Choosing the right stove or fireplace will add beauty and comfort to your home for years to come. Our consultants have years of experience and are certified by the Northeast Hearth Products Association. Their strength lies in their ability to help you determine the right stove to satisfy your particular goals. The following information is designed to provide you with an understanding of the considerations involved in choosing the perfect hearth appliance for your home.
Fuel Choices
Understanding the benefits and characteristics of each type of fuel will help you choose the best one for your home. To compare fuels by cost, visit the Cost of Heating Calculator.
| Wood | Pellets | Gas | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heating Power | Powerful heaters – can heat large areas Up to 3,000 SQ. FT. | Efficient heaters – Can heat small and medium sized areas Up to 2,500 SQ. FT. |
Convenient heaters – Can heat up to 2,000 SQ. FT. |
| Electricity Requirement | Not Required | Required | Not Required |
| Thermostatic Control | No | Yes | Yes |
| Other Features | Environmentally friendly renewable fuel. Warmth and ambiance of real wood fire. Electricity not necessary. Least maintenance. | Environmentally friendly renewable fuel.Convenient and economical. Controllable and quick heat source. | Most convenient operation. Clean abundant domestic fuel source. Most design choices. Realistic looking fire. |
| Wood | Pellets | Gas |
Efficiency
Today’s homeowners are more aware than ever of the value of fuel, economically and environmentally.
Look for the appliance’s “overall heater rating”. This is a combination of burn efficiency, the efficiency of the stove to generate heat, and the efficiency with which the stove transmits heat to the room.
“BTU” stands for “British Thermal Unit”. This is a measure of how much fuel will be burned.
Floor Space Heating Capacity
The heating capacity can be quoted based on normal operation or maximum output and is dependent on many other variables. To help us determine the right size of stove you need talk to one of our knowledgeable consultants about your situation.
Stove Materials
| Cast Iron | Steel | Stone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type of heat | Radiant and Convection | Radiant and Convection | Radiant and Convection |
| Appearance | Various decorative features | Traditional and Functional | Enamel and natural stone finish |
| Heating Characteristics | Heats and cools at a moderate rate | Heats and cools quickly | Heats moderately and cools slowly. |
| Cast Iron | Steel | Stone |
Measuring
Correct measurements are essential when purchasing a fireplace insert. To help you, we provide a worksheet with clear directions. Print the Fireplace Measuring Worksheet. To save time, fill it in with the measurements from your own home and bring it with you when you come to the store.