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Advantages of a Wood Burning Insert

So, you love your fireplace. There is something about a crackling fire that is just mesmerizing. Nothing can quite replace that comforting feeling. The trouble is, wood burning fireplaces are known to not be very efficient, and there’s nothing comforting about high heating bills due to heat loss through your fireplace. In fact, according to the This Old House website, you could be losing up to 8% of your furnace air up that leaky chimney. If you hate losing money but can’t give up the contented feeling you get when you relax in front of that fire, then a wood burning insert might be just the thing for you.

Wood Burning Inserts

You can keep the homey look of your beautiful fireplace while making it much more efficient by adding a wood burning insert to your fireplace. Although there is an initial cost to get an insert installed, in the end, the money that you save on heating bills will soon make up for any expense of installation.

So, what exactly is a wood burning insert? It’s a self-contained unit that sets into your fireplace and in which you can burn a wood burning fire. Wood burning inserts are very energy-efficient – in fact, a wood burning insert can be up to 75% efficient, unlike the around 25% that a normal wood-burning fireplace can be. Not only this, but wood burning inserts give a cleaner burn than your old-fashioned wood burning fireplace.

There is more than one type of insert to choose from. One type is a pellet burning insert, which has the benefit of burning clean while delivering even heating. Wood burning inserts offer a long-burning source of heat and the beauty of a snapping, crackling fire.

There are a couple of other features you will want to look for in a wood burning insert. First, make sure that there is a control that allows you to adjust the airflow, so that you can regulate the heat going into your home. You’ll also want to be able to directly vent your appliance; there are several styles available, so you’ll be able to choose the system that’s best for your home. A unit that has a cast iron door is also desirable because it resists the heat, which allows you to access the coal bed with less risk than steel doors give.

Get Expert Advice

If you are shopping for a wood burning insert, make sure you get advice from a company that knows all there is to know about these appliances: Santa’s Friend Chimney Service. They can help you choose the insert that will best meet your needs and can also help with the installation process. Santa’s Friend Chimney Service can offer a wide range of services, including upkeep and cleaning of your wood burning appliance once it’s installed. All you’ll need to do is enjoy the savings!

By Justin Perkins on November 17th, 2017 | Tagged with: Tags: , , | Leave a Comment

The Importance of a Chase Cover

There are so many parts to a chimney. There’s the damper, which helps seal the fireplace closed when you’re not using it and to allow enough draft when there is a fire burning. There’s the flue, which lines the inner part of your chimney and protects it from the smoke gases and chemicals that could damage it. A chimney cap or rain cover serves as a protection to the interior of your chimney from rain and other types of precipitation that can cause damage to the mortar of the chimney. But there’s another piece, the chase cover, which is often mistaken for the chimney cap. It’s important to understand the difference between these two and to know why each is so important.

Chimney Cap or Chimney Chase Cover?

A chimney cap can do many things for your chimney. It can keep out rain, and it can keep out animals and debris. It offers protection from a downdraft from the wind, and also offers protection to your roof from stray sparks that may work their way up the chimney and land there, possibly causing a fire. A chimney cap has wire or mesh around the outside which allows for the air flow to continue while the top keeps the rain out.

The chimney chase is a “structure built around, and enclosing portions of a chimney exterior to the house.” This structure protects the exterior of your chimney from the effects of weather, which can wear away at both the brick and the mortar, weakening the structure. It can also be a beautiful addition to your home, covering up any imperfections that your chimney might have.

If your chimney has a chase, then you’ll definitely need a chase cover. Rather than fitting on top of the chimney, like a chimney cap does, a chase cover fits over the top of the chase itself. It is made out of metal and has slanted sides so that the rain that falls on it doesn’t go straight down the chase to the metal chimney flashing (metal sheets that cover the joints where your chimney meets the roof). If the precipitation lands there, it could cause these flashings to rust. This is why it is so important that the chase cover fits properly, has a slant to it, and is installed properly.

It’s quite apparent that a chimney chase cover and cap hold two very different purposes. If your chimney has a chase, then a chase cover is what you are looking for.

Call Santa’s Friend Chimney Service

If you’re looking for a chase cover, make sure you call Santa’s Friend Chimney Service. Their expert technicians will make sure that you get the chase cover that fits your chase to a “T” and will be able to properly install it so that your chimney is protected from the effects of wind and precipitation. Give them a call today!

By Justin Perkins on November 3rd, 2017 | Tagged with: Tags: , , | Leave a Comment