Fireplace inserts are a great way to update an existing masonry fireplace.

A traditional open-front wood-burning fireplace usually has an efficiency rating of just 5-10%, according to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association. A new fireplace insert utilizes an insulated closed-combustion system that increases heat output and promotes efficiency.

To be a candidate for a fireplace insert, you must have an existing masonry or factory-built fireplace with a working chimney, and you’ll select the insert’s size based on the existing opening.

The type of venting required by a new insert varies. Natural venting through the existing chimney is possible; direct vent and vent-free options are options as well, depending on your fuel choice.

The cost and availability of fuel in your area, the overall maintenance required, and the desired look are all factors to consider when choosing an insert. Wood, gas (natural or propane), and pellets are the most common fuel sources for fireplace inserts.

Wood burning fireplace inserts

When searching out a wood-burning insert, look for an EPA-certified appliance to help protect the environment and your indoor air quality. Many inserts feature an airwash system to keep the glass panel clean and clear. Others come with a blower with multiple speed options that make it easy to quickly heat spaces ranging from 1,200 to 2,200 square feet.

Gas fireplace inserts

Many gas inserts fit well in modern interiors, but they can fit with any decor. They often have a reflective black glass interior and and can offer wood like fires or linear flames. Direct venting ensures combustion exhaust and fumes are fully removed from your home’s interior, and a smart intermittent pilot ignition system adds an extra level of safety and energy savings.

Pellet stove inserts

Thanks to its use of recycled sawdust pellets as fuel, pellet inserts heats things up in an environmentally friendly way. With a convection blower, auto igniter, and airwash system to keep the glass crystal clear, they have the efficiency of a pellet stove housed in a recessed fireplace opening. The hopper holds pellets, making refueling infrequent. And if you’re worried you’ll miss the traditional look of logs on a fire, an optional decorative ceramic log set is available.

For more information on fireplace inserts for your home, contact West Sport in Sudbury.

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Here comes the snow. Hearthstone is having its mid-winter sales event, which means you can get $400 off any Hearthstone wood burning fireplace insert, wood stove, gas stove or gas insert. Hearthstone wood and gas inserts are on sale now through February 29th. Get $300 off anything Hearthstone. And the Clydesdale Wood Burning Fireplace Insert may be one of the most beautiful wood burning inserts you have ever seen.

Burning wood is one of the most romantic, beautiful and satisfying ways to heat your home. And, it is very economical, but is also gives you the additional benefits of a beautiful flame, relaxing warmth, a romantic ambiance and increased home value.

With wood you will even stay warm when the power goes out.

Now is the time to consider how to transform your fireplace and your home. At West Sport, we would like to help. In fact, send in your contractor and you’ll even get 15% off your entire home remodeling or home addition project.

Transform your fireplace into a beautiful heat source and enjoy winter again.  The Clydesdale, and everything Hearthstone offer a combination of both power and beauty. Contact West Sport in Sudbury for more information.

The latest version of the model Energy Code requires gasketed fireplace doors on all new construction. That includes new homes or home additions. Massachusetts, along with 17 other states, has adopted the law.

This means that it is a requirement that newly constructed masonry fireplaces be equipped with gasketed doors in Massachusetts.Gasketed “Air Seal” fireplace doors are available as a remedy for homeowners who need are remodeling or building a new home. Glass Fireplace doors are also perfect for homes that experience cold air infiltration down their chimney because of negative pressure.

The advantage to glass fireplace doors for new construction is that they are sealed fireplace doors! Sealed fireplace doors keep the heated and cooled warm air from going up the chimney and keep any unpleasant odors from the fireplace out of the room. No fireplace door is completely airtight, but the gasketed doors at West Sport in Sudbury save approximately 99% of energy loss. Make your masonry fireplace more than a décor item, lower your heating bill, and meet the new state and local building codes with glass fireplace doors.

If you are beginning a new construction project, home addition, or renovation, have your contractor get in touch for information on contractor deals and specials. Contact West Sport in Sudbury for more information on air-tight fireplace doors!

Fireplaces are one of the top amenities for homeowners who are looking to buy a new house. In fact, they only rank second behind outdoor patios, decks and porches. While the cost of adding a fireplace to an existing home used to be prohibitively expensive, today’s options are affordable, and they are also a relatively easy home improvement.

What has made adding a fireplace to a home easy and affordable is the technology and the installation flexibility of gas fireplaces. No actual combustion occurs in gas fireplaces, so zero-clearance installation is possible. This means that “these fireplaces can be installed in direct contact with combustible walls and floors. Their inner and outer shell construction allows for maximum heat insulation.” As long as you have a natural gas connection or propane availability, you can install a gas fireplace almost anywhere in your home. Shielded by tempered or ceramic glass, gas fireplaces can even be exposed on three or four sides.

The flexibility gas fireplaces, combined with a wide array of styles—from traditional to contemporary, a fire that looks and performs like real wood, and the benefit of improved energy efficiency, and gas fireplaces have become one of the hottest fireplace products today, outselling wood and pellet by more than half.

Benefits of gas over wood

Comparing prices, you’ll find little difference between gas and wood fireplaces, and installation costs are about equal as well. The main difference between gas and wood lies in venting and long-term performance.

The nice thing about gas is that you have immediate ignition and complete control over the heat output. With wood, a certain amount of time is required to light the fire, turn that energy into heat and then get that heat into a room.

In contrast to a gas fireplace, whose heat is controlled with a thermostat, a wood-burning fireplace only comes with air control—the damper.

High-end gas fireplaces are available with comfort control systems. These monitor the temperature of a room and start ramping the burner down as the room approaches a desired temperature.

What about the environment? “Wood is a renewable resource, gas isn’t.” In a gas fireplace there are very few by-products of combustion entering the atmosphere. So, environmentally, gas appliances can be considered healthier than a wood-burning appliance.

In next week’s blog, we’ll discuss venting options for gas fireplaces.

For more information, contact West Sport in Sudbury.

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Anyone who's paid winter home heating costs knows the feeling of sticker shock. Heating the home comes with a steep price tag—as much as 45% of the average household budget.

That's why many happy homeowners have turned to one of the oldest, most reliable, and least expensive forms of heat: wood. Today’s wood stoves have come a long way from the smelly, dirty, and often polluting pot-bellied monsters of the past. This new generation of wood stoves is more powerful, more efficient, and cleaner than old wood burners.

When choosing a wood stove, it is important to select a model that fits the space. Over- or under-sized stoves are not as efficient, waste fuel, and contribute to air pollution. Heating power is measured in British Thermal Units (BTU), and will give you a good idea of how much juice you'll need to heat your home.

Wood stoves are available in styles ranging from traditional to contemporary, and are constructed of cast iron, plate steel, sheet metal, soapstone, tile, or a combination of these materials. Many newer models boast large, see-through, self-cleaning glass doors that allow you to enjoy the firelight, without spending too much time keeping the window clear. Other modern conveniences that come standard on many of today's models include removable ash pans, insulated door handles, thermostats, and air circulators or blowers.

Another thing to consider when purchasing a wood stove is ventilation. If you have an existing chimney in your home, you may need to re-line the interior with stainless steel pipe to make the chimney compatible with a new high-efficiency stove. If you need to add a chimney, you may want to use a prefabricated metal chimney.

Below are two of the top-performing wood stoves reviewers and shoppers like best:

Hearthstone Heritage Soapstone Wood Stove

For an upscale wood stove it doesn't get much better than the Hearthstone Heritage. Constructed of heat-holding soapstone, the walls of this model provide gentle, radiant heat for hours after the fire has died out, all without becoming hot to the touch, like steel or cast iron. The effect is a machine that's safe enough to use in households with young children and pets. The EPA-certified unit is also approved for use in mobile homes and alcoves, making it perfectly versatile. Available at Hearth Stone Stoves; $2,899.

Vermont Castings Defiant

The eco-friendly Defiant from Vermont Castings is EPA-certified and made from 100% recycled materials and produced using renewable energy. The top-loading design helps you burn hotter fires for longer and the thermostatic air control maintains a nice, steady heat. A limited lifetime warranty ensures that this stove will serve you well for many winters to come. Available at Lehman's; $2,480.

For more information, contact West Sport in Sudbury.

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The temperatures have surely dropped, so now is the perfect time to add a wood burning fireplace insert to your home. In fact, because the weather has been so mild so far, insert installation has been easy. This means you don’t have to wait long at all to start enjoying your new insert this winter.

For a more beautiful home and a more efficient fireplace in 2016, wood burning fireplace inserts are a fast and easy way to upgrade and change the look and feel of your living space. They heat your home and make it more attractive while reducing your heating costs.

Wood fireplace inserts are a perfect solution for changing the style of your living room and for benefiting from the heat of a beautiful and effective wood fire. Hearthstone wood burning fireplace inserts supplement your home heating, add a beautiful focal point to your room, and enhance the ambiance and beauty of your home, while increasing the value of your home at the same time.

Hearthstone wood burning fireplace inserts bring heating power and beauty to your home. It warms up to 2000 square feet of space and will burn safely for 10 hours. Now you can come home to a beautiful fire and a warm home every night. Add flair and style to your living room with this beautiful fireplace insert which is available in three different finishes so you can be sure to match your décor.

Come see fireplace inserts burning at West Sport in Sudbury.  Fireplace inserts are sought after as one of the most productive, efficient and beautiful heat sources for any home.

Contact us for more information.

This week's blog message is very simple. All of us here at West Sport in Sudbury wish you and your family the warmest of Holiday greetings and sincere thanks for your continued trust in us.  Your trust and continued partnership with us is nothing short of a blessing and it is truly something we celebrate.  We offer you all this sincere thanks and pledge to you that we will never tire in our efforts to steadily increase the value of our service to you.  Happy Holidays and have a safe and healthy New Year!

If you have an old masonry fireplace in your home, you can make it more beautiful and make your home warmer by adding wood burning fireplace insert. Fireplace inserts help increase the efficiency of your fireplace and create a warm environment with a whole new look and feel. There are plenty of older homes around Sudbury, Wayland and Concord. If you live in an older or antique home which is heated with oil and has an open fireplace, a wood burning fireplace insert will greatly reduce your heating bills and make your home more efficient all while making your living space more attractive too.

Wood burning fireplace inserts work the same way that wood burning stoves do. They force the heated air into your home instead of up the chimney. This makes heating your home, easier, less expensive and more efficient. But fireplace inserts are gorgeous too, so they create a beautiful focal point in any room to complement the décor.

Wood burning fireplace inserts allow the fire to burn hotter than in an open fireplace. This creates the ideal temperature inside your home. Most inserts have blowers that help circulate the heat throughout your living space.

This mild winter can’t last much longer, this is a great time to check out fireplace inserts.

For more information, contact West Sport in Sudbury.

At this time of year, fireplaces are the focal point of many family gatherings, romantic interludes and relaxing spaces. Still, the typical open fireplace is not the most efficient or environmentally sensitive heating source.

To help you choose the most eco-friendly fireplace options, fireplace regulators and industry representatives have some ideas. Fireplace inserts are built into the existing hearth or stoves are free-standing. These tend to produce less pollution than standard fireplaces.

For starters, decide whether you are interested in a fireplace primarily for heating throughout the winter or for decorative purposes with a few fires a year.

The traditional open wood-burning fireplace is not a heating device like is used to be.

A decorative fireplace with gas logs and glass fireplace captures the look and feel of a fire with gas logs that look just like real wood and have the appearance of a wood burning fire. While relatively inexpensive, they don’t tend to provide as much warmth as a fireplace insert or free-standing stove.

For more serious heat consider fireplace inserts or stoves that use wood or gas. These generally have a higher price tag and require more maintenance, but you get more heat, more versatility and lots of decorative options.

Here are a few options when seeking an eco-friendly fireplace or appliance for aesthetics rather than efficiency:

Gas logs: Gas logs can be retrofitted in an existing fireplace as an alternative to wood.

Although gas logs burn fossil fuels, either natural gas or LP, they still have low emissions.

Gas logs can be vented or vent-free. Vented logs, which operate with an open chimney flue or damper, simulate a wood-burning flame. Vent-free logs won’t give you the roaring fire effect, but provide a little more heat and may have a thermostat to maintain room temperature.

Pellet stoves: Resembling rabbit food, these pellets are 3/8 of an inch to 1 inch.

The pellets are made from compressed sawdust, wood chips, bark, agricultural waste and other organic materials.

They are much more convenient to operate and have much higher combustion and heating efficiency than ordinary wood stoves or fireplaces. As a result, pellet stoves produce very little air pollution and are considered the cleanest of the solid fuel-burning residential heating appliances.

Gas stoves and gas inserts: Like with gas logs, these stoves are designed to burn either natural gas or LP. However, gas stoves are self-contained units, while gas logs are meant to be used in an existing fireplace.

Gas stoves emit very little pollution, require little maintenance and can be installed almost anywhere in the home. Today’s gas stoves can be vented through an existing chimney or direct vented through the wall behind the stove.

Gas stoves are among the cleanest and cheapest fuel options. Although they still burn fossil fuels, they produce lower emissions than wood or other alternatives.

Wood-burning stoves and inserts: Most firewood grows locally, is abundant, inexpensive and comes from harvesting dead trees. Unlike with fossil fuels, no net carbon is released into the environment when wood is burned because the same gases are given off when the tree decomposes.

Wood stoves are capable of heating an entire house, as long as it’s well constructed with enough insulation. The drawback to burning wood is you have to empty the ashes more often and to split, stock, dry and season the wood.

For more information on the right option for your home and your lifestyle, contact West Sport in Sudbury.

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For great gifts for your home, your parents, your spouse, or for great stocking stuffers come to The Fireplace Shop and Grill Center at West Sport on Black Friday. If you are looking for something unique and useful look no further than West Sport in Sudbury.

From hearth supplies and accessories, to grill accessories, to gas grills, kettle grills, and other fun tools for the important people in your life. If you want a gift for your home, we have the perfect selection of glass fireplace doors and wood burning fireplace inserts, gas inserts and everything in between. Best of all, everything is on sale on Black Friday.

West Sport in Sudbury is your neighborhood fireplace and outdoor grill shop. We have holiday gifts and stocking stuffers for you on Black Friday to help you get your holiday shopping done. While you are out shopping this weekend, shop local. With what we have to offer this Black Friday, you can get gifts and stocking stuffers all right here.

Come on in for grilling utensils, steamers, hard wood charcoal, and fireplace tool sets and screens. Or make a purchase for your home for you and your family for the holidays, we also offer layaway.

Help support local business this holiday season. Contact Us for more information.