There are basically four broad product lines that make up the indoor portion of the hearth industry – gas logs, inserts, stoves and fireplaces. All of these 4 -product lines are represented by dozens, if not hundreds, of different units of every possible manufacturer, size, color and BTU rating.

All hearth products have two primary components – logs and a gas burner assembly. The logs are made from molds of actual wood logs using ceramic fiber, concrete or refractory logs. They simulate the look of real wood and are available in a wide variety of sizes and wood types. Most are split, charred and placed for maximum realism.

The gas burner assembly creates the flames in the firebox. Golden flames dance and flicker among the logs by reducing the air coming into the firebox and disbursing gas either directly or through a bed of sand or vermiculite. There is a broad range of innovative designs, from multi-tiered burners to flames that can be adjusted for height and heat output. Glowing red and orange embers add to the realism on some units. Burners are either manual or remote controlled, and if controlled by remote may be of either the on/off (manual) or flame height adjusting (millivolt) variety.

Most units contain either a safety pilot system or electronic 'controls that prevent the main burner from operating if combustion will not safely occur. Vent-free units contain an oxygen depletion sensor (ODS), which turns off the unit if the oxygen level in the room is insufficient. Vent-free units have the added advantages of adding humidity to the normally dry winter air, and of fully functioning during a power outage.

Gas Fireplaces Can Be a Source of Heat

In addition to beautiful fires, some natural gas fireplaces can produce a substantial amount of heat. If the aesthetic effect of a beautiful fire, rather than heating, is your priority, choose a vented product. If you want substantial heat from the fire as well as the ambiance, then choose a "vent-free" product. We highly encourage you to visit our showroom to see the difference between vented & vent-free products. Unless you are thoroughly versed with the difference between the two, this may be the single most important thing that you do.

The following summarizes the typical choices the homeowner is likely to face:

For the home with fireplace:

·        Gas Log Sets

      Provide more realistic heath fire and lowest initial equipment cost

·        Gas Fireplace Inserts

Upgrade an existing fireplace to an efficient source of supplemental heat

·        Gas Stoves

Allows beauty and functionality

·        Gas Fireplaces

Allows beauty and functionality

Whoops – gotta go – a showroom customer is here. More to follow soon on this subject. Meanwhile, if you’ve any questions, please call Al or Doug @ (301) 277-9111