What will fit YOU?
Wood
Do you know where you are getting your wood?
~Yes - Awesome!
~No - Do some research and it may not be as easy as you think to source the fuel.
If you plan on getting a permit and cutting your own cords keep in consideration what all it will take. The truck, the back (health), the splitter, and the location on the property with enough space.
Wood Fuel
It is the most reliable fuel source. If doomsday ever comes you would still be set. You can get home heaters from 500sq ft to over 3,000sq ft.
Gas/LP (Propane)
Do you have city Natural Gas or Propane for the house?
~Yes - Awesome! The modern units have grown to be extremely efficient and could be reliable enough to replace your furnace.
~No - It may be worth it to get it plumbed, depending on your needs. Otherwise, going with Pellet or Wood may fit better.
Gas/LP (Propane)
They can run without electricity and heat over 2000sq ft while using a thermostat. Looks have become very realistic as well.
No Mess, No Maintenance
Pellet
Mechanically inclined? Can lift 40+ lbs? Don't have access to Gas/LP or wood?
~ Yes - Awesome! You may be the perfect candidate for pellet units.
~ No- Maybe looking into wood or gas/LP would fit a little better.
Pellet
They are cleaner than wood. The storage needs to be indoors, but it's easily stackable 40lbs bags, which keeps things fairly clean. One bag of pellets lasts about 24-36 hours of heat. The residue left over should be a fine dusting or small granule type of soot and ash. It does need to be cleaned up every few bags unless your system says differently. Among more things to be aware of.
Freestanding ~ Insert ~ Fireplace
Freestanding
A freestanding option can fit in almost any situation.
Wood does need to vent through the roof or at least past the roof. One way or another you will see venting in the room. (Stovepipe)
Gas/LP needs to vent outside somehow. The chimney does need to go either out the wall or up through the roof for the exhaust. Some units will allow you to vent straight outside to see minimal chimney pipe.
Pellet needs to vent either through the wall or up through the roof. Since it does technically burn wood we encourage you to vent up past the roof. Most units will allow you to vent straight out the wall so you see minimal chimney pipe.
Electric is an easy Plug and Play setup and does not require any venting.
Inserts
Inserts are units that slide INTO an existing fireplace. You must already have a wood burning fireplace to allow for an insert to be installed.
For Wood, Gas/LP, and Pellet the options can vary in looks and styles. We do install a chimney liner through the existing chimney to seal off the outside and to create the best draw available for the system. Wood burning inserts may require a larger hearth to be extended into the room to meet clearances. Wood inserts are also quite large so some fireplaces will not allow for them to be installed. - We can help figure that out with you.
Electric does not require any venting through the existing chimney.
Fireplaces
Built-in Fireplaces are what we sell, not masonry built with stone/brick. The built-in fireplaces may take a handyman or general contractor to help finish the look. Most of the units are framed in 2x4's and are mounted to the home. Fireplaces are only available in Gas/LP and Wood. They can be extremely efficient or just for looks (we encourage the efficient ones). They have a plethora of looks available, from super modern to classic old-timey fireplaces. Always worth a look if you are willing to go through that little remodel or building a new space.
Electric units are available too, they can even be built into a cabinet space if needed.
To Heat or Not to Heat
High Efficiency Heat
With wood and pellet and most gas/LP units nowadays you can expect to get amazing heat out of the systems. With the flexibility of heating only 500sq ft up to over 3000 sq ft (depending on the unit).
Wood is dependent on you to load, maintain, and clean up the system. No Electricity Needed.
Gas/LP if a push of a button (or just leave it on the thermostat) but does depend on the Gas/LP to function. No Electricity is needed in emergencies.
Pellet is thermostat controlled or manually controlled by you. It does depend on you to load the pellets and keep the burn pot area clean. A great alternative to Gas/LP while still staying away from the mess of wood.
Measuring Square Feet
Most of the time when buying a house you know your square footage(sq ft). If you don't know the size of your home, we can always look it up for you. Otherwise, knowing the width, depth, and height of the area you are heating is important. We do not want to oversize a heater for the home. We also do not want to undersize the heat. Either one of those extremes will cause discomfort in the home and create a negative feeling toward your purchase. (We don't want that!)
If you share the sq ft of the entire home we automatically acknowledge that you aren't heating your entire home. (Sorry closets!) We do want to look for units that SAY they can heat that area, so it can compensate for when the doors are open. Wood stoves are the only ones you can undersize a LITTLE, only because then you can push your unit to burn the most efficiently. You want to be as accurate as possible for Pellet, so it can get started - run accordingly- then shut down (without needing to start back up immediately). Gas/LP units can heat up and cool down as needed, with a thermostat you will never be uncomfortable in your home.
Low heat / Aesthetics Only
Electric units are great for small areas or for areas you aren't looking to heat much. They normally are rated for areas smaller than 600sq ft. So perfect for bedrooms and smaller.
Gas/LP units can be available for Aesthetics only or for low heat areas. They can still be put on a thermostat but it's actually more popular to just have them manually turning on and off as needed. This style isn't available for efficiency, they are for the beauty of the fire. *Fireplace styles