Gas Grills, Gas Fireplaces and Accessories

Grills, Fireplaces, and Stoves Blog - Boston, Sudbury MA

Build Outdoor Kitchens, Living Areas In Time For Spring – Boston, Sudbury, MA

Joseph Coupal - Wednesday, March 02, 2016

The addition of outdoor living spaces and outdoor kitchens is a growing trend. Homeowners are increasingly moving their living areas beyond the four walls of the house and extending them to the outdoors.

People want to spend time at home now. Instead of traveling, they want to come home and relax.

As spring approaches, now is a good time to consider outdoor living projects which can include building an outdoor kitchen to add value to a home and increase your family’s enjoyment.

Professionally designed outdoor living spaces are growing in popularity, even though yards are shrinking in many neighborhoods. That may sound like a contradiction, but it isn’t. A well-designed outdoor space can help preserve privacy for you and your neighbors.

Some homeowners have larges spaces to work in, but others have big ideas to dress up a yard but have a smaller space to work in.

Included in new homes

Many homeowners add outdoor kitches after purchasing their homes, but many new homes come complete with areas for outdoor living.

It’s a second living area, but outside the home. Many are built to feature a deck, and many buyers add covered patios, built-in gas grills, and fire pits.

They weren’t popular in days gone by, but it is now. People are more outdoors oriented, more health conscious, more active.

One homeowner said, “I think of the value it brings my family, having that area for everyone to gather. It makes the backyard a focal point. It’s the kind of backyard people migrate to. It’s not unusual for us to light a fire and 10 people show up.”

For more information on planning and creating an outdoor kitchen, contact West Sport in Sudbury where we’ll give you 25% off your ENTIRE project.

The Tennessean

How to Create the Perfect, Affordable Outdoor Kitchen - Boston, Sudbury, MA

Joseph Coupal - Friday, February 26, 2016

An outdoor kitchen and outdoor living space adds extra functionality, comfort, and versatility to your home, and you can create one at a much more affordable price than an indoor home improvement or addition.

For smaller houses, outdoor space is an essential extension of your home — but regardless of house size, you should make the most of it.

It takes planning to create an outdoor kitchen that’s both beautiful and affordable. Here are some of his tips to get your project started:

Create a budget

Before you can start making real plans, you need to know how much you can afford to spend. Set a budget, and work off of that.

Focus on function

An outdoor space can do a lot compared to an indoor space. Is it a patio or lawn? Will it be used for entertaining, cooking? You can have a built-in gas grill or a full outdoor kitchen, a roof to keep out of the weather, a fireplace. The possibilities are almost endless.

Set your priorities

When you’re working with a budget, it’s necessary to prioritize. There are things that you want and things that you need. You may not be able to afford everything you want, but you want to have your needs covered.

Pick an aesthetic

Aesthetic is an important part of creating any living space, including one that’s outdoors. Be sure to create a style that is a reflection of you and your family. It gives your home that personal touch, like a fingerprint.

Choose your materials

Natural stone is a lot more expensive than synthetic. The good news, if you’re on a budget, is that they both are durable and look good. Today, the engineered product is as good as natural. You won’t even be able to tell the difference.

Design

The design pulls all of these choices together. Your design will help you visualize the finished space and understand what may or may not be feasible with the size you’re working with.

There are lots of options, from small backyard patios to larger rural spaces.

To learn more about designing your perfect, affordable outdoor living space, contact West Sport in Sudbury.

theintell.com

Wood Burning Fireplace Insert By Hearthstone on Sale Now – Boston, Sudbury

Joseph Coupal - Friday, February 19, 2016

The Clydesdale wood burning fireplace insert made by HearthStone is certified by the EPA for emissions, making this fireplace insert beautiful as well as very clean and efficient. The Clydesdale combines high-end eye appeal and design made from cast iron, with s beautiful large glass door so you can enjoy the fire as it burns.

This wood burning fireplace insert is one of the most attractive inserts on the market, and can fit in with most styles of home décor. Lots of people like their open wood burning fireplaces, but the Clydesdale wood burning fireplace insert will change your ideas about that. This wood insert was designed for beauty and performance. It is made to be eye appealing, and with the large glass window, you will enjoy your evening by the fire. But it is made to be efficient and used as a heat source as well. When you get home and you want to get warm and relax, the Clydesdale is beautiful to look at, inside and out.

This wood burning fireplace insert is also efficient. It can heat up to 2000 sq ft and it can burn for up to 10 hours.  It’s EPA Rating is 3.2 grams of particulate emissions per hour  with an efficiency rating of 79%. That makes this fireplace insert very efficient.

If you are looking for different, better and more beautiful way to heat your home that also adds value and is consistent, reliable and affordable, look at the Clydesdale fireplace insert from Hearthstone. At West Sport save $300 off any Hearthstone product. Contact us for more details.

Options for Fireplace Inserts for Your Home – Boston, Sudbury, MA

Joseph Coupal - Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Fireplace inserts are a great way to update an existing masonry fireplace.

A traditional open-front wood-burning fireplace usually has an efficiency rating of just 5-10%, according to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association. A new fireplace insert utilizes an insulated closed-combustion system that increases heat output and promotes efficiency.

To be a candidate for a fireplace insert, you must have an existing masonry or factory-built fireplace with a working chimney, and you’ll select the insert’s size based on the existing opening.

The type of venting required by a new insert varies. Natural venting through the existing chimney is possible; direct vent and vent-free options are options as well, depending on your fuel choice.

The cost and availability of fuel in your area, the overall maintenance required, and the desired look are all factors to consider when choosing an insert. Wood, gas (natural or propane), and pellets are the most common fuel sources for fireplace inserts.

Wood burning fireplace inserts

When searching out a wood-burning insert, look for an EPA-certified appliance to help protect the environment and your indoor air quality. Many inserts feature an airwash system to keep the glass panel clean and clear. Others come with a blower with multiple speed options that make it easy to quickly heat spaces ranging from 1,200 to 2,200 square feet.

Gas fireplace inserts

Many gas inserts fit well in modern interiors, but they can fit with any decor. They often have a reflective black glass interior and and can offer wood like fires or linear flames. Direct venting ensures combustion exhaust and fumes are fully removed from your home’s interior, and a smart intermittent pilot ignition system adds an extra level of safety and energy savings.

Pellet stove inserts

Thanks to its use of recycled sawdust pellets as fuel, pellet inserts heats things up in an environmentally friendly way. With a convection blower, auto igniter, and airwash system to keep the glass crystal clear, they have the efficiency of a pellet stove housed in a recessed fireplace opening. The hopper holds pellets, making refueling infrequent. And if you’re worried you’ll miss the traditional look of logs on a fire, an optional decorative ceramic log set is available.

For more information on fireplace inserts for your home, contact West Sport in Sudbury.

BobVilla.com

Hearthstone Wood Burning Fireplace Inserts On Sale - Boston, MA

Joseph Coupal - Friday, February 05, 2016

Here comes the snow. Hearthstone is having its mid-winter sales event, which means you can get $400 off any Hearthstone wood burning fireplace insert, wood stove, gas stove or gas insert. Hearthstone wood and gas inserts are on sale now through February 29th. Get $300 off anything Hearthstone. And the Clydesdale Wood Burning Fireplace Insert may be one of the most beautiful wood burning inserts you have ever seen.

Burning wood is one of the most romantic, beautiful and satisfying ways to heat your home. And, it is very economical, but is also gives you the additional benefits of a beautiful flame, relaxing warmth, a romantic ambiance and increased home value.

With wood you will even stay warm when the power goes out.

Now is the time to consider how to transform your fireplace and your home. At West Sport, we would like to help. In fact, send in your contractor and you’ll even get 15% off your entire home remodeling or home addition project.

Transform your fireplace into a beautiful heat source and enjoy winter again.  The Clydesdale, and everything Hearthstone offer a combination of both power and beauty. Contact West Sport in Sudbury for more information.

Gasketed Fireplace Doors or Air-Tight Glass Fireplace Doors are Now Required for All New Construction – Boston, MA

Joseph Coupal - Wednesday, January 27, 2016

The latest version of the model Energy Code requires gasketed fireplace doors on all new construction. That includes new homes or home additions. Massachusetts, along with 17 other states, has adopted the law.

Section 402.4.3 of IECC 2009 states: “New wood-burning fireplaces shall have gasketed doors and outdoor combustion air.”

This means that it is a requirement that newly constructed masonry fireplaces be equipped with gasketed doors in Massachusetts.Gasketed “Air Seal” fireplace doors are available as a remedy for homeowners who need are remodeling or building a new home. Glass Fireplace doors are also perfect for homes that experience cold air infiltration down their chimney because of negative pressure.

The advantage to glass fireplace doors for new construction is that they are sealed fireplace doors! Sealed fireplace doors keep the heated and cooled warm air from going up the chimney and keep any unpleasant odors from the fireplace out of the room. No fireplace door is completely airtight, but the gasketed doors at West Sport in Sudbury save approximately 99% of energy loss. Make your masonry fireplace more than a décor item, lower your heating bill, and meet the new state and local building codes with glass fireplace doors.

If you are beginning a new construction project, home addition, or renovation, have your contractor get in touch for information on contractor deals and specials. Contact West Sport in Sudbury for more information on air-tight fireplace doors!

Gas Fireplaces in Boston, MA: What You Need to Know

Joseph Coupal - Thursday, January 21, 2016

Fireplaces are one of the top amenities for homeowners who are looking to buy a new house. In fact, they only rank second behind outdoor patios, decks and porches. While the cost of adding a fireplace to an existing home used to be prohibitively expensive, today’s options are affordable, and they are also a relatively easy home improvement.

What has made adding a fireplace to a home easy and affordable is the technology and the installation flexibility of gas fireplaces. No actual combustion occurs in gas fireplaces, so zero-clearance installation is possible. This means that “these fireplaces can be installed in direct contact with combustible walls and floors. Their inner and outer shell construction allows for maximum heat insulation.” As long as you have a natural gas connection or propane availability, you can install a gas fireplace almost anywhere in your home. Shielded by tempered or ceramic glass, gas fireplaces can even be exposed on three or four sides.

The flexibility gas fireplaces, combined with a wide array of styles—from traditional to contemporary, a fire that looks and performs like real wood, and the benefit of improved energy efficiency, and gas fireplaces have become one of the hottest fireplace products today, outselling wood and pellet by more than half.

Benefits of gas over wood

Comparing prices, you’ll find little difference between gas and wood fireplaces, and installation costs are about equal as well. The main difference between gas and wood lies in venting and long-term performance.

The nice thing about gas is that you have immediate ignition and complete control over the heat output. With wood, a certain amount of time is required to light the fire, turn that energy into heat and then get that heat into a room.

In contrast to a gas fireplace, whose heat is controlled with a thermostat, a wood-burning fireplace only comes with air control—the damper.

High-end gas fireplaces are available with comfort control systems. These monitor the temperature of a room and start ramping the burner down as the room approaches a desired temperature.

What about the environment? “Wood is a renewable resource, gas isn’t.” In a gas fireplace there are very few by-products of combustion entering the atmosphere. So, environmentally, gas appliances can be considered healthier than a wood-burning appliance.

In next week’s blog, we’ll discuss venting options for gas fireplaces.

For more information, contact West Sport in Sudbury.

bobvila.com

The Best Wood Burning Stoves- Boston, Sudbury, MA

Joseph Coupal - Friday, January 15, 2016

Anyone who's paid winter home heating costs knows the feeling of sticker shock. Heating the home comes with a steep price tag—as much as 45% of the average household budget.

That's why many happy homeowners have turned to one of the oldest, most reliable, and least expensive forms of heat: wood. Today’s wood stoves have come a long way from the smelly, dirty, and often polluting pot-bellied monsters of the past. This new generation of wood stoves is more powerful, more efficient, and cleaner than old wood burners.

When choosing a wood stove, it is important to select a model that fits the space. Over- or under-sized stoves are not as efficient, waste fuel, and contribute to air pollution. Heating power is measured in British Thermal Units (BTU), and will give you a good idea of how much juice you'll need to heat your home.

Wood stoves are available in styles ranging from traditional to contemporary, and are constructed of cast iron, plate steel, sheet metal, soapstone, tile, or a combination of these materials. Many newer models boast large, see-through, self-cleaning glass doors that allow you to enjoy the firelight, without spending too much time keeping the window clear. Other modern conveniences that come standard on many of today's models include removable ash pans, insulated door handles, thermostats, and air circulators or blowers.

Another thing to consider when purchasing a wood stove is ventilation. If you have an existing chimney in your home, you may need to re-line the interior with stainless steel pipe to make the chimney compatible with a new high-efficiency stove. If you need to add a chimney, you may want to use a prefabricated metal chimney.

Below are two of the top-performing wood stoves reviewers and shoppers like best:

Hearthstone Heritage Soapstone Wood Stove

For an upscale wood stove it doesn't get much better than the Hearthstone Heritage. Constructed of heat-holding soapstone, the walls of this model provide gentle, radiant heat for hours after the fire has died out, all without becoming hot to the touch, like steel or cast iron. The effect is a machine that's safe enough to use in households with young children and pets. The EPA-certified unit is also approved for use in mobile homes and alcoves, making it perfectly versatile. Available at Hearth Stone Stoves; $2,899.

Vermont Castings Defiant

The eco-friendly Defiant from Vermont Castings is EPA-certified and made from 100% recycled materials and produced using renewable energy. The top-loading design helps you burn hotter fires for longer and the thermostatic air control maintains a nice, steady heat. A limited lifetime warranty ensures that this stove will serve you well for many winters to come. Available at Lehman's; $2,480.

For more information, contact West Sport in Sudbury.

BobVila.com

Wood Burning Fireplace Inserts, Because the Cold Weather is Here! Boston, Sudbury, Natick, MA

Joseph Coupal - Wednesday, December 30, 2015

The temperatures have surely dropped, so now is the perfect time to add a wood burning fireplace insert to your home. In fact, because the weather has been so mild so far, insert installation has been easy. This means you don’t have to wait long at all to start enjoying your new insert this winter.

For a more beautiful home and a more efficient fireplace in 2016, wood burning fireplace inserts are a fast and easy way to upgrade and change the look and feel of your living space. They heat your home and make it more attractive while reducing your heating costs.

Wood fireplace inserts are a perfect solution for changing the style of your living room and for benefiting from the heat of a beautiful and effective wood fire. Hearthstone wood burning fireplace inserts supplement your home heating, add a beautiful focal point to your room, and enhance the ambiance and beauty of your home, while increasing the value of your home at the same time.

Hearthstone wood burning fireplace inserts bring heating power and beauty to your home. It warms up to 2000 square feet of space and will burn safely for 10 hours. Now you can come home to a beautiful fire and a warm home every night. Add flair and style to your living room with this beautiful fireplace insert which is available in three different finishes so you can be sure to match your décor.

Come see fireplace inserts burning at West Sport in Sudbury.  Fireplace inserts are sought after as one of the most productive, efficient and beautiful heat sources for any home.

Contact us for more information.

Holiday Greetings From West Sport in Sudbury

Joseph Coupal - Tuesday, December 22, 2015

This week's blog message is very simple. All of us here at West Sport in Sudbury wish you and your family the warmest of Holiday greetings and sincere thanks for your continued trust in us.  Your trust and continued partnership with us is nothing short of a blessing and it is truly something we celebrate.  We offer you all this sincere thanks and pledge to you that we will never tire in our efforts to steadily increase the value of our service to you.  Happy Holidays and have a safe and healthy New Year!


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