How-To

-Ideas for Great Fireplaces, Sunset

The kind of fuel you wish to use -- or are allowed to use in your area -- is a crucial factor in deciding what kind of fireplace or stove to install. Consider availability and cost, heat efficiency, and both local and federal clean-air standards. Before making your choice, visit a reputable fireplace store to learn more, especially about community standards where you live.

Wood
The woodsy aroma, audible crackling and snapping, and mesmerizing flames of a wood fire can't be truly duplicated, but when considering wood you must find out whether it is even allowed in your area. If you do burn wood, you will probably be required to have a fireplace or stove that meets EPA standards. To get the most out of firewood, building a hot and clean-burning fire is essential.

Firewood is sold by the cord; a standard cord is a stack of split wood 4 feet high by 4 feet wide by 8 feet long. Look for suppliers in your phone directory under "Firewood," in the classified section of your local newspaper, or on the Internet.

Be sure to purchase split and seasoned wood, tightly stacked. Wood must be well seasoned to burn safely and efficiently, and usually all logs more than 6 inches in diameter should be split for faster seasoning. Split logs need to dry at least 6 to 12 months. (Note that the wood must fit into the firebox of your fireplace or wood stove, which may mean you'll have to split it further yourself.) Most suppliers will deliver the wood (usually for an added fee), but they won't stack it for you.

Be prepared to store your split logs in a dry spot outdoors where they will be convenient to carry in to your fireplace or stove. You'll also want an area indoors near the fireplace for small amounts.

Manufactured firelogs
Made of dry, fine-particle sawdust and wax, factory-formed "logs" burn slowly at high temperatures, reducing heat loss and pollution. A "densified" log of compressed sawdust without the wax burns slowly and more cleanly than natural firewood; it's a good choice for wood-burning masonry or prefab fireplaces. Firelogs are not recommended for wood stoves.

Manufactured logs can be purchased in small numbers, so storage usually isn't a problem. However, they may cost more to use than natural wood.

Pellets
A relatively new fuel type, pellets are comprised of nuggets of compressed wood waste. Loaded into a hopper in the back of a specially designed stove or insert, they are fed to the firebox by a motor-driven auger at a controlled rate. Because pellets are a clean, compressed fuel, they are relatively easy to store and handle. Usually they are sold in 40- to 50-pound bags.