Fireplaces Can Be The Focal Point Of Any Room

 Fireplaces can be used as more than a functional way to heat your home, they can be used as conversation pieces. If you plan it right, your fireplace can be a focal point, and the following will give you some great ideas.

There's definitely a bit of a chill in the air, and soon you'll be swapping out your bedding for flannel, closing the windows and lighting your fireplace. There's really no better way to cozy up your home for the cooler months ahead than with a great fire. And of course, it doesn't hurt if the structure is pretty swoon-worthy. That's why we've rounded up ten fierce fireplace ideas that are sure to get you in the mood for a relaxing night at home.

Read More At Huffington Post 

The Greener Heating Choice

 Are you constantly on the look-out for greener ways to operate in your home? Pellet stoves are known for their awesome energy efficient warming power, but how do other types of fireplaces? The following goes into the differences between pellet stoves and wood-burning fireplaces.

Most pellet stoves require electricity -- about 100 kilowatt-hours per month -- which adds about 171 pounds of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, on average (it depends on your source of electricity, of course). That also means that if the power goes out, your pellet stove does, too, though some have battery backup to help keep them going.

Read More At TreeHugger 

How To Get The Most Out Of Your Fireplace

 

 As the weather quickly turning cold, you may be wondering how to cut down on the potential rising costs of utilities. We will help you maximize the potential of your fireplace with advice on how to get the most out of your investment.

Open the damper as wide as possible to increase the amount of air to the fire. This will improve combustion and increase the amount of heat the fire produces, but it will make the wood burn faster. The damper handle is usually just above the fireplace opening, and you slide it to the right to open it.

SF Gate Home Guide 

Cook Gourmet Dinner In Your Fireplace

 Now that Fall has officially started, grilling dinner outdoors may not be a possibility. We have highlighted ways to cook in your fireplace before, but this piece by Huffington Post shows how easy it is to cook a gourmet meal in your family room.

1. Arrange two parallel rows of two or more courses of firebrick broad sides down toward the front of the fireplace or on the fireplace "apron". Shovel or hoe a layer of embers between the two rows, then rest a frying pan, griddle, Dutch oven, or even a soaked cedar plank on the bricks. Yes, the wood smoke will curl over the edge of the pan, infusing the food with smoke flavor.

Huffington Post 

Fireplace Design Ideas

 Have you always wanted a fireplace but are unsure of the design you should choose? With our limitless gallery and advice pieces like the following, you will never run out of ideas.

The paneled enclosure for the living-room fireplace and chimney incorporates a pantry on one side and stereo cabinets on the other.

This Old House 

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,1175385,00.html

How To Get Rid Of Smoky Rooms

 Do you have issues with getting the fireplace smoke out of your rooms? Make sure that you read pieces of advice like the following to ensure safe practice with your fireplace, and then give us a call.

Q: When the fireplace is lit, my upstairs rooms get smoky. I've been told that my fireplace needs to be relined. Is that right? 

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Take Your Fireplace To Another Level

 We are constantly searching for ways to maximize your fireplace, giving you fun alternatives all year round. Did you know that you can bake bread in your fireplace? Read below for some impressive dinner alternatives that will really stretch your creative muscles.

You will need a spit: a revolving horizontal wrought iron rod with a pair of sliding meat keepers that is rigged to be raised and lowered over the fire or fixed in place so you must continually replenish a coal bed beneath it. The motorized spits sold for charcoal grills are ready-made for the use, though you can have one made of wrought iron to the old patterns by a blacksmith.

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/fireplace-cooking-zmaz94onzraw.aspx#ixzz3DbZDwQoj

Get Ready For The Cold Season

 The weather is quickly turning, and soon the hot days of summer will be nothing but a distant memory. Don't wait until the last minute to prepare your home for the change in climate.

With natural gas and propane prices continuing to rise, you'll likely be looking to the old fireplace this winter to help cut your home-heating bills. But before you spark up the logs, take heed that fireplaces and chimneys are involved in 42 percent of all home-heating fires. So first make sure yours is up to snuff by following these seven safety tips.

This Old House 

How To Cook Dinner On Your Fireplace

 Make the most of your fireplace and create fond memories by preparing dinner on your indoor hearth. There are so many options to create, you will forget about the days of only making s'mores.

• Don't forget the vegetables. Chef Russell Moore describes an improvised dish of eggplants roasted directly on the embers, then mashed with olive oil, mint, garlic and lemon juice. With the added smoky flavor of the fire, this sounds so simple yet divine.

Read More At Kitchn 

Make Steak In Your Fireplace!

 Are you a fan of steak? What could be better than spending the evening with loved ones, around the fire, eating a great meal? Check out the following for instructions on how to cook a steak in your fireplace.

Earlier, a friend had come over to share this momentous occasion with us, and as the three of us waited for the fire to die down a little, somehow our discussion turned to couples she knew who'd "fallen out of love." As I listened to her tales of heartache — and a searing story of midnight calls from a desperate married man — I kept an eye on the fireplace. Soon I saw that the wood had burned down to what I thought was the right size. Stories of infidelity had to take a back seat to dinner.

Read More At NPR 

Toast Marshmallows In Your Own Fireplace

 Who doesn't love camping out and roasting marshmallows? Take advantage of your wood-burning fireplace and take a mini vacation in your home.

1. Start a nice hot wood fire in your fireplace. It will give off more heat if you use hard wood and let it burn a while before cooking to develop a nice core of hot glowing embers at the base of the fire.

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Why Should You Get A Pellet Stove?

  Do you love the idea of a fireplace, but not the upkeep? Chopping wood isn't for everyone, and some people don't want to have to worry about it at all. A pellet stove is an affordable way to efficiently warm your home, without the hassle of collecting wood.

All wood pellet stoves require the same kind of fuel - the wood pellet. These pellets are the byproduct of sawmills and are made from recycled sawdust and wood shavings. The wood pellets look a lot like rabbit food and are considered eco-friendly because they're cheap and easy to manufacture. Plus, they have a very low pollution rate. You can also buy pellets made of grass and corn, but they're not intended for use in stoves specifically designated for wood pellets.

Read More At HowStuffWorks 

Benefits Of A Wood-Burning Stove

 The leaves will be crisp, the foliage will be a multifaceted portrait of beauty and energy bills will skyrocket. Cold weather will be here before you know it, so consider getting a wood-burning stove if you don't already have one. The following article demonstrates how some people reduced their energy bills with a wood-burning stove.

Installation also involves dropping a steel tube lining down an existing chimney, fireproofing the hearth area and making good any plaster work. Typical costs range from between £750 to £2,000, depending on the exact work required.

Read More At This Is Money