Fireplace and Fireplace Inserts

Isn't it amazing sitting by the fireplace on a cold evening while watching your favorite movie? But in the end you have to put it off as there’s too much smoke produced blowing off everyone inside. You would surely burst out of anger and frustration. The great thing is, you can fully enjoy the warmth and heat coming from your fireplace by making use of fireplace inserts. So, let’s get to know what fireplace inserts are and what it has to offer.

Different Types of Fireplace Inserts – Confrazzled

http://confrazzled.com

Thu, 09 Jan 2014 21:21:46 GMT

A fireplace insert added to your fireplace will increase its efficiency and will increase the warmth from the fireplace which can help lower your heating bills. There are several different types of fireplace insertsavailable.

Gas Fireplace Inserts: Pros and Cons | The Marie Souza Team – We …

http://www.capecodrealestateservices.com

Wed, 09 Apr 2014 18:42:41 GMT

Unlike old decorative gas fireplaces, today’s gas inserts are heat-producing dynamos that use natural gas or propane to power a steady flame dancing on fake logs, decorative modern glass chips, or stones behind a sealed …

Stay Warm With a Fireplace Insert | Zillow Blog

http://www.zillow.com

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 19:03:23 GMT

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

Now, you can fully enjoy your fireplace without worrying and feel suffocated by smoke it produces. The next step is to determine and shop for the perfect fireplace insert. Just don’t forget to do some research first before jumping right to your car and shop in the nearest fireplace stores as this could be overwhelming. In the end, you might get the wrong one and be frustrated. Determine what you really need so you can fully enjoy and get what you’ve been longing for.

Chimney Chase Covers – Importance of Installing a Cover for Your Chimney

Rusting can be more than just visually unappealing

One of the major reasons for installing a chimney chase cover is to protect it from rusting. Installation of a chimney chase cover also prevents debris, small animals and birds, snow and water from entering the house. Both internal and external rusting can have unwanted repercussions not only on the chimney but also on the cover. Rusting can be a serious problem as it reduces the strength of the metal and makes it more brittle. As a result, your chimney becomes weak and less immune to the high temperatures within it. In extreme cases of rusting, chimneys are also burst. Therefore, installation of chimney chase covers is important not only for cosmetic reasons but for safety reasons as well.

The best chimney chase covers to use

There are a number of chimney chase covers available in the market. Use of low quality galvanized sheet metal is as good as installing no cover at all because they offer very low protection. Color Clad is a good material for chimney covers and so are aluminum and stainless steel. When you buy a cover for your chimney, you can choose to have a custom made cover in order to enhance protection.

Chimney Chase Cover – A Must Have For Every Home That Has a Chimney

Why use chimney chase covers?

Have you ever found water dripping into your home trough the chimney, or perhaps a little squirrel or a cat fall into the house through it? In rough weather conditions, have you had wind blows debris entering your house? If you have had such problems, then fitting a chimney chase cover is the best solution. These perfect lids for the chimney prevent all such problems. In addition to all these issues, chimney chase covers provide a huge benefit – they prevent rusting of the chimney. It is not only essential but mandatory to have a chimney chase cover fitted to your chimney.

How should the design of the chimney chase cover be?

The major rule is that the design should not let water clog. There should be ample draining facility so that rusting does not occur. Further, you can choose chase covers that have holes for more than one flue. Such covers help you cover the entire chimney and yet, accommodate multiple flues. If you have such a chimney at home, it is best if you have your chimney chase cover custom designed.  However, ensure that the diameters of the holes are exactly provided so that there are no gaps through which water can leak.

Chimney Chase Covers – What Are The Best Types Of Covers To Use?

Stainless steel

Stainless steel chimney chase covers are by far the best chase covers, due to a number of reasons. Firstly, they are resistant to all weather conditions. They do not weaken for extreme sun or rust during rains and snow. They are extremely good to resist freezing and thawing and remain unaffected. You can either go in for a plain chimney chase cover or choose one that is galvanized. However, galvanized steel is not recommended since they are more prone to rusting. If you already have a galvanized steel chimney or the cover, then you have to get a stainless steel chase cover fitted over it. With stainless, even if there is a bit of rusting, removal is very easy. Stains can also be easily removed.

Aluminum

The other recommended material for chimney chase covers is aluminum. Aluminum is as good as stainless steel and highly resistant to corrosion. High grade aluminum is also used for all outdoor uses including aircraft parts and outdoor furniture. Aluminum is easy to maintain and cost effective. In fact, aluminum is more cost effective than stainless steel. With all these benefits, these two metals are the best for chimney covers. They are log lasting and offer a great return on your investment not just by being durable but by protecting the chimney as well.

Chimney Liner Options Part Eight

This is because the moisture created in wood burning fireplaces mixes with the creosote and this becomes a gas which rises out of the chimney. However – it really can’t hurt and can benefit you in other ways.

Finally there’s one more reason that insulation is a good idea for your chimney liner – and that’s that having a hot fire and a cold chimney will cause down drafts. This is because air rises – meaning that the air pressure around your fire is lower. In other words there’s a ‘pocket’ of air around your fire where much of the air has risen away, and if you don’t have insulation for your liner, the cold air will rush in to fill this gap (this is the same process that causes wind – wherein the warm earth heated by the sun has the same effect as a fireplace).

If you don’t get insulation and good flue liners then, you will find that the wind rushes in and blows the fire while also making your room colder. Again this will also create a lot of noise and be upsetting for you to listen too.

Chimney Liner Options Part Seven

Thus when it is cold it will get very cold and that will mean that it will attract condensation – which is a by-product of the burning of your fires (hence the term ‘non condensing furnace’). This will attach onto your chimney liner and this is a serious problem as condensation is acidic and highly corrosive – meaning it would eat away at the liner and eventually completely deteriorate it.

Worse, if you get condensation on your chimney liner, then you will likely also get creosote on your liner and this is very danger as creosote is a dangerously flammable substance which can cause chimney fires. The colder your chimney is, the more creosote will stick to it, and the more creosote is on your chimney, the colder it will become.

However bear in mind that this insulation is more crucial for wood burning chimney liner or coal chimney liner. For gas or oil burning fireplaces you will usually be fine with the flue liner on its own.

Chimney Liner Options Part Six

However if you really want chimney liner that you can rely on then it is important to put a little extra work into it yourself, and specifically this means getting insulation for your chimney sweep liner.

But bearing in mind that the role of the chimney liner is essentially to provide insulation, why do you also need insulation for that itself? Well chimney sweep liner is actually a highly essential example of chimney supplies for several reasons.

First of all, if you have stainless steel chimney liners you might find that when the wind blows very heavily the liners rattle and shape and this can make an awful racket – in fact it will be enough to wake you up and it won’t be particularly conducive to rest or relaxation which is what most of us use our fireplaces for.

Another reason you need insulation is to protect your liner. Whether you use foil liners, stainless steel liners or ceramic the problem with this is that it is a conductor and not an insulator.