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Best Ways to Clean Fireplace Doors

Owning a wood burning fireplace in your home comes with responsibility to keep it looking good as new. It is a great luxury to have in your home, and can bring up the value of your home if you are choosing to sell. In order to keep your you fireplace a safe place to burn wood, you must take proper care of it. Cleaning and maintenance to your fireplace can keep you and your home safe, as well.

Cleaning Basics

First things first – make sure you take the fireplace doors off the fireplace before cleaning them! It can be a messy task. Lay them down flat on a towel or rag, since soot will get all over the place. You could also do this outside or in a garage to avoid getting your home dirty.

All-Natural Options

There are ways to clean your fireplace doors without chemicals and sprays. You can clean it by just using a newspaper or paper towel and ash. Wipe the glass with the ash in a circular motion to loosen the stuck-on soot. You can repeat this until all of the soot is gone. Afterwards, you can go over it one more time, but with glass cleaner to make sure you get it completely clean, if you want.

 Make Your Own Cleaner

You can make a homemade cleaner using vinegar and ammonia. This includes 1 cup of vinegar, 3 cups of warm water, and 1 tablespoon of ammonia. Put this all in a spray bottle, and spray the doors and let it sit for about 30 seconds before scrubbing it on the glass. You might have to do this 2-3 times to get all the soot off.

Commercial Cleaner

You can always use a store-bought cleaner to clean your fireplace doors. There is no shame in that! If you want a strong cleaner, a store-bought one is the best way to go. Just make sure the one you buy is suitable for a fireplace. Commercial cleaner is great to have handy in your home.

Professionally Cleaned

If you get your home professionally cleaned, they will most likely clean your fireplace doors. This can save you time and effort, and have your fireplace looking great!

No matter what way you choose, regularly cleaning your fireplace glass doors will make it easier on you. Less harsh scrubbing if you do it regularly. Take care of your fireplace so it is always looking its best! Contact New England Hearth & Home for all of your fireplace needs. Call us at 781-562-0771 or fill out our contact form. We look forward to hearing from you!

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Why You Should Choose a Pellet Stove

pellet stove

Pellet stoves are a great heating option that more and more homeowners are considering. While many people are interested in them, they also have plenty of questions and uncertainties. That’s what we’re here for! This is a basic guide to help you learn a little more about pellet stoves and to understand why they might be the right choice for you. 

What is a Pellet Stove? 

A pellet stove is a modern take on a wood-burning furnace. Instead of burning logs of wood, pellet stoves burn compressed wood pellets. Pellet stoves use sawdust and other wood waste that would otherwise end up sitting in a landfill, so they’re very environmentally friendly. 

The Benefits 

The benefits of a pellet stove seem to be endless! You’ll get to enjoy a lower carbon footprint thanks to their environmentally friendly design, little to no maintenance, and a great amount of heat produced. Once a pellet stove is installed and in use, the cost is typically even less than the average heating bill. Pellet stoves produce clean heat too, which means the air you’re breathing in isn’t filled with any harmful chemicals and the air put off outside won’t harm the ecosystem around you. 

How to Prepare for Your Pellet Stove

There are a few important things to note before bringing a pellet stove into your home. First, they’re very heavy. It’s a good idea to hire professionals to help install your pellet stove to avoid injury and ensure it’s installed properly. Secondly, you’ll need a fire-resistant surface to put the stove on since it burns at such a high temperature. Tile or stone are ideal surfaces to reduce the risk of a fire from your pellet stove. If the room that you’re installing your pellet stove doesn’t already have a ceiling fan, you’ll want to have one installed. A ceiling fan can help circulate the air from the ceiling down into the rest of the room. 

Stop by New England Hearth & Home in Canton

If you want to learn more about how a pellet stove could work in your home, give us a call or come in today! We recommend that you bring along pictures of the room that you plan to put the stove in so we can help map out the ventilation process. You can opt for an attached wired thermostat, or upgrade to a wireless one. The cold weather is just around the corner, so start your pellet stove journey today and enjoy clean heat all winter long!

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Why You Should Choose a Gas Fireplace

As a homeowner, you have several decisions to make, including which fireplace to choose. There are several types of fireplaces, but the best one is a gas fireplace. It’s true the traditional fireplace will give you a great scene of the fire meeting the wood, with flames producing beautiful embers. However, gas fireplaces are installed more frequently today. We’ll tell you seven reasons why you should install a gas fireplace, informing you of the best reasons. Also, we’ll tell you how to contact a professional to assist you to install a gas fireplace. 

Seven Reasons to Install a Gas Fireplace

We’ve found seven reasons to install a gas fireplace, which include:

    • Convenience: It’s easy having a gas fireplace, as it’s not as time-consuming as a wood-burning fireplace. You won’t have to collect and store firewood. With a gas fireplace, all you do is turn on a switch. Newer models have timers so you won’t have to worry about putting out the fire.  You also don’t need a chimney, meaning a gas fireplace can be installed anywhere in the home.
    • No worries: It’s much safer to have a gas fireplace. There are no toxic fumes or open flames, which is an excellent option for those with children to keep them safer. 
    • Legal everywhere: Unlike wood-burning fireplaces that are banned in some states, gas fireplaces are legal everywhere as of today. 
    • Less maintenance: Since gas fireplaces don’t produce ashes, there’s less to clean and no build-up. Regular inspections are still a must, however, just in case.
    • Green friendly: We’re in an age of an influx of environmentally friendly products, and gas fireplaces are one of them. There are fewer emissions that burn cleaner, making this an environmentally-friendly choice.  
    • Cheaper: Who doesn’t like saving money? Gas fireplaces are cost-effective, saving up to 25% on your utility bills. You can definitely save money if you choose zone heating, which allows you to heat the current room you are using. 
    • Better temperatures: Gas fireplaces are much warmer than wood-burning fireplaces, as the built-in blower allows for better air circulation. This allows warm air to travel throughout your home. 

 

 

 

Conclusion

There are so many benefits to installing a gas fireplace, it’s no wonder more homes are installing them than the traditional wood-burning fireplaces. From being safer to cheaper, gas fireplaces are the way to go. We have a wide selection of fireplaces at New England Hearth & Home, and our experts will be happy to help you find just the right one! Stop by our fireplace store in Canton or give us a call today at 781-562-0771 to get started! 

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How a Gas Fireplace Works

gas fireplace installed in white brick wall

There’s nothing like cozying up with a soft blanket on the couch on a chilly night, with a cup of hot chocolate in hand, and a blazing fire in the fireplace. There’s something so serene about the warmth from a fireplace and the dancing flames on top of the logs. Even if you live in an apartment or condo-style home, you can still enjoy a sizzling fire! Gas fireplaces have gained a lot of popularity over the years, and for good reason. With modern technology, you can reap the benefits of a fireplace, without the need for a chimney. Keep reading to learn what you need to know about gas fireplaces! 

The Benefits

Aside from the fact that you don’t need a chimney, there are several other benefits that gas fireplaces provide. To begin with, they are easy and convenient. You don’t have to worry about finding or buying logs, storing them, and stacking them to start your fire. With a gas fireplace, you simply flip a switch to turn it on, and some can even be turned on with a remote. They also are safer than traditional fireplaces, as there’s no open spark or flames, which is especially helpful if you have kids or pets running around. Because they also produce fewer emissions than a wood-burning fireplace, this means they’re also a more environmentally friendly option.

How it Works

Since a gas fireplace doesn’t require wood, instead it has a metal insert holding log replicas. Beneath the logs is a pilot light, connected to a gas line. Because they don’t lose warmth through the chimney, all of the heat is pushed out into the room, giving you a much higher efficiency. If you have a vented gas fireplace, it’ll vent through a pipe directly out of the home, much like a dryer vent. A ventless gas fireplace runs similar to a gas stove, burning cleanly without a chimney or pipe for ventilation.

Where to Get a Gas Fireplace 

At New England Hearth & Home, we offer a variety of gas fireplaces from some of the top manufacturers in the industry. Some of our most popular brands include Enviro, Napoleon, Regency, European Home, Jotul, and beyond. Our fireplace experts will gladly assist you in finding the perfect fireplace for your home. We also provide removal of existing fireplaces and installation services. Stop by our fireplace store in Canton, or give us a call today at 781-562-0771 to get started!