Posts by mikeeide

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Fireplace heat and how much you actually need. We are marching bravely toward winter with all its splendor – freezing temperatures, howling winds and for the vast majority of us, snow. Lots of snow. It’s no wonder this is the most popular time of year to install a Heatilator fireplace. But when it comes to…

HOW TO UPGRADE A FIREPLACE TO BECOME A FRESH FOCAL POINT Author: Erin Vaughan With fall just around the corner, it’s time to start getting serious about your home’s interior appeal. After all, bland and outdated decor becomes strikingly obvious when poor weather keeps you indoors. And with winter entertaining just around the corner, you’ll…

There are right ways and wrong ways to burn wood. If you’ve been heating all or part of your home with wood for any amount of time, you know this. But if you’re new to the program, we’ve outlined valuable information below about how to choose firewood, along with recommendations from the EPA Burn Wise…

GENERATE ROI WITH HIGH IMPACT REMODEL TIPS All homes require renovations at some point. Some improvements make living in our homes more enjoyable every single day, like cooking in a newly remodeled kitchen. And some renovations are just necessary and not as much fun, like replacing siding or windows. When deciding what projects should float…