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Frequently Asked Questions




Gas Fireplaces, Stoves & Inserts

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  • Natural Gas vs. Liquid Propane

    The two fuel choices for gas fireplaces, stoves and inserts are natural gas, and liquid propane. Propane is more energy-efficient and considered to be a green fuel, while natural gas is not. Natural gas is delivered to houses via gas pipelines. Propane is delivered to a propane tank stored at your home. Propane delivers more BTUs (per gallon or per cubic foot), burns less volume per hour than natural gas. Natural gas is typically about 2/3 the cost of propane, but the more efficient burning of propane should be noted when making a decision.

  • Will a Gas Hearth Appliance Heat My Home?

    Gas hearth appliances are unlikely to heat your entire home and are not recommended to be used as the only heating source. They are great sources of heat for a room or a couple of rooms if your home is more open concept. In order to heat more rooms in your home, strategically placed fans are a great investment.

  • Is Gas an Efficient Heating Source?

    Natural gas and liquid propane stoves, fireplaces and inserts are considered to be efficient heating sources, though wood and pellet stoves are generally considered to be more efficient and cleaner than gas systems. Most gas stoves, fireplaces and inserts are not made designed to heat entire homes in the same way wood and pellet appliances are, they simply do not produce enough BTU's, but are a great option if you are looking to heat a part of the house that you occupy more than others. This can make a gas stove, fireplace or insert a great secondary heating source to a traditional furnace.




Wood Fireplaces, Stoves & Inserts

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  • Catalytic vs. Non-Catalytic

    One is not inherently better than the other, catalytic and non-catalytic wood stoves operate differently and therefore have different applications. Catalytic wood stoves are better suited to long, stable, continuous primary heating applications, whereas non-catalytic wood stoves are suited to intermittent or supplemental heating applications.

    You can still use a non-catalytic wood stove as a primary heating source and get long burn times, high efficiency ratings and warm a large area, however catalytic wood stoves offer extended burn times and a more stable heat output when compared to the non-catalytic versions. Some manufacturers have a hybrid system between the two - ask Wood Heat's knowledgable sales staff more about this type of system.

    The difference between a non-catalytic, catalytic, or hybrid catalytic stove has to do with the way that the fuel is burned after initial combustion. Catalytic and non-catalytic stoves burn the fuel twice – either with a catalyst or with air tubes, where hybrid catalytic stoves burn the fuel three times – with both air tube technology and a catalyst.

  • Wood vs. Pellet - What's the Difference

    Wood stoves burn seasoned firewood, whereas pellet stoves burn recycled wood waste pellets. One of the main differences between wood burning stoves and pellet stoves is the type of fuel they require. Seasoned firewood is required to fuel a wood burning stove, and you'll need wood pellets for a pellet stove. Pellet fuel has moisture content around 7%, where as the best seasoned firewood is going to be 20%, that makes pellet fuel easier to burn, and with lower emissions. Wood burning appliances often need little to no maintenance, whereas pellet stoves require lots of cleaning. Wood Heat sells pellets by the one ton pallet at all locations, or by the bag at our Quakertown store. We do not currently sell seasoned firewood.

  • How Efficient is a Wood Burning Hearth Appliance?

    The answer to this question varies greatly on what kind of wood burning hearth appliance you have. A wood fireplace is typically the least efficient of the three types of wood appliances because a lot of the heat being produced is lost up the chimney of your home and with most fireplaces just producing radiant heat, much of the potential energy is lost. Wood stoves are the second most efficient of the three types.

    Many wood stoves do qualify for the federal government's tax credit program such as the ones listed here. Some wood stoves do not have fans or blowers and only heat a room radiantly, but the rest of the heat leaves your home through the exhaust vent. The most efficient type of wood hearth appliance is a wood insert. All inserts have fans or blowers which will help take much of the heat being produced by the wood and blow it into the room. Very little of the energy being produced by the wood is lost up your chimney.




Pellet Stoves & Inserts

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  • Do Pellet Stoves Require Electricity?

    Yes, pellet stoves require a small amount of electricity to run the ignitor, fan, and the auger. If the power was to go out, the pellets left in the burn chamber would continue to burn until they go out on their own. Many pellet stoves and inserts come with an optional battery backup, similar to ones that come with gas fireplaces and inserts.

  • Pellet Stoves - Pros & Cons

    There are many pros of owning a pellet stove, but also some cons to consider before making a purchase. Some pros of owning a pellet stove is that they are easy to use and the machine automates the burn for you. All you need to do is fill the hopper and the stove will do the rest. They are also highly efficient, with many pellet stoves qualifying for a federal tax rebate, and the heat output is the higher than wood, gas and electric.

    The fuel can be purchased at any time, and you do not need to worry about making sure it is stored outside or the fear of inviting bugs into your home by brining in wood. While there are many great aspects to a pellet stove, there are some negative aspects to consider as well. Pellet stoves and inserts require electricity to run the igniter, the auger and the fan. They require more maintenance and cleaning than the other hearth options, and there are more mechanical parts that could potentially fail.

  • Is it Safe to Burn a Pellet Stove Unattended?

    Modern pellet stoves are very safe to burn while you are not home or asleep. Pellet stoves will burn for as long as the hopper has pellets in it, and once it uses all of them, the stove will automatically shut off. While there is virtually no risk of fire from a pellet stove, it is important to properly maintain the stove, clean it often and ensure that there is nothing flammable outside of the house where the exhaust vent exits your home. Most issues that arise from pellet stoves take place because owners neglect to follow instructions and rules listed in the owner's and installation manuals that are provided by the manufacturer with your unit.




Electric Fireplaces & Inserts

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  • Do Electric Fireplaces Give Off Heat?

    The answer to this question depends on the type of electric hearth appliance you have. Some electric fireplaces and inserts do give off a small amount of heat, while others are simply for ascetic purposes. Some fireplaces are capable of being run via 240V which will give off more heat than the normal 120V that most units come in. Please read your product manual for questions regarding the configuration and specifications of your unit.

  • Are Electric Hearth Appliances Safe?

    Yes, electric fireplaces and inserts are considered to be extremely safe to use in your home! Since there is no gas, sparks or embers involved with the electric units, there is a much lower chance of having a dangerous issue. There are no fumes, smoke, or chemicals being emitted, since there is nothing burning. Since many electric fireplaces and inserts give off some heat, please ensure that there are no flammable objects placed around them. As with any heating source, please operate with care and follow all manufacturer recommendations and guidelines.

  • Do Electric Fireplaces Need to be Vented

    No, electric fireplaces are considered to be "plug-and-play" hearth appliances. Most electric fireplaces can simply be plugged into 120V outlets, but you can also configure them to be run via a 240V direct wire for more heating capacity. Then the unit just needs to be placed in it's position or mounted in the wall and they are ready to be used. Consult your owners/installation manual for any questions about your unit.

  • Are Electric Fireplaces/Inserts Efficient?

    Electric fireplaces are considered to be efficient for a variety of reasons. They do not require a lot of electric to run and heat, slightly less than a traditional space heater. They are also efficient because none of the heat being produced goes up through the chimney like it would in a traditional fireplace. These fireplaces are by no means made to heat an entire home, but they do a great job of keeping a single room warm. Due to their efficiency and lower upfront costs, electric fireplaces are considered the most reasonable heating sources to purchase and run for your home.




Cleaning & Maintenance

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  • Gas Units - Maintenance & Cleaning

    Gas fireplaces and stoves often don't need maintenance more than every other year, but require cleaning before and after each burn season or as often as you want. (Pro Tip: Make sure your unit is turned off and cool before performing maintenance).

  • Wood Units - Maintenance & Cleaning

    Wood fireplaces and stoves require cleaning often to remove unburned ash and soot from the firebox, either after each use, or at minimum, weekly. Chimneys should be inspected by a professional annually to ensure it is clean and safe for the burn season.

  • Pellet Units - Maintenance & Cleaning

    Pellet stoves and inserts require the most cleaning and maintenance of the unit types listed above. The amount of cleaning required depends on a few factors, with the most important being the quality of pellets being burned. A good premium quality pellet may cost a little more upfront, but will burn much better and lessen the amount of cleaning required as well as reduce the risk of "clinkers". A good rule of thumb for pellet stoves is to clean the baffle and chimney after every ton of pellets burned or at least once a year, and the unit about weekly, though this could vary. Consult your owners manual for more information on how to, and how often to clean your unit.

  • Electric Units - Maintenance & Cleaning

    Electric fireplaces and inserts require the least amount of maintenance, compared to gas, wood and pellet units. These units are generally considered "Plug-and-Play" units and do not require much maintenance to run. If they have not been used in a while, just vacuum or blow out any dust before turning any heaters on.




General Questions

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  • Which Hearth Appliance Is Right for Me?

    The answer to this question depends on many factors such as access to heating fuels like natural gas or wood, intended application purpose and more. If you would like to update an existing fireplace, a new insert may be a great option for you! If you have access to a lot of firewood on your property, then a wood stove, fireplace or insert could be the best option. Give us a call and explain to our sales staff what your needs are and we will be able to help you find your perfect fit.

  • Remote Control Help

    Remote control questions are one of our most commonly asked questions to our service department, and often times there is an easy solution to the problem. Please visit our video library to view instructional videos from manufacturers about how to reset and sync remotes to units.

  • Fireplaces, Stoves, Inserts - What's the Difference?

    The fireplace vs. insert question is one of the most commonly asked questions our sales team gets asked, as most customers are simply confused by the terminology. A fireplace is the complete fireplace structure - it can be masonry true brick and mortar style, a factory built firebox, or possibly a zero clearance metal appliance. A fireplace is the entire structure that you will burn inside of, and are typically a bit larger than an insert would be. Gas, wood and electric fireplaces are all available for purchase from Wood Heat.

    An insert is designed to be inserted into a preexisting fireplace, and come in gas, wood, pellet, and electric. Inserts are much more efficient than traditional fireplaces, typically give off a lot more heat, and often cost much less than a new fireplace. or pellet appliances.

    A stove is an entity that does not require any kind of framing to be built around it, though in most cases, a stove can be placed into the opening of a existing masonry fireplace. Some stoves such as the Quadra-Fire Trekker have insert versions of the stove.