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Home Is Where The Hearth Is
by Martie Callaghan

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In children's books, on Christmas cards, in song lyrics, and in the hearts of those who gathered around them, fireplaces have always represented the warmth and security of home. And, if current sales trends are any indication, they still do. Fireplaces, stoves, pits and chimineas (free-standing ceramic fireplaces) are selling like hotcakes, according to local dealers, with the more complicated installations booked two months in advance. After this year's hurricane damage, many area residents have turned to the hearth industry for alternatives to electrical power.

For utility and efficiency in a fireplace or stove, the current best sellers are those that run on natural gas, followed by pellet and wood burning appliances. A gas stove has many pluses: it puts out plenty of heat and requires very little in terms of maintenance or service. There are no logs to carry, no ashes to clean up and no moving parts. Like the woodstove, a gas stove or gas fireplace is self-sufficient, requiring no electricity for its operation. Three types of venting are possible in the installation of a gas stove: a direct vent which goes horizontally straight through the wall to the outside; a natural vent which goes straight up to a prescribed height above the roof of the house; or a vent-free type.

A vent-free gas fireplace or stove can be placed almost anywhere and requires no special installation. It's relatively inexpensive compared to a wood fireplace or a vented gas fireplace. The vent-free models are available in many designs and produce a significant heat output. However, they might not be the best choice for people who are very sensitive to odors, or those with asthma or other respiratory sensitivities.

Another option is electric fireplaces, which come in cabinet styles or free-standing units. They plug in anywhere, require no venting, and throw off enough heat to warm a small room or supplement the main heat source. "They're very pretty, and give the glow and ambiance that people are looking for in a fireplace," says Lorrie Jones of Hearth/America/Backyard Billy's. "They look real, and they're right for places that might be impossible to put piping into."

Where natural gas or "city gas" is not available and outdoor propane storage bottles are aesthetically unacceptable, the pellet stove is a viable option. Many customers who buy pellet stoves are woodstove converts who became tired of hauling wood but still prefer to heat their home by burning a fuel made from a renewable resource-compressed sawdust. The pellets, which must be stored in a dry place, are fairly easy to come by and are stocked by hardware stores and Wal-Mart.

Pellet stoves can be vented horizontally through the wall and require no chimney. Many attractive styles are available, and some models can be operated automatically from a wall thermostat. The main drawback is that pellet stoves need electricity to run the auger that feeds the pellets into the burn chamber. Some models can, however, be hooked to a battery backup. While a pellet stove will not function without external power, it will operate more efficiently under normal circumstances than wood or electric heat, and it's only slightly more expensive than natural gas.

If your goal is ambience and not utility, options abound. Stoves that burn jellied grain alcohol fuel are inexpensive and will achieve the desired aesthetics; however, they should not be relied upon for heat. Paul Sullivan of Ace Hardware in Pasadena recommends electric fireplaces. "Electric stoves are big this year," he says. "Nowadays, they don't use much electricity and, sitting next to the gas stoves in the store, they look almost identical. It's a good and inexpensive way to look nice."

Outdoor fireplaces are also winning fans. On a cool, crisp night, the party can be moved outdoors, around a chiminea, outdoor fireplace or fire pit on the patio. The chiminea, is made of clay or cast iron, is shaped like a round pot-bellied stove with a tall chimney, and comes in a variety of sizes. The portable fireplace or "portable fire" is a variation of the chiminea, made of metal, and can be rectangular or square. Many styles are mesh-enclosed to keep the sparks contained, with the fire visible on all four sides.

If you've got the space in your backyard, a fire pit made of natural stone can be installed into a patio, using firebrick or sand as a base. Most fire pits range from three and a half to six feet in diameter and include a sitting wall-a beautiful setting for inviting the neighbors over and telling stories around the fire. For adding winter warmth, a fireplace of any style might be just what your home needs. While its facade has changed with the styles of the times, the comfy, cozy feelings and musings it evokes will go on forever.