Better Homes, Hearth and Patio LLC » hearth

Fireplaces in the off-season…do you "decorate"?

BHHP — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 17:19:24 +0000

This week I am going to clean then sweep out the fireplace after a season of wood-burning use. Does anyone here decorate the hearth in off-season? Candles, plants, other ideas? Keep screen / no screen? Thanks for sharing!

Fireplaces in the off-season…do you "decorate"? is a post from: Better Homes, Hearth and Patio LLC

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What defines a noncombustible surface for a hearth pad?

BHHP — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 16:14:01 +0000

I have to install a hearth pad for the EPA wood fireplace I’m installing. Can I simply lay tile or marble as the hearth or are there other requirements to make it noncombustible?

What defines a noncombustible surface for a hearth pad? is a post from: Better Homes, Hearth and Patio LLC

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Can I remove the legs from a Vogelzang Durango Wood-Burning Stove on a real rock hearth?

BHHP — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 19:13:37 +0000

Seen here: http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200339109_200339109
I have a real rock hearth, the company won’t tell me its ok to remove the legs due to legal issues. My teracota flute is encased in solid brick covered by 4" slate rock and the opening to the flute is only 2 foot off the hearth. The hearth is very large, 2 foot off the floor and it too is concreate block with 4" slate rock on top of that. I need to remove the legs on this stove so I can attach the stove pipe. There should be room to sit the stove on 1" fire bricks or other material if needed or on the corners if a 1 inch air flow under the unit is desireable. Thanks in advanced.

Can I remove the legs from a Vogelzang Durango Wood-Burning Stove on a real rock hearth? is a post from: Better Homes, Hearth and Patio LLC

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Wood Burning Stove hearth Ideas?

BHHP — Mon, 31 May 2010 14:30:47 +0000

i will be moving into my new home within the next 3 weeks, i have purchased a 1977 Vigilant wood burning stove from Vermont castings that is in excellent condition, I originally wanted a fireplace but the cost cut in heating was worth the 100 bucks i paid for the immaculate piece. I need help in finding ideas to create a hearth reminiscent of a fireplace mantle on a budget ( my borther in law is a mason) and have had no luck, Please help!

Wood Burning Stove hearth Ideas? is a post from: Better Homes, Hearth and Patio LLC

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Is there any way to lower the heat a fireplace puts out to the house?

BHHP — Thu, 20 May 2010 15:59:09 +0000

We have a wood burning fireplace, and when lit, it heats up the room to 78 degrees. The hearth doesn’t get too hot (it’s only mildly warm), so the heat isn’t too much for the fireplace. Only two logs are needed to get the house too warm. The fireplace has an outside air supply, and we don’t want to go through the hassle of installing glass doors if possible. My theory is the heat generated goes up to the vaulted ceiling and is "stored" through good insulation. I have not seen any backdrafting, but am not sure as to how to check that. I would like to have an open fireplace for Christmas, so any quick fixes would be nice. I’ve also tried turning just the blower on with the central heating, but the air intakes for it are closer to the floor, and though it does heat the entire house, it still keeps the main living room at a "balmy" 78 degrees while the rest of the house is about 70. Any ideas as to how to tame the heat? I’ve tried a smaller fire, but the smallest I can get is 2 logs without it going into "smoldering mode". Any suggestions?
Added details:

Flue is wide open. Before I lit a fire, I looked straight up the chimney, and saw light coming through the spark arrestor. Also checked outside, No obstructions. Currently I am burning one Oak log for the "long term", Bradford Pear for the visuals and to stop the oak from just smoldering. (Oak i split is usually 2" diameter, Bradford pears I split to 3/4" – 1" diameter). I don’t think there’s backdrafting, but I will check that next time I start a fire.
Sorry, read the "NOT" have a fire going to check the vent draft after posting my update… Went and tested it, no vent draft. I was able to pull the smoking toilet paper roll about 1/2 a foot in FRONT of the fireplace with the flue open, and it drew the smoke in and up.

Is there any way to lower the heat a fireplace puts out to the house? is a post from: Better Homes, Hearth and Patio LLC

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Decorating a wood burning stove?

BHHP — Sun, 16 May 2010 22:55:18 +0000

I have searched and searched the Internet for decorating ideas but cannot find any sites. Anyone know how to decorate a stove NOT a fireplace? That big black pipe going into the ceiling is kind of an eye sore. I am thinking of decorating the wall behind it with some cast iron trivets. A stove is not as easy to decorate as a fireplace. Any websites anyone knows of? (The stove is in a corner of the living room on a hearth stand made of rust colored ceramic tile and dark wood) Thanks!

Decorating a wood burning stove? is a post from: Better Homes, Hearth and Patio LLC

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Please advise on safety: gas pipe runs to close to open fire wood burning fireplace?

BHHP — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 05:09:38 +0000

We bought old stone house that is over 130 years old and originally had 4 fireplaces. We would want to restore those to their glory and use as wood burning open fireplaces. Through years house had different owners (A LOT OF WORKS HAS BEEN CARRIED OUT BY DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT TIMES), last owners before us sealed all original fireplaces and added few gas fireplaces, some 20-30 years ago was added central gas heating, previous owner is now well over 80 years old – he can not remember all works and changes. Most of gas pipe and central heating pipes runs under floor boards. One of the fireplaces located in bedroom has concrete hearth and we was planning just to add quarry tiles to it but recently discovered that gas pipe runs straight under concrete hearth. Hearth is quiet thick but this discovery worry me anyway, I would really appreciate if anyone could advise if fireplace can be used as open wood burning fire in such circumstances. We had chimney swept prior discovery of gas pipe under floor boards and I know we need to get someone to test and certify fireplace prior we start to use it, but I just want to understand what in such circumstances would be "normal" to do: move gas pipe? or there are some regulations about distance from gas pipes to open fire? and so on. This bedroom once finished will be my daughter room, I am petrified of that gas pipe running to close to fire. So before we do any works further with this fireplace we trying to find what should be done with gas pipe.
Thanks
Extra info: the gas pipe – is main gas supply to house for gas central heating, it runs from gas meter on outside of house and then goes trough one room on ground floor, goes up to run between ceiling of ground floor and floor boards of room above (thats the bedroom that has fireplace), runs trough few other rooms till reaches gas boiler in bathroom. So to make adjustment to this pipe it will require gas cut off some where at point of gas meter on outside.
There is about 1-2cm of space between gas pipe and concrete slab above it, slab is about 10cm high, then of top of it fitted brass fender and inside 2nd concrete slab- about 5cm (as fender by design is high and fitted on place). There where missing tiles over this 2nd slab and we wanted to add Victorian quarry tiles – so it would add extra 1cm at least more. The fireplace by itself is Victorian cast iron insert. So between fire and gas pipe is over 15cm of concrete – is that sufficient for wood burning fire?

Please advise on safety: gas pipe runs to close to open fire wood burning fireplace? is a post from: Better Homes, Hearth and Patio LLC

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can I convert a wood stove?

BHHP — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 04:12:40 +0000

can I convert a wood stove to a fireplace insert fireplace or would it be better to build a hearth and set the wood stove on the hearth Im not worried about cost. I was wondering this because I love the smell of wood fireplaces or wood stoves but a wood stove looks so ugly just sitting on the floor and Im partial to fireplaces but the wood stove goes into the wall through a pipe and I was just courious could a fireplace inset type thing be put there without having to make another chemny there is no way to make another chimney in this house its just not an option so any suggestions

can I convert a wood stove? is a post from: Better Homes, Hearth and Patio LLC

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How do I clean brick around a Fireplace?

BHHP — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 03:20:52 +0000

Red brick. it has been let go for many years and I want to restore it, but do not want to damage the bricks .It is a wood burning fireplace all sooted up really grimmy, gummy and dirty, also the hearth is really bad Any suggestions?

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I would like to built my own raised hearth pad but need help!

BHHP — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 00:08:27 +0000

With the cost of heating oil well over / gal I decided to purchase a Harman pellet stove, which will be delivered in about 2 weeks and want to built a standard 48" x 48" hearth raised about 3-6". My plan is to frame it out with 2×4′s and then put plywood on top of the 2×4′s but what do i do about laying the tile.Obviouslyy, it won’t stick it the plywood. I plan on buying some ceramic tiles at Home Depot or somewhere.

Please tell me what you think I should do or if u have an entire new plan, let me know!

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!

I would like to built my own raised hearth pad but need help! is a post from: Better Homes, Hearth and Patio LLC

Technorati Tags: 2x4, ceramic tiles, harman pellet stove, hearth, heating oil, home depot, plywood, quot, tile