Wordless Wednesday #3 - Caption My Photo

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Valentines Day - Dessert by the Fire

What?  You're exhausted after a hard day's work? After cooking dinner and homework with the kids you've got no time or energy left for Valentine's Day romance.  Well, you can still treat yourself and your Honey to a little dessert by the fire.  Heck, pick up a little something from the store on your way home if you don't have time to make it yourself.  It's the thought that counts...and who cares as long as you have some bubbly champagne to go with it!

Spruce up your old fireplace with a set of glass fireplace doors, or replace that old mantel with a gorgeous wood fireplace mantel. It is sure to make every event a special occasion. Why wait for another winter to pass you by?

Christmas Decorating Ideas for a Fireplace

The fireplace is an important part of Christmas. It’s, of course, where Santa comes barreling down to leave all of his presents under the Christmas tree. To give Santa a great first impression of your home, and a beautiful focal point for guests, decorate it with these ideas.

Starting from Top to Bottom: The Mantel

The mantel is the first place you should start decorating. You can place pine needle garland across it with or without lighting wrapped around it. Most people will also place candelabra in the middle of the mantel that may or may not be lit on a special evening.

If possible, some homeowners will place a wreath just about the mantel using removable tape to the wall or brick to secure a hook to hang it on. The wreath often attracts people to the fireplace, which then leads them to look at the mantel and then the fireplace.

If you don’t already have a mirror above your mantel, this might be another option to consider. Just as you would place a wreath above the mantel, you can place a mirror, but with a much more secure set up. When you have the Christmas lights on, you’ll see them glisten in the mirror, which creates a beautiful ambiance.

Decorating the Fireplace

Underneath the mantel, many people will place a decorative fireplace cover. You can find Christmas themed ones, which greatly enhances the look of your fireplace.

If you are entertaining, you can remove the cover easily to light a fire. The fire is always a comforting, warm, and beautiful piece of décor for a cold, winter night.

If you are unable to light the fire due to medical issues or hazards, consider placing large candles in the fireplace. You can light the candles and create a look of fire.

You can also place candelabra in the fireplace, which holds candles in place when burning them for a long time.

A Christmas Hearth

The hearth is the bottom ledge of your fireplace. Some will be flush to the floor, while others will be raised. In either case, you can decorate it with standing decoration such as a small Christmas tree, nutcracker, or stuffed Santa.

You can also place a basket with wood inside of it to feed the fire as needed. Keep the logs arranged neatly to keep it as a useful decorative piece.

Warnings When Decorating a Fireplace

Always keep in mind that if you are lighting a fire in your fireplace that some decorations are flammable. Keep these decorations away from the fireplace.

Never place anything so close to the opening of the fireplace that can be set on fire when it sparks. Also, never leave a fire unattended, and if you have can’t extinguish your fire before leaving home, install a fireplace cover that ensures the fire stays within the fireplace.

By being safe and having fun decorating your fireplace, you’ll enjoy a peaceful and joyful holiday season in your beautiful home.

Marcelina Hardy wrote this guest post. While she loves the summer, as long as her air conditioning is working with Round Rock air conditioning repair and residential Austin AC audit, she’s also in love with her fireplace during the winter. Decorating it is her favorite Christmas activity, and she hopes you enjoy it just as much with her tips.

The best ways to heat your conservatory

A conservatory was primarily used as a summer room during the 1960’s and 1970’s. It wasn't practical to use during the cold months as it was a simple frame unable to keep any heat in. Heating systems today are very advanced and conservatories are extremely well built with modern materials. This means that your conservatory can be used all year round like any other room in the home.

The temperature in your conservatory can now be controlled like any other room in the home so even on the coldest days you can feel snug. Conservatories however can still suffer from condensation, damp and cold even with heating installed. This article will look at the best ways of dealing with this, the best forms of heating and the most cost effective forms of heating. 

uPVC conservatories can often be sold with the misinterpretation that they are at the same level of insulation as any other extension made from brick. This however is not the case, as building regulations in the UK don’t apply to the average conservatory. Exceptions can be made for those that are more than 30 square meters or for those where you want to knock through your main living area with no doors in between.

When thinking about building your conservatory you should consider a number of facts and consult with the sales person. These points will determine how much use you get from your conservatory.

• Glass – Pilkington K Glass in a specially formulated glass that has a metal coating on one side. This allows heat from the sun to enter the conservatory but it reflects heat from things such as fires. Condensation is also reduced as the surface of the glass is warmer.
• Roofs – glass roofs are far more expensive than a poly carbonate roof however they allow sunlight in and look fantastic.
• Argon filled units – this is where the windows units are filled with argon gas to help insulate the conservatory.
• 25mm Poly carbonate – the majority of conservatories come with 10 or 16 mm of poly carbonate. You can however get 25mm poly carbonate for an additional price. It is an excellent choice of roof insulation.

There are many other ways to insulate your conservatory so be sure to discuss your options further with the sales representative.

An excellent way of insulating your conservatory and making it usable all year round is through the use of under floor heating. This form of heating is extremely effective and worth every penny. You can heat your floor either by hot water or electric heat mats. When considering which form of heating you would like to use make sure you take into account these points.

• Using water needs to be planned before the conservatory is built as pipes need to be lain.
• The cost of using water pipes is initially more expensive however in the long run it is more cost effective as gas is cheaper to run that electric.
• Electric heat mats can be laid after the conservatory has been built.

A new boiler should be able to cope with the demands of under floor heating, if this is the case it will be your most cost effective option. If your boiler however cannot cope a new one will need to be fitted. This can significantly increase the expense of your conservatory. This can be controlled long term though by having a separate thermostat fitted so that you are able to control the sole temperature of that room.

Electric under floor heating costs less to install, it is however expensive to run. Electric heating can be controlled though by a switch as it is connected to your fuse box. A thermostat will also help to control the temperature of the conservatory.

The fantastic thing about under floor heating is the advantages that become available. The floor in the conservatory will always be warm meaning tootsies don’t become cold. You can also make better use of the space in your conservatory as there are no radiators mounted onto the wall. This also means the room looks neat and tidy as wires have been eliminated.

As well as under floor heating you can heat your conservatory with wall mounted radiators, storage heaters, radiant heaters and oil filled heaters. You could even look into installing a fireplace somewhere, even if it just for decoration it will make all the difference during those cold winter evenings.

Whichever form of heating you choose to go for depends on your budget and how much use your conservatory is going to achieve. It is however under floor heating that will be the most effective if you want to enjoy your conservatory on those cold winter days.

GUEST POST BY: Katy Quinn

Upgrades That Will Boost the Functionality and Style of Your Fireplace

Improve the functionality and style of your fireplace with these clever upgrade suggestions.

There is something beguiling about a fireplace that makes it a staple feature and amenity in most homes. Having your own fireplace not only increases the value of your home but also allows you to make yourself comfortable even during cold, dark nights. Nonetheless, its imposing and beautiful features are what make it an ideal focal point for any space.

However, due to constant use and exposure to heat during winter months and lack of usage during hot summer days, a fireplace can eventually lose its appeal and probably its functionality. So before you spark up the logs again this winter, try upgrading some of the parts of your fireplace to improve its functionality and style and make it look good as new with these suggestions.

Integrate glass fireplace doors

There's nothing quite like a cozy fire and a cup of hot coffee on a chilly night. However, an open wood-burning fireplace left unattended is not safe. So to ensure that your fireplace is safe, consider retrofitting it with glass fireplace doors. Integrating such safety feature to an existing fireplace requires minimal elbow greasing on your part since it comes in a standard size that easily fits in any flat fireplace opening. Likewise, you will not have a hard time attending to its upkeep as it requires little maintenance.

Get your brick fireplace in tip-top condition

If your fireplace is made out of brick, it is likely that its mortar is starting to fall out, crumble and crack due to years of exposure to searing-hot blazes. Broken mortar joint not only make your fireplace less appealing, they can also become a precursor for the entire bricks to become susceptible to damage, which can cost you more money for future repairs. Hence, to avoid problems later on, take the time to evaluate the condition of your brick fireplace, including the mortar. If you find any damaged parts, replace them immediately.

Fit it with an insert

While a fireplace is a beautiful feature for your home, it also happens to be a major energy waster. By nature, fireplaces, including yours, is not efficient as they pull out warm air out of the room and send a huge portion of valuable heat out of the chimney. Therefore, when temperatures significantly drop, your fireplace uses up more energy than it makes, which in turn increases your monthly heating bills. So to make your fireplace efficient, consider fitting it with an insert.

An fireplace insert is a fireproof box surrounded by cast iron or steel and an insulated glass front. The surrounding cast iron or steel traps the heat and keep it in the room, thereby making an open fireplace draft-proof. Although an insert may be expensive upfront, it is actually a good investment as it pays for itself for the long term by significantly reducing the cost of your heating bills.

Tile the hearth and surround

The mantel on your fireplace does the job at keeping it aesthetically pleasing. However, the hearth and surround are also prime spaces that offer you a lot of creative opportunities to further increase the visual prowess of your fire feature. One of the best ways to dress up the buffer between your fireplace and flooring as well as its surround is to cover them with colorful tiles.

There are numerous masonry products from which you could choose from to jazz up your hearth and surround. Some are decorative while others are more formal looking. Just make sure that you pick something that can withstand heat and possible log drops every now and then. The great thing about tiling a hearth and surround is that you can change up the entire look of your fireplace within a week or two. Nonetheless, the tiles will also make it easier for you to clean up your fireplace, since they are stain-resistant.

The article above was contributed by one of the writers of We Do Boxes <http://www.wedoboxes.co.uk/>, a company based in the UK that supplies high quality cardboard packing and moving boxes at affordable rates.

Advantages of Fireplace Glass Doors

If you have a fireplace, then you are already highly familiar with the crackling, spitting and spilling that is associated with having a life fire in you living room. Asides from having a dustpan and brush nearby, there are other ways that you can make your fireplace more manageable in the form of fireplace glass doors. So today we are going to go through the main advantages of fireplace glass.

1. Clean-Factor

Glass fireplace doors keep you fire and anything it wants to spit out, behind glass: making it easier to keep the areas around your fireplace clean and tidy. Knowing that anything that cracks and pops out of your fire will stay behind a glass door is also good because you can now experiment with different tools, and even visit the bathroom without being worried about what your fire is throwing onto your rug whilst you are gone!

The other major cleaning issue with fireplaces is with the ashes that are leftover when a fire is done. Ash that is left from a fire can blow into your living room whenever there is a strong wind outside, blowing down your chimney. Fireplace glass provides a barrier between the ash and your living room, so you will no longer be surprised by small grey clouds arising from your fireplace, threatening your lovely rugs.

2. Temperature regulation

Fireplaces are attached to chimneys, and chimneys like to blow! Whether the fire is on or not, one major issue that homeowners with fireplaces regularly complain about is the unwanted air conditioning effect that kicks around the fireplace when the winter sets it. Not only do chimneys and fireplaces let a lot of cold air in, they also such a lot of warm air out: and so your heating bills goes up and your temperature goes down! Fireplace glass is a good draught excluder for such situations, meaning that you can keep the cold air from the chimney out of your living room, without disturbing the peace and quite of your living room décor.

3. Safety

Any children, or pets that are allowed to roam the house are at risk of getting hurt if they come too close to a burning fire, and fireplace glass is one way to minimize any damage that can occur in the event of accidental contact. Fireplace doors are built to keep the heat within the fireplace, so when they are closed (such as when you are done with your fire and waiting for the hot embers to cool) your fireplace glass will keep curious little fingers and noses as safe as possible.

4. Better fires

A common trick to get the fire going, when it really doesn’t want to, is to hold a newspaper or some other blockage over the fire to guide the wind up the chimney, giving your fire a good blast of oxygen to get it roaring. Rather than faff around with paper and cardboard, fireplace doors will block the wind for you without risking you, or your newspapers. A great advantage.

Ben works for Speedy Services and loves to write about home improvements.

How to Clean Fireplace Glass Doors

Fireplace glass doors give your home fireplace an elegant, finished look. Fireplace glass doors are available in a variety of designs, including bi-fold and tri-fold glass panes. A lit fireplace creates dust from ash from wood and coal fuels that build up on fireplace glass doors quickly. Ash residue on fireplace doors is difficult to clean and ruins the look of the fireplace. There are several ways to clean fireplace doors…

• Soft cloths and a basin of sudsy water
• Household ammonia and water in a ratio of one part ammonia to three parts water
• A dampened newspaper roll and fireplace ash
• A razor blade
• Hire an experienced contractor - Save yourself a Messy Chore

Soft cloths And a Basin of Water

This is not exactly the ideal way to clean your fireplace glass doors. The cloths tend to create streaks on the glass, the basin of water is awkward to transport, not to mention, the water quickly becomes a thick mass of ashy sludge.

Household Ammonia and Water

Household ammonia always has to be used with care. The noxious fumes are unpleasant even when ammonia is neutralized in a ratio of one part ammonia to three parts water. It's important to ventilate the room where the fireplace is located properly to avoid a reaction to ammonia vapors.

Using a Razor Blade to Clean Fireplace Glass Doors

This is most likely the least safest way to clean fireplace glass doors. There is also the possibility of seriously scratching glass panes in the fireplace door frame. This depends on how much residue will be removed. Take extreme care when using a razor blade for this job.

Hire an Experienced Contractor - Save Yourself a Messy Chore

There's no avoiding the job of keeping fireplace glass doors clean. It's a chore that can't really be ignored for very long. It just doesn't have to add to other domestic chores. An experienced contractor can save you from a messy chore. In addition, your contractor will offer a regular annual maintenance contract that tracks each cleaning of your fireplace doors.

This post was brought to you by Phil Henderson, President of Henderson Properties, a leading community association management company based in Charlotte, NC.

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Things to Consider When Selecting the Right Glass Doors for Your Fireplace

Short description: Fireplaces are known to be fire hazards, hence the need for glass fireplace doors. Glass fireplace doors are ideal for preventing escaping embers that can jump to your rug. However, there are some things you have to consider before you buy them.

Though it sounds like a good idea, roasting chestnuts in an open fire is not a very good idea even if it is holiday season. Fireplaces are known to be fire hazards and one of the leading causes of household fires. Embers can jump from the fireplace to your rug. Inquisitive children and playful pets might get burned if they get too near. That is why it is important that you install glass doors on your fireplaces to minimize risks.

Before you start shopping for your glass fireplace doors, there are some things that you need to consider. Careful planning is important so that you will not end up wasting time, money and effort in selecting and installing your glass fireplace doors.

Doing Research

The first step in your search for the perfect glass fireplace doors is to do your research. Take note of what your needs are. Crack open the yellow pages, pick up the phone and call companies that manufacture glass fireplace doors. Go online and browse the Internet to check out prices, types of glass used and sizes. The more informed you are, the better because you know what questions to ask to the salesperson once you start your shopping.

Types of Glass

There are actually several types of glass used for glass fireplace doors. Each type has its own pros and cons; the key to your selection is to choose the glass type that has the most advantages for you. Glass fireplace doors are made from safety glass, or glass that has been toughened to prevent it from splintering when it gets broken. They are also heat-resistant. Here are some of the glass types used for fireplace doors: 

• Tempered Glass – this type of glass is made to be tougher than standard glass. It also has enhanced thermal resistance which makes it suitable for glass fireplace doors. When it breaks, tempered glass does not shatter in shards but rather in small beads. The weak points of tempered glass are located at the edges due to point-fixed glazing and thermal breakages.
• Laminated Glass – this type if glass has a layer of polyvinyl butyral that bonds the two layers of glass together. Laminated glass is very tough and just like tempered glass, it does not shatter into shards if it breaks.
• Ceramic Glass – ceramic glass is not really glass but rather, it is a transparent ceramic material that only looks like glass. It has high resistance to heat so they are suitable materials for glass fireplace doors. When it breaks, ceramic glass will only crack and will not fall apart like tempered glass.

Measurements

An important consideration when you shop for glass fireplace doors is the size. As you do your measurements, determine the type of fireplace you have. Some pre-fab fireplaces have glass fireplace doors available in different sizes; however, if you have a masonry fireplace, you may have to order a custom-made glass door to make sure it will fit. Make sure that your measurements are accurate: measure to the nearest 1/16 of an inch and write these down.

Budget

Glass fireplace doors are available in a wide price range so there is one that will surely fit your budget. The factors that can affect the price include the materials used, the brand name, how it is constructed and manufacturer warranties. However, you should not go immediately for the cheapest glass door you can find. The key here is getting value for your money.

McIntyre Masonry provides stone masonry services all over Scotland and in areas north of England. This article is written by one of their regular contributors.

GUEST POST BY Robert Kirk - RFK Solutions Ltd

Keeping Your Fireplace Glass Doors Spic and Span – Some Cleaning Tips

Fireplace Glass Doors: Keeping the Ashes At Bay

Keep your fireplace glass doors looking as good as new with these cleaning tips

Come winter time, everyone loves to hangout in a warm room, and there's no denying that a gas fireplace is one of the furnishings at home that can provide such a convenience. All too often, natural gas fireplaces are fitted with glass doors, which are noted for their functionality and aesthetics. These hardworking features help contain the ashes, smoke and sparks into the fireplace, prevents cold air from entering a room, and decrease the potential of fire and injury.

After enduring months or years of searing-hot blazes, however, fireplace glass doors collect stains from the ashes and soot coming from the fire. This in turn makes them look dingy and can also make the entire fireplace appear entirely shabby. So before the wood-burning season begins, you need to examine your fireplace glass doors and take an hour or two to do some elbow greasing to clean it up and refresh its look. Below are some cleaning tips you can follow to keep your fireplace glass doors spic and span.

Tackling the cleaning job with commercial cleaners

Probably the easiest solution to your fireplace glass doors' carbon or other gunk buildup is for you to use commercial cleaners. While you might want to resort to the usual glass cleaners that you see in your local store, take note that they are no-match for the soot that have collected on your fireplace doors. So it is your best bet to settle with products that are especially formulated to clean carbon-rich stains, and there are numerous brands from which you could choose from. More often than not, these commercial cleaners have a paste-like texture and work well with plain paper towels or a clean cloth. Here is a great fireplace cleaner that has everything you need. 

Before applying the cleaner, try vacuuming the glass doors' surfaces first using an ash vacuum to remove loose soot and other particles on the glasses. After which, apply the cleaner to the towel following the manufacturer's recommended amount. Depending on the cleaner that you choose, it might be necessary that you use it on a damp cloth, so make sure that you read the label before use. Rub it over the stained areas on your fireplace glass doors, especially the corners, with a gentle pressure and let it sit for awhile. When all stains are removed, wipe the glasses with a clean cloth.

Remember, when cleaning a new section on the glasses, make sure that you use a clean area of the cloth or better yet a new paper towel so that the carbon residue will not be transferred onto the surfaces that you are going to clean. It is also wise to wear rubber gloves when cleaning since some commercial cleaners contain strong properties that can be harmful to the skin.

Combating ashes with ashes

Although a commercial cleaner can be effective in removing carbon-rich soot on fireplace glass doors and does not necessarily require extraneous amount of effort on your part, the strong odor as well as its chemical properties might put you off. So if you are not too keen about using a commercial cleaner, a cheap and great alternative that you can use are several pieces of damp old newspapers dipped in ashes. Yes, you read that right, ashes. And they are truly effective in removing the build up on your fireplace glass doors, though their use may require a bit more elbow greasing.

Start by removing loose dirt on the glasses of your fireplace doors. Dampen the newspapers with water and dip them into the ashes. Gently rub the newspapers on the stained areas until the carbon deposits are removed. Then wipe the glasses with a clean cloth.

If it's taking you a little while to remove the baked soot, it might be useful if you utilize a flat razor blade to loosen up the stubborn deposits. Then, rub the ashes on the surfaces again. For a shiny finish, spray both the interior and exterior of your glass doors with a mixture of water and vinegar, then pat them with a dry cloth.

Additional cleaning tips

Take note that not all fireplace glass doors are created alike. Hence, some might be easier to clean, while other may require time and effort to completely remove the stains. However, there are a few cleaning tips that can truly make the task a bit easier regardless of the type of glass fireplace door you are using.

First is that you should regularly clean the doors so that the soot will not buildup on the glasses. During winter, it is your best bet to clean the doors at least once every two weeks to maintain the cleanliness and aesthetics of your fireplace glass doors. Another tip is for you to remove the glasses of the doors, as this will let you clean all the corners including the hidden areas in the frames. Also, do not forget to let the doors cool down before cleaning because hot glasses can be dangerous not to mention that they can burn your hands. If you are really busy, however, and you cannot spend too much time cleaning, it might be a good decision to opt for tinted fireplace glass doors which are easier to clean since the tint helps avoid soot from baking onto the glasses.

GUEST POST BY: Robert Kirk RFK Solutions Ltd 

We Do Boxes is a UK-based company that supplies high quality and affordable cardboard packing and moving boxes. This article was written by one of their regular contributors.

May I also suggest a beautiful inexpensive Fireplace Glass Door?

A Not-So-Open Fire: The Benefits of Glass Fireplace Doors

Some Reasons Why Glass Fireplace Doors are Needed - Guest Post

Fireplaces are major fire hazards so safety should be your primary concern. Aside from regularly cleaning the fireplace and the chimneys, you should also install glass fireplace doors to contain the embers and prevent small fingers from getting burned.

Fireplaces are essential fixtures in some homes, especially those that are located in areas with harsh winters. However, fireplaces are also major fire hazards and they have caused a lot of household fires in the past. This is why fireplace safety should be a top priority; this is to prevent accidents and other untoward incidents from happening. 

One way to keep your fireplace safe is by installing glass fireplace doors. These doors are not just mere accessories for fireplaces. There are plenty of advantages in installing these doors for your fireplace. Here are some of them.

Protection

The primary benefit of installing glass fireplace doors is it offers protection for you and your family. These doors reduce the risk of damage to your home. They keep logs inside the fireplace and prevent them from tumbling out. They also prevent embers and sparks from escaping the fireplaces. Burning logs, sparks and embers are dangerous and can cause significant damage to rugs, carpets, tiles and wood flooring. These hazards can also melt linoleum or burn people and pets that are standing too close to the fireplace. Glass fireplace doors also prevents small children and pets from burning themselves on the flames of an open fireplace. These doors also serve as a pest control method because they keep out the pests that can enter the house via the chimney.

Energy Efficiency

Having fireplace glass doors is also an excellent way to make your home more energy efficient. Your fireplace will work better because the glass fireplace door will serve as a barrier between your home and the chimney. The glass fireplace doors keep the warm air inside the fireplace and prevents it from escaping; they are a big help in minimizing the amount of warm air lost so you do not have to crank up the heater or thermostat during the cold winter months.

Aesthetics

Aside from their functionality, glass fireplace doors also provide some aesthetic value to the home. You can choose to have decorative glass fireplace doors that come in various designs, sizes and shapes to match the décor of your home. You can also have your glass fireplace doors customized to make sure that yours is one-of-a-kind.

Easier Fireplace Cleaning

Fireplaces require regular cleaning which can be a tiresome chore. Glass fireplace doors can help reduce the amount of work that you have to do because the ash, cinders and other fireplace debris are contained within the fireplace. With glass fireplace doors, you never have to worry about doing heavy duty cleaning in the areas around your fireplace again.

Steel Buildings Design offers high quality bespoke steel buildings for clients all over the U.K. This article is written by one of their regular contributors.  

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FIREPLACE GLASS DOOR CHOICES
CLICK HERE FOR SUPERIOR FIREPLACE DOOR CHOICES

Moving Checklist: The Right Fireplace

What makes up your "must-have" list when shopping for a new house? For my wife and I, in our next house, a fireplace is near the top of the list (along with a swimming pool, bigger dining area, and a golden-egg laying goose. Hey, we can dream right?).

After a long day of seeing house after house with your real estate agent, it can be easy to go back over the list of houses and mark off "fireplace" as included, on every property that had one. But don't short yourself, just because a fireplace exists in the home doesn't mean it'll satisfy what you're looking for. Be sure to consider the following before buying and moving into a new place:

Does the fireplace work? Is the vent clear? Does the stack hold the smoke inside? Did the previous owners only use it as decoration, thinking it would be fun to paint it with something unsafe to light a fire near? Buying a foreclosure will make it harder to answer these questions, but having an expert inspect the fireplace before you buy can save you from a huge, expensive headache and hours of DIY projects later.

Will the location fit with your furniture? If you've got a favorite couch or armoire that you'd never part with, it's important to take some measurements, and even sketch out a scaled down model of the room on paper to see how your beloved pieces will fit around the fireplace (after all, a fireplace can be slightly harder to move across the room than a couch or coffee table. And by "slightly harder" I mean almost impossible).

Do you like the design? Moving out of a home without a fireplace can make it easy to excitedly jump at the first chance to move into a new home with one. But after a few days or months, you'll start to notice things about the fireplace that you wish you'd have shopped specifically for before buying the house. Take notice of the shape, the height of the mantel, the color of the brick, or, if the brick is painted, decide if you like/dislike the fact that the original rough brick look is gone.

In today's market, it takes falling in love with (and putting offers in on) several houses before the right offer goes through. Don't let that frustration rush you into the next house you see. Even if you're just looking for a rental, a fireplace can be one of the most important focal points and family gathering spots in the house, if you've got the right one. So take a few minutes before leaving on your next house shopping adventure to define your favorite fireplace colors, designs, and features. It'll be worth every second when you're escaping the fast-approaching winter cold with your loved ones and a cup of hot chocolate by your perfect fireplace.

Consider: Fireplace Glass Doors

About the Author:

Daniel hopes to one day own a fireplace (attached to a house, of course). His favorite activities include landscaping his backyard, off-roading in his Jeep, and eating. Yes, eating counts as an activity. He also works for HireAHelper - the best place to compare and book your movers once you finally find that house with the perfect fireplace. 
On Google: https://plus.google.com/109132367672293413676?rel=author

Photo Credit: Landscape Design Advisor on Flickr

The Practical and Beautiful Fireplace Door

If you have a fireplace in your home, it's a wise idea to make sure you have fireplace doors. Fireplace doors are often considered to be mainly a design feature and they can certainly be very attractive. However, they're not just for looks. Installing glass doors on your fireplace has significant safety benefits. As well, they're an energy efficient choice for your home. Read on to find out some of the advantages of fireplace doors.

Properly installed fireplace doors will help save you money on your energy bills. In winter, they stop the escape of hot air from your home through the chimney. And in summer, they keep out large quantities of hot air that you'd have to pay to cool down with your air conditioning system. Fireplace doors can reduce the loss of air from your home by up to 90 percent. It's essential that they remain closed when the fireplace is not in use.

Another reason for having fireplace glass doors is for enhanced safety. Glass doors are very effective at keeping sparks and other burning particles from leaving the fireplace and doing some damage to your room. They also provide a barrier between the fire and your small children or pets. Be aware, however, that the doors will become very hot while the fire is burning. Your children will get burned if they touch them. Ensure that you teach your children about the potential dangers of a fireplace.

Most fireplace doors are made of glass. This way you can enjoy the beauty of your burning fire while having the doors closed. There are some that are made of screen, but they don't offer the same advantages of glass fireplace doors in terms of energy efficiency and safety.

COMPLETE THE REST OF THE ARTICLE - Click Here: Factory Plaza

CHECK OUT THIS AWESOME SELECTION OF: Fireplace Glass Doors

How to Install Glass Fireplace Doors

By: ALEXANDRA BANDON, This Old House magazine


A cozy fire on a cold night is a delight. But it loses its charm when you must wait for it to burn out before heading to bed. A wood fire left untended isn't safe. Unlike a gas fireplace, which can be switched off, the only way to leave a wood fire is to close it off with glass doors. 

Most new fireplaces come with glass doors. But if you want to add this safety feature to an existing fireplace, retrofitting them isn't difficult. The doors come in standard sizes that fit in any flat firebox opening. 

We asked Justin Calemmo, of Five Sons Chimney Service in Brookfield, Connecticut, to show how to retrofit new doors on an old fireplace. Our 1848 fireplace has a surround that's undersized, so the glass doors make it safer by blocking the fire from the too close wood floor and mantel.


Please finish the rest of this well written article by clicking here: ThisOldHouse.Com


Check out: 
Glass Doors for Fireplaces

Fireplace Glass Doors - Get Ready for Cooler Days Now!

Yes, I know it's still summer and I know that the last thing you are probably thinking about is a warm and cozy fireplace to snuggle up next too. I promise you I am not crazy, I am telling you now is the time to get the best prices before those cooler months set in. We all know that most fireplace retailers base their pricing off of the season. So, instead of waiting for the last minute to have a beautiful, safe and price efficient fireplace door, check out the amazing selections on all makes and models now.


Here are just a few that I think are not only beautiful, but cost efficient for just about every budget. DIY'ers everywhere should run and not walk to remodel and transform their old fireplace. Some of you may have that ugly mesh screen that doesn't keep the logs from rolling right out onto your floor. Then there are some folks that may not think they could even have a fireplace glass door at all because you may have a Masonry Fireplace. Your in luck because not only can you get a fireplace place to fit your fireplace, but it's so easy you can actually install it yourself. Listed below are a few of the things you can consider for your fireplace.

Here are my suggestions:

Masonry Fireplace Doors

Heatilator Fireplace Glass Doors

Fireplace Door Replacement Glass

An Amazing Transformation!

It’s been almost a year since I used Brick Anew on my fireplace and have been busy with some additional remodeling, but wanted to show you the before and after photos.  I think it’s an amazing transformation!  Thanks for your great customer service and a wonderful product.

Sincerely,

Pat Billeter

Fireplace Feast

Cooking over a fireplace can be fun, but requires extra caution.

Growing up in South, I didn’t experience a lot of out and out blizzards. Instead, what we got was the occasional ice storm—the kind that freezes roads, snaps power lines and shuts down school for a week at a time. The shelves at the grocery store ran out of bread and milk before the first drop of sleet hit the ground, and then, when the power finally did go out, my father would march out to the woodpile with the ax to chop some logs while my mother dug out whatever weird canned goods she could from the back of the pantry.

Now, let me say right away: cooking in your fireplace is not always the best idea. Opening those fireplace doors and roasting a hotdog over the open flame can be dangerous business, and the Fireplace Decorating blospot does not endorse reckless fireplace behavior. But I’d also be lying to you if I said those family meals around the crackling hearth aren’t among my favorite childhood memories.

Whether we baked jacket potatoes in the ashes or heated a can of beef stew directly over the flames, we ate well, regardless of the weather. Usually, my mother could unearth a bag of stale marshmallows, too, and let me tell you—no matter how hard they might have become tucked away behind the Rice-A-Roni, once they hit the open flame they melted into such a crispy-brown confection we would have sworn she picked them up at the supermarket the minute the weatherman issued his doom-and-gloom prediction.

Of course, like I said, there’s an obvious danger in cooking over the fire, especially if you have small children or pets, or if you have an area rug up close to the fireplace’s foot. Nowadays, if you want to experience these sorts of family pleasures, you’re probably better off roasting your marshmallows and whatnot over an outdoor fireplace, positioned at a safe distance from the house. Even then, you still need to be careful, but the odds of burning down the house or catching the dog on fire are a heck of a lot lower. And if you’re smack dab in the middle of an ice storm? Don’t let that stop you. An extra sweater under your coat will keep you plenty warm while.

Cheers--and be safe.

Fireplace Remodeling for Hard Times

Fireplace Inserts Increase Efficiency

It never ends, does it? The winter, the recession, the high cost of heating your home—some things drag on and on. Luckily, hard times can also inspire us. A day does not pass without another news story about homeowners remodeling their houses to be more energy efficient and more eco-friendly. This article from a small daily out of upstate New York is just one of the hundreds of articles that come across the wire here at Fireplace Decorating. Take a look, and maybe get inspired.

You might notice, by the way, that one of the homeowners interviewed for the piece attended the Great Northeastern Home Show looking for three things: energy-efficient solar panels, a good roofer and a few ideas for retrofitting her existing fireplace. That same homeowner also commented that some things on their remodeling wish list might have to wait because of the expense. Just glancing at that list, I can tell right away which item ought to be at the top. After all, few home improvement projects offer as much bang for the buck as a fireplace makeover. The addition of a fireplace blower or energy efficient glass fireplace doors practically pays for itself in energy savings.

But you knew all that already. That’s why you’re a fireplace enthusiast.