For over 35 years, On Fire! has been helping people enjoy the warmth and comfort of fires in their homes. They carry a wide variety of fireplace products and accessories, all carefully selected for quality and performance. On Fire! also offers quality portable and built-in barbecues that will satisfy even the most discerning outdoor chef. 
FIREPLACES, STOVES AND INSERTS
Your wood-burning stove
Your stove will be part of your life for a long time, so it’s smart to get the best stove you can afford. Ask dealers about the points mentioned above, in relation to both their own products and the competition. Most important: talk to one or more chimney sweeps about the brands you’re interested in, and get recommendations from them. There’s no substitute for a third- party opinion based on practical experience.
Installing your Wood Stove
Once you’ve chosen your new stove, your best bet is to have it installed professionally, for safety reasons. The record is not good on self- installations. Above all, don’t install your stove in confined spaces. Proper clearances, and professional installation, are vital elements in the safe, efficient operation of your stove. The installation guide included with your new wood stove will contain precise information about safety measures for that particular model. To insure a safe installation, call your local fire department and ask for an inspection.
Ten Steps to maximum wood burning efficiency.
Wood smoke is caused by the incomplete combustion of wood. This can pollute the air indoors and outdoors as well as contribute to higher heating costs. Fortunately, the cure for cutting down on pollution and waste also cuts the costs by burning wood with safety and efficiency.
1. Burn seasoned wood. Up to 50% of the weight of green wood can be moisture, which has to be burned off before heat can be released into your house. Seasoned wood burns hotter and more efficiently, helps decrease the amount of creosote buildup in your stovepipe, and . you money.
2. Make your fires small and hot. This burns volatile gases more quickly, producing fewer safety hazards and air quality problems than a fire that is over-damped. Smaller, hotter fires mean more frequent loading and tending the stove...but the improved efficiency and air quality are worth the effort.
3. Install a stack thermometer on the stove flue. This will help you monitor the temperature of the gases as they leave the stove. Optimum range for most efficiency and least pollution: about 300 to 400 F.
4. Remove excess ashes. Too much can clog your stove’s air-intake vents and cut down on the amount of oxygen needed for woodburning.
5. Tighten up your house. Insulation, weather stripping, storm windows and caulking~ can all reduce the amount of wood required to heat your home, which in turn helps decrease the amount of air pollution.
6. Check your “smokestack.” Burn your stove at different rates, then go outside and check the emissions. The absence of smoke indicates that your stove is burning cleanly and effectively.
7. Inspect your stove. Once or twice a year, depending on how often it’s used, your entire stove and chimney should be inspected. Look for warping, check the baffle to make sure there are no gaps, check for creosote. Your dealer can make regular inspections, and so can a chimney sweep.
8. Choose the proper size stove. A properly sized wood stove will do its job efficiently even on the coldest days. One that’s too big needs to be damped down, which increases creosote production. The insulation in your home is a factor as well. To be sure you select the right-size stove, take along to your dealer the number of square feet to be heated, and the amount of insulation surrounding the area to be heated.
9. Buy the most efficient design you can afford. It’ll pay for itself in the long run. Research has made great strides in designing fireboxes, drafts, catalytic combustors and other devices that improve combustion and reduce smoke. Maybe it’s time to retire that old “smoker” and modernize.
10. Burn only the fuel your stove was, designed for. Don’t burn coal in a wood stove, for example, unless your stove was designed to handle both wood and coal. Trash shouldn’t be burned in your stove eitherbesides increasing the chance of starting a chimney fire, some plastics and other trash emit harmful gases, and can ruin your catalytic combustor. Driftwood, treated wood, artificial logs, or anything containing plastics, lead, zinc or sulfur will damage your catalytic combustor.