Commodity vs. QualityYour Fuel Type What Size Do You Need? Zone Heating With Fireplaces, The Ultimate Home Luxury

Introduction

A fireplace with a beautiful, warm fire seems to stir a basic emotional reaction in all of us to the extent that they have become an essential part of most homes. Fireplaces are even essential in homes where there isn’t any need for heat.

So, what’s happening with fireplaces these days?

Commodity vs. Quality

Historically, our fireplace industry began with the production of simple “commodity” wood and gas fireplaces. It has recently developed new, “quality” fireplace concepts that are dramatic improvements to any room. Those original, basic types of inexpensive, featureless fireplaces are certainly still being produced in high volume and do provide great value in price point homes, but they provide a minimum of beauty, warmth and enjoyment. While these commodity fireplaces do save some construction costs, the savings relative to a “quality” fireplace may be less than one half percent of home construction costs.

 

What are the typical features of a “commodity” fireplace?
1. Plain, lightweight construction
2. Low cost
3. Thin gauge steel face with louvers
4. Lower efficiency
5. Characterless style
6. Unrealistic logs and flames in gas fireplaces
7. Purchase decision made by developer and based on lowest cost
8. Typically installed in tract homes

What are the typical features of a “quality” fireplace?
1. Heavy duty construction
2. Higher cost
3. Heavy duty, stylish faces
4. Higher efficiency
5. Interesting architectural style
6. Realistic logs and flames in gas fireplaces
7. Purchase decision made by home owner and based on features

Superior , Majestic, Heatilator and Heat-N-Glo are the leading brands of commodity fireplaces, but these brands are now also beginning to include some quality fireplaces in their product selection.

Quality Fireplaces

Quality gas fireplaces are a strong, new trend and are new brands that have come from innovative new manufacturers. They provide the features, warmth and architectural style that makes a fireplace truly beautiful and enjoyable again. Some builders still aren’t aware of these new fireplaces and continue to install commodity fireplaces in fine homes. This is much like putting in a plain laminate instead of a granite countertop in the kitchen of a fine home.

Fireplace Xtrordinair

Fireplace Xtrordinair, with many beautiful face designs, has had such appealing styling and performance that it has become the fireplace that everyone is trying to copy. The Fireplace Xtrordinair with a hand wrought Artisan face has the perfect architectural language for Craftsman Style, Timber Frame, Ranch and Lodge Style homes, so popular here in Central Oregon and in the Northwest.

Town and Country

Every now and then something comes along that amazes everyone. In the fireplace industry it’s the Town and Country fireplace line. Wow! Town and Country is by far the most realistic gas fireplace ever manufactured and has created quite a stir. Its tall opening and minimal exposed metal combined with amazingly realistic flames and logs, beautiful herringbone brick liner and andirons make a dramatic statement in any room. Town and Country has been specifically designed to create an exciting and emotional environment. It’s also designed to be able to be operated during an entire evening and not have to be shut off early to avoid overheating your living room.

There are spectacular new gas fireplace models from Napoleon Fireplaces, Fireplace Products International (FPI) and Valor. These fireplaces truly provide the quality, styling, features and benefits that make they dramatically better than the typical “commodity” gas fireplaces found in many homes. They have the advanced features, high efficiency and premium styling that make them ideal in Central Oregon .

Check Out Our Displays

Fireplaces become a very difficult item to change or remove once they are built into your home, so making the right choice is important. Fireplaces really need to be seen in person to understand the details of the way they look and operate, to feel the way they heat and to see the many style choices. Because of this, both Fireside stores have many gas and wood burning fireplaces on display and operating. Be sure to stop by both stores and look at all the latest models and styles.

Heat Output, The First Question

Whether you decide on a wood burning or gas fireplace, the first question to answer is always: do you want a high efficiency or low efficiency fireplace? Yes, low efficiency fireplaces are popular and a best choice in situations where the fireplace is primarily used for "atmosphere" in smaller rooms. In these situations a high efficiency fireplace can quickly overheat the room and should not be used. There are many different choices in high efficiency and low efficiency fireplaces.

Your Fuel Type

Gas or wood burning, there are advantages in using either fuel type. Gas (natural gas or propane) fireplaces have become very popular and now have many different architectural styles to choose from.

Gas fireplaces are convenient and easy to operate. There are many models, sizes and styles to choose from. They do have glass fronts and even the best models don’t look quite as good as wood burning models. Most home owners these days choose gas over wood because of their style, efficiency and convenience.

Wood burning fireplaces create the pleasant atmosphere that everyone loves. The newer, high efficiency models are very environmentally friendly and can heat very large areas. They can be a great product in your home but they do have issues that need to be planned for. They do require a supply of cordwood and require more work and more clean up.

Traditional, open burning, low efficiency wood burning fireplaces, whether mason built on site or manufactured models, are a large air pollution source and are a very poor heat source. They are best reserved for use on special occasions. Wood burning fireplaces are also very location sensitive and require careful planning for them to operate at their best. If you have the free Acrobat Reader, click here for the "Best Practices for Woodburning Fireplace Installation" from the Hearth, Patio & Barbeque Association.

What Size Do You Need?

High efficiency fireplaces come in different sizes, with the larger ones able to heat over 2,000 sq. ft. The area you can effectively heat is the room with the fireplace plus the adjacent or upstairs rooms where the heat can be circulated to. Many customers find that they can use their fireplace as their primary heating source because not only do they warm those rooms most used but they can save money in comparison to central heating. Also, rooms with high vaulted ceilings, lots of glass or poor insulation reduce the heatable area rating by about half. Here’s a list of the heatable area you can expect here in Central Oregon

The above data is for factory built, high efficiency gas or wood burning fireplaces.

Zone Heating With Fireplaces, The Ultimate Home Luxury

A second new trend in fireplaces today is enjoying the radiant warmth and beauty of several, quality fireplaces in a home instead of relying totally on the functional but boring central heating systems and floor registers. This trend has accelerated recently with the introduction of the Bed & Breakfast gas fireplace by Fireplace Xtrordinair. The Bed & Breakfast is specifically designed to go into smaller rooms and has a large selection of face styles to compliment any home style. Bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, libraries and offices are all greatly enhanced by the Bed & Breakfast fireplace.

Approximate Price Ranges:

(The above prices do not include venting materials or labor because of the many different home design situations that the fireplace will potentially be installed in.)

Be sure to stop by both Fireside stores to see and experience all the great fireplaces to determine which style, heating output and operating realism is best for you.

It is very important for us to track customer usage of our website and to provide an incentive for customers to visit our stores. So, we‘re offering the following website discounts. Simply print the Website Discount page and bring it with you. It can be used with any product in the store, even if that product is already on sale or is being sold at a special discount. If you read this page within 30 days after your purchase, we will still offer our website discount.