Our Company Blog

Advantages Of Pellet Stoves In Winter

In an industry where appliances are constantly changing and improving, it seems ironic that the fuels used for home heating remain basic: oil, gas, and wood. While oil and gas burn a certain way in their own respective appliances, wood is slightly more versatile.

Wood is burned in both fireplaces and stoves with high heat output, and is a popular option because of its availability and affordability. A downside to wood-burning, however, is that the fire isn’t consistent. Because of the difference in wood-type, size, and dryness, the heat-output can fluctuate. Also, the fire lulls while the homeowner is asleep or out of the house. Finally, not everyone has access to cord wood, but would still like to use wood. There is an option for you.

Manufactured Pellets

If you prefer wood as a heating fuel, you can use wood pellets. These are small, dense, wood-like pellets manufactured from sawdust and other wood waste from the lumber industry. Pellets are a “green” option for your heat system, because it puts this wood to use instead of wasting it. Also the sawdust is still organic, and burns the same as cord wood—even better, in fact.

How it Works

A pellet stove often looks just like a standard wood stove, except the pellets feed into the fire chamber by way of a hopper. The rate at which the pellets are fed into the fire is adjustable by the homeowner. This means you can fill the hopper and go to sleep, and you will still have a toasty warm fire in the morning.

Advantages of Pellet Stoves

These stoves are simple to operate, and because you don’t have to open and close the fire chamber to add cord wood, you experience less mess, less smoke, ash, and wood pieces in your living space. A factor for many homeowners is the steady burn that allows for consistent heat over a long period of time. Between fueling, pellet stoves typically burn steadily for 24-36 hours. They can also be vented directly through the wall because they burn so clean and have such little emission. This means you can choose a pellet stove if your chimney is not available to use; a certified chimney sweep can vent it properly without one. Finally, pellet stoves are available as freestanding, hearth, or insert stoves, so no matter your home decor, your layout, or your accessibility to a chimney or nearness to walls, you can take advantage of a pellet appliance.

Installing Your Stove Before Winter

If you’re interested in the benefits of a pellet stove, you can enjoy one this winter! Beach Stove and Fireplace offers a variety of pellet options and installs and services them. Our team of certified chimney sweeps are experienced and professional, and ready to help you choose the best pellet appliance for your home this winter, and install it at your earliest convenience.

Call Beach Stove and Fireplace today at 631-998-0780 or request an appointment online to choose your pellet stove.

Why Shop At Beach?

As a homeowner, you have a choice when it comes to where you shop for additions to your home. When you are ready to invest in a wood-burning stove or fireplace, you want to be sure you are doing business with a trusted company with years of experience. Beach Stove & Fireplace in Westhampton Beach, NY has over 15 years of experience selling and installing wood-burning appliances and our installers are well-educated and certified.

NFI Certified Installers

The National Fireplace Institute is a professional certification that ensures your fireplace installer is well educated in all heating appliance systems. There are three main certifications including becoming a NFI Certified Gas Specialist, NFI Certified Woodburning Specialist and a NFI Certified Pellet Specialist. You want to hire a company like Beach Stove & Fireplace whose employees are certified in all three categories and have experience installing and maintaining all types of heating appliances.

Our Installers Are Employees, Not Contractors

What makes Beach Stove & Fireplace different from other companies is that our installers are our employees and we take great pride in making sure they are the most educated and experienced in their arena. A lot of our competitors hire subcontractors who come to your home and install your products, which alleviates them of any liability. At Beach Stove & Fireplace we invest in our employees so you can be sure when you purchase a wood-burning appliance from us you are not only getting the best products for your home, but also a certified and educated installer will make sure your appliance is installed correctly and working efficiently.

Unfortunately, a lot of our customers base their choice on which company has the lowest price. Remember, when it comes to investing in quality heating products for your home, you get what you pay for. Invest in products from reputable companies that not only take pride in their products but also take pride in their employees. Beach Stove & Fireplace can recommend the best heating products for your home because we have over 15 years of experience installing these products. Once you purchase your fireplace or stove a professional, certified installer will make absolutely sure it is installed correctly. Our customer service doesn’t stop there. Whether you need a cap for your chimney or a new firebox we make sure you have the best add-ons as well as the best in heating appliance maintenance for as long as you own your product. Come in to Beach Stove & Fireplace and ask about our premium line of heating products for your home today.

Carbon Monoxide Is Odorless, Colorless & Deadly

Carbon monoxide is one of the most dangerous gasses that people are exposed to…right in their own homes! Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless, and tasteless gas produced as a by-product of your home heating system. When not properly directed outside your home via your venting system and chimney, the gas causes often misinterpreted aliments and can even result in fatalities. That’s why it is so important to have a yearly chimney professional inspect, clean, and make any necessary repairs to your chimney, it’s lining, venting, and masonry. Beach Stove and Fireplace is here to provide those services for you.

Sign/Symptoms/Warnings of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Many people may not attribute or recognize that the headaches, nausea, dizziness, tiredness, weakness, irritability, and trouble seeing clearly may be caused by toxic fumes leaking into their houses rather than being properly vented outside. And of course, as the concentration of carbon monoxide increases, so does the severity of its effects. According to the Center for Disease Control, over 20,000 people have to go to the emergency room due to the effects of carbon monoxide; 4000 people are poisoned so severely that they need hospitalization; and sadly, over 400 people die each year from toxic gas poisoning.

Causes of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

The most common and frightening reason for carbon monoxide poisoning is accidental exposure. Leaking and malfunctioning fuel burning appliances including furnaces, fireplaces, stoves, water heaters, gas and kerosene room heater all contribute to releasing the toxic fumes into your home and most of the time you don’t even realize it.

Today’s homes are built more airtight than ever in order to be more energy efficient. But, when heating systems are not properly vented outside, there is not enough fresh air in your home to dissipate the toxic gas and you, your family, and pets continue to breathe contaminated air. Those same poorly sealed window, doors, roofs, and attic that once drove up your utility costs also compensated by allowing the toxic fumes to escape.

The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) explains it further, “Manufacturers have designed new, high-technology heating appliances whose greater efficiency helps us save money, conserve natural resources and decrease environmental pollution. However, the new breed of high-efficiency gas and oil furnaces – when vented in to existing chimney flues – often do not perform at an optimum level. The differences in performance create conditions that allow toxic gases to more easily enter home living spaces.”

Preventing Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

According to CSIA, “When gas and oil burn in vented heating systems – in order to produce household heat – the dangerous fumes that are by-products of combustion range from soot to nitrogen dioxide to acidic water vapors. None of these pollutants should be allowed to leak from the chimney into your living space.

In addition to carrying off toxic gases, chimneys also create the draft (flow of air) that provides the proper air and fuel mixture for efficient operation of the heating appliance. Unfortunately, many chimneys in daily use in homes throughout the country either are improperly sized or have conditions that make them unable to perform their intended function.”

Every homeowner should review the guidelines provided by the Chimney Safety Institute of America to learn more about preventing carbon monoxide poisoning.

Yearly Inspections & Cleanings

CSIA, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, National Fire Protection Association, the EPA, and the American Lung Association are just a few of the many organizations that encourage homeowners to have a yearly cleaning and inspection of your chimney, flue, fireplace, and household venting (including your clothes dryer venting) by a trained and CSIA certified technician/chimney sweep.
The consequences of toxic fume poisoning, and fire risks justify the related cost of prevention.