Burlington Fireplace & Solar Blog

Homeowners are right to expect fireplace smoke to go up their chimney and not into the room. Unfortunately, however, smoky fireplaces are not uncommon. Smokiness spoils the terrific ambiance that makes fireplaces such a pleasure in freezing weather. It’s a nuisance and can be a health threat. There are many different causes of a smoky […]

Chimney flues, as well as vent pipes on heating stoves and gas fireplaces, serve a critical function: they allow smoke and toxins to exit into the outside air, thereby preventing them from backing up into the home.  That said, there are some differences among vent systems that you should know about when answering the question, […]

If you’re looking for an efficient way to maximize energy savings, wood pellet stoves and solar panels may be the ultimate combination.  For more than a century, Americans across the country used wood stoves as a primary heating source. But between modern technology and the pollution generated from the combustion process wood stoves declined in […]

A fireplace is often the focal point of a room and can have a dramatic effect on the interior design of your home. But sometimes a fireplace can make a space look dated, especially when your interior space doesn’t match its existing design. Refacing your fireplace is a lot less expensive than a traditional fireplace rebuild. If your handy around the house, it makes […]

For those who prefer not to use gas to run a fireplace and really don’t want to deal with the mess and hassle of buying, storing and loading wood logs, there’s an attractive option: a new pellet-burning fireplace insert. What is an insert? Fireplace inserts are pre-built, well-made units that fit into an existing firebox.  They’re commonly installed when a homeowner is tired of the low […]

Congratulations, you have a tax credit of $5,652.00!  That’s the average investment tax credit consumers will receive in 2018 for installing eligible solar (PV) panels in their home. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, signed into law on February 9th, 2018 by President Trump reinstated the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for solar photovoltaic systems. It was originally created by The Energy Policy Act of 2005 and remains one […]

Once again spring comes, and your fireplace has done its job for another winter season.  Now what?  Will your fireplace sit there until fall looking drab and lifeless?  It doesn’t have to.  There are many ways to dress up your fireplace in the off-season so that it’s an enjoyable amenity all year long.  Let’s look at a few ideas. Growing things around Fireplace Your clean, open firebox […]

While winter has come and gone, you are looking forward to enjoying the warm sunny days ahead. And cleaning your fireplace is probably the last thing on your mind. But spring is the perfect time to get your fireplace ready when cooler weather returns.  And with these 5 easy spring cleaning tips, you will get the job done in no time. Remove the Ash The […]

Millions of people every year experience the power of the sun’s radiant energy when they hit the beaches. And without UV protection it doesn’t take long for a sun tan to become a sun burn. So, it’s not surprising that we would want to harness powerful source of energy to power our homes. Solar power has been around for more than […]

Don’t waste your hard-earned cash on cheap woods that will burn very quickly. High quality seasoned hard woods will burn longer with less smoke and ash. This reduces your energy costs saving you money on heating costs all winter long. But the best type of firewood to burn this winter depends on where you live. We’ve scoured the country to find two dozen of the […]