Pellet fueled fire pits are a great way to enjoy these chilly evenings. Now you can relax outdoors with family and friends with an easy-to-enjoy pellet fire pit. This Flame Genie fire pit burns wood pellets for fuel, so you no longer have to waste time hunting up firewood. Because it burns wood pellets, there is far less smoke, so you are no longer moving your seat to find that smoke-free spot. And, once you're done, simply dump out the ashes and put it away. You no longer have to sit and wait for logs to burn out, or worry about flame ups when the fire pit is unattended. For more information on pellet burning fire pits, contact West Sport in Sudbury.

If you live in a home in the Boston area, you know that sooner than we know it, winter will be here. It is hard to forget about the epic winter we had last year. Now is the time to start thinking about heating your home this winter. If you want to make your heat more efficient, add supplemental heat to the most popular rooms in your home, and add ambiance all at the same time, then add a fireplace insert.

Who doesn’t love to use their fireplace? But sometimes, it can be more trouble than it is worth. But with a wood burning fireplace insert, the heat is forced out into your home, making the most popular room in the house the warmest one too. Wood burning fireplaces are not just attractive; they are also efficient heating solutions. A fireplace insert is considered a plus to home buyers, thus increasing the value of your home.

Gas or wood burning fireplaces inserts have many advantages for your home. Wood inserts are considered easy to use, burn wood more slowly than an open fireplace, and add a focal point to your favorite room.

Gas fireplace inserts are generally easier to use with less mess and effort. But, whichever fuel source you choose for your fireplace insert, one thing is certain; a burning fireplace will add atmosphere and ambiance to your home this winter.

Stay warmer this winter, and remember that a room with a burning fire adds a whole new dimension to entertaining. Contact West Sport in Sudbury for more information.

Interest in wood burning fireplace inserts has jumped recently. This is because they are environmentally friendly, because they add value and atmosphere to a home, they are more efficient, and because they keep you warmer in winter.

If you are interested in a new wood burning fireplace insert for your home this winter, make an informed decision when you buy. Do a bit of homework first. Measure both the room where the fireplace insert will be placed, and measure where the insert will be located in that room; length, depth and height.

This way, at West Sport in Sudbury, we can help you determine how much heat output you need to heat the room, the house or any amount of space in between. We’ll show you the models with the correct output, so we can make sure you have the heat you need to stay warm this winter. This will also make your fireplace insert as efficient and effective as possible.

There are some aesthetic questions you need to ask yourself too. Will it be placed inside a hearth? Do you want to see most of the fire? What color do you want? What style? With the increased interest in wood burning fireplace inserts, the styles, materials used, and colors available have increased as well. They range from cast iron and stainless steel, to antique and modern.

We service and install everything we sell so you can leave the installation of a new wood burning fireplace insert to us, the experts. Chimneys often need to be lined in order to avoid issues with soot and tar. And, the flue needs to be the right size in order to allow for the safe elimination of smoke. When it comes to wood burning fireplace inserts and their installation, the best tip is to contact West Sport in Sudbury and let us help.

My house has a wood-burning fireplace that we seldom used because of the heat loss. The heating system and water heater run on natural gas, so I’m thinking of converting the fireplace to a gas fireplace.

What are my options?

Answer: You have several options: gas logs, a gas fireplace and a gas fireplace insert. None involve structural changes, but there are significant differences in aesthetics, energy efficiency, and effects on the air in your house. Having a gas line within eight feet is great, because basic installation costs often include hooking up to a gas line within 10 feet.

A gas log set will give you the look of an open fire but not a lot of heat. The installers must lock the damper into a partially open position. That guards against someone lighting the fire and forgetting to open the vent. Having the damper open all of the time, of course, means that you’re losing heated or cooled air all the time — not the solution you’re seeking. To avoid that, you’d also need to install glass fireplace doors.

A gas fireplace is another option. Because no exhaust would go up the chimney, you’d keep all of the heat in the room, and you could still have an open fire.  They are not recommended as main heating systems; you’re only supposed to run them for three or four hours at a time, to keep the moisture and exhaust buildup to generally tolerable levels.

Finally, there’s a true gas fireplace insert. This solution changes the look of a fireplace, because you’re adding an insert, and it eliminates the option of having an open fire. But the look is still tidy, and the result is that you can enjoy the fire without worries. The glass doors are always shut because the fire chamber is sealed, with all of the combustion air piped in and the exhaust air piped out. This gives you energy efficiency and good indoor air, and it allows you to leave the fire running as long as you want.

For more information about your options for gas, contact West Sport in Sudbury, MA.

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