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7 Reasons to Have an Outdoor Kitchen

grilling chicken

In the Mediterranean, it is widespread for families to be cooking outdoors. This style of cooking has become a trendy thing to do in the US. Homeowners are embracing the joys of using an outdoor kitchen in their backyards during the warmer summer months. If you’re building a new house, or adding to your current space, creating a place to cook outdoors can be a great investment for your home.

Great for Entertaining

A huge benefit of adding an outdoor kitchen to your yard is that they’re the best for backyard entertaining. When food is prepared outside, your guests can hangout around the grill and enjoy the company as the meal is cooking. It tends to get stuffy in an indoor kitchen when everyone spends time around the stove, but outside there’s much more open space and fresh air. You can add some comfort for your guests by adding patio heaters, outdoor seating, lighting, and more personal touches.

Improves Your Home Value

Home buyers are always looking for unique and useful additions to homes. Having an outdoor kitchen can attract buyers when you are looking to sell – especially if they were looking to add one to whatever home they ended up purchasing. Having this already in place can drive up the selling price for convenience and looks.

Save on Utility Bills

As you cook outside in the summer, your air conditioner be on as high to keep you home cool while cooking hot foods. The temperature in your house goes up a  few degrees from using the over and stove. When you cook outside, you will save on some energy.

Keeps Cooking Smells Outdoors

There are a lot of foods that smell great while being cooked, some other foods couldn’t smell worse. When you cook, strong-smelling meals such fried foods or fish, those smells can linger around your house for days. When you cook those same foods outside, you won’t be smelling any of it inside.

Expanding Your Living Space

You can build your kitchen on any existing space that already in your backyard. This can open up your living space to make it seem bigger and newer. In the outdoor cooking area, you and your friends and family can have celebrations or just take in the beautiful weather.

Save Money on Restaurant Meals

Having an outdoor kitchen can feel like a whole new dining experience. Skip the restaurants and overpriced food, and instead cook at home in your outdoor oasis. You’ll save some money and you’ll be able to enjoy the amazing space you created.

Contact us

Contact New England Hearth & Home for all of your outdoor kitchen needs! Give us a call at 781-562-0071 or fill out our contact form.

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Benefits of Having a Pellet Stove

pellet stove burning

Heating a stove with pellets has many advantages. The same with oil or gas heating, a pellet stove has automatic ignition. Pellet stoves are environmentally friendly because of the CO2-neutral fuel. New England Hearth & Home provides pellet stoves in our line of inventory. Here are some of the benefits of owning a pellet stove in your home! With so many options for fireplaces and stoves, it’s good to know what you’ll be working with.

Temperature

Depending on the model you get, you can change the temperature with a thermostat or remote. Some models can also be programmed to turn on and off at certain times. Pellet stoves can start to burn and go out without having to touch it, depending on the program that is selected.

90% Efficiency

Pellet stoves have an efficiency of up to 90% or even more. Only some of the energy from pellets are lost in the chimney. Pellet stoves are more efficient than wood-burning stoves, with only 40-50% efficiency. Open fires only have an efficiency of around 5-15%.

No Need for a Chimney

Pellets stoves have an active smoke extraction system – therefore, it’s unnecessary to have a chimney specifically for your stove. The gases can be blown into a chimney that you already have. Smoke can also escape through a tube that runs through the outer wall of your home.

Autonomy

The pellet reserve in a stove can be at full power for around 12 hours at a time. This being said, the stove would need to be filled around twice a day if you want it running all day long if you want it at full capacity. That’s up to you and how much heat you want in your home at a time.

Cheap Fuel and Convenient

Pellets are cheap compared to other methods of fuel, and the price for them has been stable over the past few years. They come supplied in bags, and can also be delivered to your home in larger quantities than you may find in a store. A pellet stove can have about 1.5 – 2.5 bags of pellets in it at one time, but consumption depends on how big the room is that you want to be heated.

Contact Us

New England Hearth & Home sells and installs an array of different types of stoves and fireplaces. If you are interested in a new pellet stove, contact us by phone at 781-562-0071 or fill out our contact form. We look forward to helping you choose the best pellet stove for your home!

 

 

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What to Do When You Haven’t Used Your Fireplace in a While

brick chimney

If you just moved into a new house or decide to try the fireplace that hasn’t been touched in years, it’s a good idea to have it inspected and cleaned. You may wonder, why? It’s because fireplaces and chimneys serve as a ventilation system for your home. Even furnaces rely on chimneys to circulate fresh air. It takes carbon monoxide and brings it through the chimney to outside. If you don’t get your chimney inspected every year to check for issues, your home’s ventilation may not be up to code.

Checking For Animals

Smaller outdoor animals like squirrels, birds, and raccoons love using chimneys as a form of shelter. They end up building nests in chimneys made out of leaves, dirt, twigs, and branches – which are all flammable materials. They also may leave behind droppings which can cause bad odor in your chimney and fireplace. Before starting up a fire, make sure your chimney is clear of animals and their homes.

Musty Smells

Musty smells coming from your fireplace can mean there is a moisture issue within your chimney. If you think something may have passed away in your chimney, you’re probably right. That happens often, especially when animals have made homes up there. Make sure to not start a fire in your fireplace until the animal has been removed. Burning it will not make the smell go away.

Fireplace That Has Never Been Used

Even if you have a fireplace that you know has never been used, the right way to go about starting your first fireplace fire is to have it inspected prior. Homeowners there before you, environmental wear and tear, and outdoor creatures are still factors that could have changed the way your fireplace will function. The freezing winter temperatures can also take a toll on your chimney and how it holds up.

What Happens During A Fireplace Inspection

A simple and common chimney inspection includes a chimney sweep looking for damage, obstructions, soot, and creosote buildup, using a flashlight. If it is in need of being swept, they’ll use brushes, a vacuum, and extension poles to do so. If you just bought the house, or experienced harsh weather conditions, the inspection will continue on the roof, in the attic, and crawl spaces. They can use video scanning and other tools to determine the damage of the chimney.

Contact Us

New England Hearth & Home wants to make sure you use your fireplace safely. Give us a call at 781-562-0071 or fill out our contact form. We look forward to taking care of your fireplace needs!

Frequently Asked Questions About Fireplaces:

How can I get rid of unpleasant odors coming from my fireplace?

Although a fireplace can add tranquility to your home, this can be interrupted by obnoxious fumes. Common practices to eliminate these odors include; spraying a fireplace deodorant, using charcoal to absorb the smell, placing an air purifier near the fireplace, and calling a professional for further inspection and potential repair.

What is the best way to start a fireplace?

When lighting a fireplace, there are two methods more widely used than others. The Log Cabin Method is performed by placing two rows of parallel logs on top of each other to form a simple log cabin-like structure. Layers can continue to be added, allowing for a bigger fire with more to feed on. The other option is the Top-Down Method. Instead of using rows of two parallel logs, this method involves organizing the wood by size, placing the larger pieces at the bottom of the pile. This approach is more commonly recommended and can be much more efficient than the Log Cabin method.

How does my gas fireplace get ventilation?

Fireplaces are able to release smoke and other toxins in exchange for fresh air by using a direct-vent system. This involves connecting your chimney to the air from outside, rather than the circulated air from indoors. As cool air rushes through a pipe that opens up to the outdoors, an inner chamber forces out toxins and exhaust.

Is it expensive to get my fireplace inspected?

As long as there aren’t unforeseen challenges or damage to your chimney, the average cost of an inspection is between $300-$600. Usually, the cost for cleaning services is included in this price as well. If there is anything that needs to be replaced or repaired, costs tend to add up quickly. By taking proper care of your fireplace, you can decrease the cost to maintain it and increase its longevity.

What is a safety pilot?

Most gas fireplaces contain a small flame, called the pilot light, that is constantly burning to allow for easy ignition. When this light flame starts to burn too hot or is blown out, the pilot valve will automatically close all the other valves in the system, stopping gas from entering.

Is it safe to shut off my fireplace pilot light during the summer?

Yes, it is safe to turn your fireplace’s pilot light off in the warmer months. By doing so, you can conserve energy usage and costs.

How do I know if my fireplace is ready to be used?

A fireplace is safe to use when it is able to ignite instantly, the presenting flame is blue in color, and all exhaust and fumes are able to be vented out properly.  It is almost a smart idea to thoroughly examine your fireplace for any damages, cracks, or hazards. You should never light your fireplace if you do not have a working and accessible fire extinguisher nearby.

Is it safe to hang a TV above my fireplace?

Although it can be aesthetically pleasing, mounting a TV on the wall above your fireplace can be very dangerous and is advised against. It is recommended that TVs are placed in an area that is 100 degrees Fahrenheit or cooler, or the risk for damage sharply increases.

Who can I call for to inspect my fireplace?

The only way to guarantee that your fireplace is safe to be lit is to call a professional for a full inspection. New England Hearth and Home is a team of experts who can help you with any questions or assistance you may need for your fireplace. Call us today at (781) 562-0771, or come to our store in Canton, MA.

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How Fireplace Innovations Are Changing Home Design

electric fireplaces

People enjoy spaces with fireplaces more than those without them. New advances with fireplaces has made it easier and more affordable to add them to more rooms than just a living room in your home. Having a fireplace in a bedroom or basement can add a calming ambiance, as well as style. In the past, adding a fireplace in a home in general was more of a challenge than it is today.

Dynamic Heat Control

For some rooms in your home, you want the heat from a fireplace to create warmth. In others, it’s just for the look. Adding in dynamic heat control, you can have a fireplace just for the style and aesthetic rather than for the use of heating. Adding a fireplace to a kitchen can make it a great gathering spot, but do you really want it heating an already warmer room? Dynamic heating can make it so it’s not expelling a ton of heat and keeps the unit cooler than normal.

Electric Innovations

The idea of having an electric fireplace could have been unappealing in the past. This day in age, electric fireplaces can add a modern type of elegance to any room in your home. Technology has advanced, and has made the look of the fake flames more realistic and believable. Electric fireplaces are a great option for homes with restrictive rules and regulation. This can include condos. These are the most cost-efficient fireplaces and can come in a range of designs and styles to fit any room in your house. Also, with electric you can choose whether or not to have the heat on. You can still enjoy the comfort and look of the flames without getting the room too warm.

Flexible Venting

Flexible venting allows you to put a fireplace in spaces that originally wouldn’t be able to sustain one due to plumbing, beams, and studs. Flex vents allow flexibility to be woven around obstacles in your home. They require a lot less joints than a typical fireplace vent while still being up to code for being a safe form of ventilation. Flex venting can also be cheaper way of having a fireplace installed, due to their being fewer pieces of equipment to install.

Contact Us

New England Hearth & Home can provide you with fireplaces to fit your home’s style and heating needs. Feel free to contact us by phone at 781-562-0771 or fill out our contact form. We look forward to hearing from you!