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What are your hours? Weekdays: 9:30am to 6:00pm, Saturdays: 9:30am to 4:00pm. We are closed Sundays. |
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Where are you located? See maps and detailed directions on the Find Us page.
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What's the best wood to burn in a woodburning stove? Dry, seasoned wood is best. The type of tree is not as important as moisture content. Even the most dense wood must be allowed to dry for a minimum of 12 months after being split and stacked. Popular firewood in the Northwest are: maple, alder, Douglas fir, madrone and fruitwood, such as apple and cherry. Another good fuel source is pressed, fire logs, manufactured by pressurizing sawdust, as opposed to wax-based decorative logs, which have limited heating value. Brand names to look for are: Dell Logs, Eco Logs and Presto Logs. Logs to avoid are Duraflame or any log advertising rainbow-colored flames. |
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How often do I need to clean my chimney? A chimney fire occurs when a build-up of soot and creosote ignites inside the venting system of a fireplace or woodstove. Wood-burning chimneys should be cleaned when a quarter inch or more of soot is present. Build-up can be more rapid in a woodstove than in a fireplace. In a woodstove vent, dangerous build-up may occur in less a month or may take much longer, depending on burn habits, fuel and other variables. New woodstove users should inspect their systems during the first season to learn their rate of soot build-up and determine cleaning frequency. Newer certified "clean-burning" stoves generate much less creosote than older non-certified stoves. Fireplaces do not need to be cleaned as often as wood-stove.
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How can I reduce creosote buildup? First make sure your chimney is properly sized for both flue area and termination height. Try to avoid offset angles and keep the chimney as straight as possible. Try to size your woodstove correctly for the area you want to heat. This will ensure that you are able to burn it hot (efficiently) and avoid creosote build-up. Always warm-up your chimney by burning vigorously for the first 45-60 minutes before you reduce the air supply and burn slowly.
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What are the installation clearances for a woodstove? Each stove's installation requirements are different. Every manufacturer tests and lists each model. Clearances to combustible walls and hearth (underlayment) dimensions are critical safety considerations. Local building officials will rely on these specifications when inspecting an installation. Every stove's requirements are included in the owners manual and in less detail on the identification plate on the back of each stove. This information can still be confusing. Please call us and we can help you sort this information out on the products we represent.
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What is a burn ban? In the state of Washington, regional air pollution authorities can regulate indoor woodburning. In the Puget Sound region, they can call for a Stage 1 or Stage 2 burn ban. The call for theses bans is based on existing air quality , current meteorological conditions and weather forecasts. In addition to the burn ban, there are three classifications of wood burning devices: certified, non-certified and exempt. Under a stage 1 ban you are not allowed to operate non-certified or exempt woodstoves or fireplaces. Under a Stage 2 ban you are not allowed to operate any pellet or woodburning stoves or fireplaces. Under state law any stove sold since 1988 must be certified. A certification (emissions) label is present on every certified woodburning device. |
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Can I put a woodstove in new construction? Any certified woodburning stove or fireplace is allowed to be installed in new construction in Washington State. It must be installed in accordance with manufacturer's requirements and must have outside combustion air connected directly to the appliance.
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Do you sell pellet stoves? No. We have focused our expertise on the sale, installation and service of woodburning and gasburning appliances. Pellet stoves are quite different from natural draft wood and gas appliances. They require electricity to feed the pellets into the combustion chamber, circulate the hot air and force or induce the draft in the chimney. This means they do not work without electrical power.
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Do gas stoves or fireplaces require a chimney? Some do and some don't. There are essentially three kinds of gas stove or fireplace vent configurations. One is natural or "B" vent. This means the appliance requires a vertical (through the roof) vent termination. The second is referred to as "direct-vent". This means the vent can terminate horizontally (on a side wall) or vertically. The third is referred to as "non-vented". This means there is no chimney requirement.
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Do you sell non-vented gas fireplaces or stoves? No. non-vented gas appliances are equipped with Oxygen Depletion Sensors (ODS). These devices have proven to be very reliable and will automatically shutdown the appliance if the Carbon Monoxide (CO) levels reach a dangerous level. However, when gas burns it releases a significant amount of water vapor (gas can be 25% moisture). In a climate such as ours, this moisture inside the house can be detrimental over time. In addition, many non-vented gas stoves release identifiable odors that are undesirable to some homeowners. Finally, not all jurisdictions in Washington State allow the installation of these appliances.
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Will gas logs in my woodburning fireplace provide heat? Operating gas logs in a fireplace can be similar to burning wood in the fireplace. Yes you will receive some heat, but it is impossible to predict how much. Gas logs retrofitted to existing fireplaces are primarily for aesthetic benefit. They look great, provide a large yellow-orange flame and are not particularly efficient. If heat is your primary motive for retrofitting your fireplace you should consider a gas fireplace insert. Either way, you'll have something easy to use and maintain.
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Will a gas stove heat as well as a wood stove? Almost every gas stove, gas insert and gas fireplace we sell is rated as a heater. They operate at efficiencies ranging from 75 to 80%. As a result, they often can heat an area as effectively as a woodstove or wood insert. Just like woodstoves, they come in many sizes and output ratings. It is important to size properly for your application.
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Do gas stoves and fireplaces require electricity? Most gas stoves and fireplaces operate with a standing pilot. This means that all the switches and controls that turn the appliance on or off, up or down do not use house current. They function very well during power outages. Many gas appliances do have heat circulating fans…these fans do need electricity (house current). However, with or without the fan operating most gas stoves and inserts can heat effectively.
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Can I switch my gas appliance from natural gas to propane or vice versa? Some manufacturers use valve configurations that allow burners to be field converted from one fuel to the other. Others will require that any conversions occur at their factory. Some will simply not allow conversions at all. Whether you have one of our gas heaters or barbecues check with us to see what is required for conversion. In most cases, a trained technician should complete this work. The characteristics and pressure levels of propane and natural gas are different and as such require careful attention.
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What is the difference between B-Vent and Direct-Vent? B-vent appliances use a single exhaust pipe and draw combustion air from the room into the combustion chamber and up through the chimney. These devices are sometimes referred to as "natural-vent". Direct vent appliances are sealed to the room. They draw their combustion air from outside and exhaust through a collinear or coaxial pipe. In either case, efficiencies on new appliances don't vary much between the two configurations. Most new gas stoves and fireplaces use very small 3" or 4" diameter exhaust systems.
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