Not that long ago, a traditional fireplace was a common element in a new home. Now, fireplaces are fading fast from production homes. “The wood-burning fireplace is an endangered species in the builder market,” says Don Kaufman, sales training manager for Lennox Hearth Products in Orange, Calif.
In some ways, this is good news. Traditional open-faced fireplaces are great to look at, but they’re inefficient and bad for the environment. They burn too rapidly and pull warm air from a house and send it up the chimney. Plus, they’re poor sources of heat, despite what people believe.
With the current move toward energy efficiency and green building, a traditional fireplace doesn’t make the grade. Gas fireplaces and their electric cousins are much better options; but with rising gas and electric prices, homeowners are giving wood a second look, says the Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association (HPBA) in Arlington, Va.
“With recurring concerns about the high cost of home heat, many people throughout North America are once again heating their homes with firewood,” HPBA says on its Web site. The difference today, however, is that homeowners are exploring clean-burning EPA-certified wood stoves and fireplace inserts to do the job.
Unlike a fireplace, an approved wood stove performs an efficient, controlled burn with substantially less smoke. Made of cast iron or soapstone, the units store heat and radiate it to a house, functioning even when the power goes out. “These units are fairly popular among custom builders in rural markets,” says John Crouch, director of public affairs for HPBA’s Sacramento, Calif., office.
Ross Curran, sales manager for Wauconda, Ill.–based Evolution Trade Group, which distributes contemporary European stoves, says stoves are excellent for homes because they hold heat well. He adds that the units are great design elements, too. “They are very aesthetically pleasing when the fire is going, but you get a nice piece of furniture when they are not in use.”
Builders also can opt for a fireplace insert if a stove doesn’t quite fit how the home buyers live. An insert is an insulated, closed-door system that slows the fire down and increases the temperature of the fire to facilitate more complete combustion, HPBA says. It can be used for new construction or retrofitted into the space of an existing masonry fireplace, and can be used as a supplemental zone heater to help control high home heating bills, the group adds.
Builders have a wide variety of free-standing stoves and inserts from which to choose. Stoves from such companies as Portland, Tenn.–based Rais and Pound Ridge, N.Y.–based Wittus hew to a more contemporary style, while products from Napoleon Fireplaces and Grills in Barrie, Ontario, Travis Industries in Kirkland, Wash., and Lennox feature traditional designs.
Europeans have long known about the benefits of stoves, which is why stoves account for 90 percent of the European hearth market. So why aren’t they more popular here? Convenience and space limitations are two reasons, says Kaufman. “A stove takes up space, but a built-in fireplace does not take up any more room,” he says. Typical stoves, depending on the size, require 3 feet of clearance in front, 6 to 8 inches at the back, and up to 18 inches at the sides, he explains.
Homeowners also appreciate the easy function of gas fireplaces, which can be turned on with a remote control, whereas the idea of having to build a fire and to clean the stove doesn’t sound very appealing.
Cost is also a concern. Priced from $3,000 and up, stoves are pricey; plus, “they require a more expensive chimney system,” Crouch says. “It’s easy to sell home buyers a good stove; it’s harder to sell them a good chimney, but it’s the carburetor that makes the motor go,” Kaufman explains.
Still, if you want a good supplemental heating product, a stove is a good idea. And depending on the situation—vacation homes, cabins, or off-the-grid houses—a stove might be the best option.
However, you need to be mindful of some things when choosing a product. Kaufman recommends a product that is heavy. “Weight does count,” he says. “[Fires] burn unevenly, so heating mass is important.” Also, look for products that incorporate a blower system to move air into the room. Products that have an air-wash feature help keep the glass door clean, and those that provide a tight seal to the heating chamber function better. Finally, choose the right size unit for your home. “Never over-size the stove,” Kaufman advises. “Size the stove based on the realistic goal of heating a portion of the house.”