on fireplace doors and screens, contact West Sport in Sudbury.