Blog Posts

Fireplace Safety: A Comprehensive Guide for Western Canadian Homes

Fireplaces add warmth, ambiance, and charm to Western Canadian homes, but they also come with safety considerations that should not be overlooked. This comprehensive guide aims to provide valuable safety information to homeowners, helping them prevent accidents, maintain proper ventilation, and address common safety concerns associated with fireplaces. By following these guidelines, you can enjoy…

Why Wood Fireplaces Are Still a Good Option for Your Home – Part 3: Cost-Effective Heating

In addition to its aesthetic appeal, a wood fireplace can also be a cost-effective way to heat your home. While the upfront cost of installing wood fireplaces may be higher than other heating options, the long-term savings can be significant. Wood is a renewable resource that is often cheaper than other heating fuels like natural…

Why Wood Fireplaces Are Still a Good Option for Your Home – Part 2: Aesthetics and Ambiance

One of the most appealing aspects of a wood fireplace is the ambiance it creates. There’s something special about gathering around a crackling fire with family and friends, enjoying the warmth and comfort it provides. But beyond the practical benefits, a wood fireplace can also be a stylish and eye-catching addition to any home. Whether…

Why Wood Fireplaces Are Still a Good Option for Your Home – Part 1: Introduction

When it comes to home heating options, there are plenty of choices available. From electric heaters to gas furnaces to geothermal heat pumps, homeowners have a wide range of technologies and fuels to choose from. Despite this variety, however, there’s still something special about a wood fireplace. Whether it’s the comforting crackle of the flames,…

Tips for Burning Wood

Burning wood made simple It’s almost Christmas and frosty nights are moving in. Make no bones about it, Old Man Winter is here! Soon wood stoves and inserts across the country will rise to the occasion, heating our homes and warming our hearts all winter long. Make light work of building fires with this common sense…

Important Fireplace Safety Tips

Safety tips for operating your fireplace It’s a simple concept that we all understand – fireplaces can get hot. But sometimes, especially with gas fireplaces that have sealed combustion systems behind glass, it’s easy to overlook basic gas fireplace safety. When using any fireplace – gas fireplaces included – there are real flames and hot…

OLD WOOD FIREPLACES: THEY JUST SUCK

Not to sound like Cliff Clavin, but it’s a “little known fact” that masonry-style, old-timey wood fireplaces are inefficient – and they aren’t just slightly inefficient. They cost homeowners hundreds of dollars a year in wasted energy, and actually make houses draftier and colder than those without old wood fireplaces. If you have one in…

HOW YOU HEAT & GLO: FIREPLACE INSTALLATION INSPIRATION

For most of us, our homes are where we spend the most time – and where we make the most significant investments. With the economy on the upswing and consumer confidence rising, many people are making their dream homes reality by building new or remodeling existing houses. In both scenarios, installing a fireplace is often…

Making the Most of Your Wood Stove

Wood stoves and how to make the most of them It’s November and if you’re like most wood stove owners, the cordwood is stacked, seasoned and ready to go. Depending on where you live, perhaps you’ve already stoked your stove for those first highly anticipated fires of the season. Make the most of your wood…

USING A MODERN FIREPLACE INSERT TO UPDATE AN OLD HOME

REFRESH AN OLD HOME WITH A MODERN FIREPLACE INSERT When providing design services for clients with older homes, interior designers are presented with a variety of unique opportunities and challenges. Unlike new homes, many older homes have era-specific architectural features that offer a unique, creative foundation for expanding upon. At the same time, challenges are…