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Wood or Gas Fireplace?

Wood vs. Gas

If you find yourself always choosing the bed and breakfast room ‘with a fireplace’ and wishing you could take that experience home with you, don’t let not having a chimney stand in your way. Or, if you prefer pushing a button over hauling wood, building a fire, poking the fire, and then having a huge mess to clean up the next day—a gas fireplace insert may just be a consideration.

A gas fireplace is extremely convenient and energy efficient.

A gas fireplace is extremely convenient and energy efficient.

Choosing between a gas or wood fireplace can be a challenge—some homeowners prefer the authenticity and experience of the real thing—but considering some of the benefits of gas may help homeowners who are considering it as an option.

Gas fireplace inserts come in many varieties and options, and can be fitted into almost any fireplace, with or without an intact, working chimney. Advanced technology in the design of gas logs has resulted in better designs that can often be mistaken for the real thing, and without you ever having to lift a poker, sweep the hearth, or dump ashes.

Dangerous chemicals are released into the air when burning fuels, so both wood burning and vented gas inserts require a working chimney or other ventilation.  Direct-vent or B-vent inserts are an intermediate option that vent through horizontal flues. Ventless inserts, however, are self-contained and do not need any external exhaust since they regulate themselves, reduce carbon emissions, and monitor oxygen levels.

Here are a few of the benefits of having a gas insert:

  • Gas is less expensive and more efficient than wood or electricity
  • Gas is less messy and burns more predictably than wood
  • Easier
  • No collecting firewood in the cold

It’s important to remember that with a vented gas insert, you will still need to have an annual chimney cleaning to remove debris that could catch fire in the chimney, as well as soot, carbon and dust.

By John Pilger on August 28th, 2013 | Tagged with: Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Wood or Gas Fireplace?

What Is the Chimney Safety Institute of America?

Many homeowners use their fireplaces and chimneys without giving them much thought. However, it is important to realize that both structures can be quite dangerous if they are not used properly. The mission of the Chimney Safety Institute of America is to educate both professionals and homeowners on the proper, safe use of a chimney. This information is vital is preventing dangerous house fires as well as exposure to poisonous gasses.

The CSIA provides homeowners with invaluable information about how to improve efficiency and safety.

The CSIA provides homeowners with invaluable information about how to improve efficiency and safety.

If a homeowner has a question about their chimney or fireplace, The Chimney Safety Institute of America will have the answer. They provide a number of resources for homeowners with regard to common chimney problems and proper maintenance for safe use of the chimney. The information is all arranged online, making it very easy for homeowners to find exactly what it is that they are looking for.

The CSIA also has many ways of providing general information for homeowners, even if they do not have a particular issue at the time. Their blog offers many different articles covering all aspects of chimney and fireplace maintenance. This is a great place to start for someone who wants to be better informed about their chimney for the purpose of keeping their home clean and safe. In addition to the blog, all of this useful information is available via a convenient mobile app.

After looking for information regarding a particular chimney problem, many people realize that they need to call in a professional to take care of it. If this is the case, The CSIA can help locate a certified professional in the area. Their website features a very easy to use tool that locates chimney sweeps and other local professionals. This allows homeowners to rest assured that the person taking care of their chimney is a trustworthy, trained professional.

The CSIA can confidently recommend chimney professionals because they have a major hand in their training and certification. In fact, it is the CSIA that offers the certification that qualifies these professionals to do their jobs. They offer classes both online and in person to give individuals and companies the best possible training. In addition, they offer a variety of workshops and online resources to help these professionals continue to develop their skills.

In addition to providing training and information related to chimneys, the CSIA also works with professionals who deal with clothes dryer vents. They provide the same training and certification as they do for chimney sweeps and have a variety of information on the topic available to homeowners. Even fewer people are concerned with their dryer vents than chimneys, but the truth is that they pose just as big a risk in terms of both fire and wasted energy.

Both the chimney and dryer vents need to be clean and well maintained in order to be used safely. Failure to take proper care of them could pose serious health and safety risks for everyone in the home. The Chimney Safety Institute of America provides resources not only for homeowners but also for professionals. They offer training and certification that makes it possible for all chimneys and dryers to function safely. They provide up to date information for homeowners and make it easy for them to locate trained professionals should the need arise.

By John Pilger on August 21st, 2013 | Tagged with: Tags: , , , | Comments Off on What Is the Chimney Safety Institute of America?