Myth #1 - The installation of wood burning fireplaces is prohibited in Colorado due to emissions regulations.
We installed this efficient woodburner in Idaho Springs, CO.
Modern high-efficiency wood fireplaces, stove and inserts are allowed in all local counties and jurisdictions because they burn clean in comparison to models from a generation ago. Long before other industries became ‘green’, hearth appliances were secondary combustion systems to get more heat out of the fire and greatly reduce emissions. These units burn so clean that you can even burn one in Denver on a ‘Red Day’ and still be in compliance with all existing codes and standards.
Myth #2 - Gas fireplaces, stoves and inserts won’t work if the electricity is off.
Modern direct-vent units use thermocouples and thermopiles or battery backup systems to generate enough electricity to operate without any household current at all. Not only can the pilot and main burner systems continue to function during a power failure, the most common types of remote controlled thermostats will keep working, too.
No power, no problem! Modern gas fireplaces are equipped with battery backup systems that keep them hot and ready to go when the power goes out. We installed this Valor L2 linear gas fireplace in the Washington Park neighborhood of Denver, CO.
Myth #3 – We Burn Those Clean Burning Prefab Logs, So We Don’t Need Our Chimney Cleaned...
“Clean the chimney every year, regardless of how many of these logs you burn during the season.”
Prefabricated burning logs (Duraflame™ or Mountain Logs™ for example) are as much of a fire hazard as regular wood if the chimney is not maintained regularly. While these prefab logs burn long and cleanly, they produce a wax-like build up that sticks to everything inside your chimney. This substance coats your flue tiles, lining, damper gears, chimney cap, everything. So if you're burning these logs, don't think they burn so cleanly that you don't need to have your chimney swept. Clean the chimney every year, regardless of how many of these logs you burn during the season.
Myth #4 - I Don’t Need To Clean My Chimney, It Was A Warm Winter And I Hardly Used It...
Two of our certified chimney sweeps perform a chimney cleaning service in Evergreen, CO.
During warm winters, people burn lower-temperature fires. Unfortunately, this causes heavier creosote build-up than they think. There are more chimney fires after a warm winter than after cold winter. We are seeing some of that lately with some many locally reported structure fires that started in the chimney. This is probably the most important fact people are unaware of. If you don't think you've burned a lot of wood for the last couple of years, check your wood pile.
Myth #5 - You’ll save on the cost of installation if your fireplace dealer uses subcontractors.
The most cost-effective way to get your project done on-time and within your budget is to buy a package of services from a single specialty hearth retailer. It’s simply not possible for multiple companies to provide a homeowner a better cost than one company can unless they provide reduced services: such as not being fully insured or lacking the appropriate industry training and credentials.
Mountain Hearth & Patio installed this wood burning stove in a home in Evergreen, CO.
Myth #6 - You’ll get more heat out of your stove* or insert if you burn the wood slower.
“ If you restrict the airflow into the firebox, your efficiency can go as low as 15-20% instead of staying around 70% for normal burning.”
Just the opposite is true. ‘Banking’ the fire to achieve a longer burn time dramatically reduces the amount of heat being produced. Efficient burning of cord wood requires relatively high enough firebox temperatures and creates a re-burning effect from the smoke. If you restrict the airflow into the firebox, your efficiency can go as low as 15-20% instead of staying around 70% for normal burning. Put another way, a 20-lb load of wood can either produce approximately 120,000 BTU’s (high efficient burning) it can produce 36,000 BTU’s (slow burning).
Myth #7 - The cost of installing a new stove or insert outweighs the benefits.
The installation of a new hearth appliance will substantially reduce your energy costs. Utilizing the Zone-Heating concept can cut the amount of heat your home requires by hundreds of dollars per year. Not only will you save money, but you’ll be warmer in the rooms where you actually live.
(*) Fireplaces, stoves and inserts
Even the dog will appreciate the heat from a new hearth appliance. Mendota FV42 installed in Evergreen by our certified technicians.
Start Your Fireplace Project With Us!
If you are experiencing problems with your fireplace, stove or insert, or would just like it to heat more efficiently or look better, call us today at Mountain Man Fireplace and Chimney, Inc / Mountain Hearth & Patio at (303) 679-1601 or electronically at office@MtnHP.com. We also invite you to drop by our showroom at 7001 Highway 73 in Marshdale. Semper Fi!
