What is a hearth product?

In general, a hearth product is something that allows you to enjoy a fire inside your home. This includes: stoves, fireplace inserts, fireplaces and masonry heaters. And, to top that list off, you can choose to have a hearth product fueled by wood, wood pellets, natural gas, propane, (coal, or electricity). The key is deciding which type of hearth product – and which fuel source -- fits your needs.

Hearth product choices?

EPA Certified Phase II Wood Stoves and Wood-Burning Fireplace Inserts

These are free-standing, wood-burning stoves that are certified by the Environmental Protection Agency to be clean-burning. Phase II denotes all wood stoves sold after July 1, 1992 . Wood stoves are available in a number of sizes and styles, most of which provide a window, allowing you to enjoy the fire. Many wood stoves available today have features that circulate warm air within the room, creating a cozy, relaxed atmosphere. Basically, a fireplace insert is a wood stove designed to be inserted into an existing fireplace. The goal of this product technology is to update the existing fireplace to a cleaner-burning and more efficient heat source.

Natural Gas & Propane Stoves & Gas Fireplace Inserts

Natural gas and propane hearth products look very similar to wood-burning products, except they are fueled by gas. Most gas stoves and gas fireplace inserts available today provide a fire that looks very much like a wood-burning fire, complete with realistic logs. Generally, gas hearth products can be turned off and on in an instant and can be controlled either by thermostat or remote control. All gas hearth products are considered clean-burning. Simple gas log sets can even be added to an existing fireplace for very little cost.

Pellet Stoves & Pellet Fireplace Inserts

Wood pellets create an extremely clean-burning fire, no matter if they are burned in a pellet stove or a pellet fireplace insert. In fact, pellets are a recycled product made from compressed sawdust that might otherwise end up in a landfill. Pellet stoves and pellet fireplace inserts also look very similar to wood stoves, but have a slightly different style of fire. With pellet stoves and pellet fireplace inserts, all you need to do is pour the pellets into the hopper. The pellets are automatically fed into the stove. One of the great features of most pellet stoves and pellet fireplace inserts is you can achieve a wood fire that can be thermostatically or remote controlled, just like a gas fire.

Masonry Heaters

Masonry heaters are the cleanest and most efficient wood burners on the market today. They are ideal for cold climates where there is a demand for steady heat. Basically, masonry heaters are large stone "fireplaces" that burn small hot fires. The heat from these fires is absorbed into the masonry. Then, the stone mass radiates the heat slowly creating a continuously warm environment. 

Fireplaces

Today’s fireplaces are different than the fireplaces of yesteryear. New fireplaces that burn wood are generally much more clean-burning and are more efficient at putting heat into the room – rather than up the chimney. You can also have a gas fireplace or an electric fireplace depending on where you live, just in case wood-burning fireplaces are restricted.

How Can I Tell If My Existing Stove Is A Clean-Burning Hearth Product?

If you have a wood burning stove or a pellet stove, all you need to do is look on the back of your stove for the label that tells you if your stove is EPA Certified Phase II (sold after July 1, 1992 ) or Colorado Approved Phase III. If you have a gas stove, no need to be concerned. All gas hearth products are considered "clean-burning."