Gas Fireplace Insert Helps in Zone Heating
If you wait long enough, everything comes back into fashion, even around the home.
Even something as old fashioned as space heating, for instance. Why heat every room in a 2,000-square-foot house when you spend most of your time in two or three rooms?
It’s a good question, according to Robert J. Dischner, market development manager at Superior Fireplace Co., 4325 Artesia Ave., Fullerton.
His firm, well known for its factory-built metal fireplaces, has introduced what it claims is the first gas fireplace insert--a unit that provides high efficiency zone heating and the look of a real fireplace, without the high cost and bother of wood.
Superior’s Hearthwarmer insert is designed for masonry fireplaces and comes in two models, with suggested list prices from about $550 to about $670.
The prices don’t include the installation. If you already have a gas line in your fireplace, the installation should be relatively easy for a do-it-yourselfer, Dischner said. My advice: have a qualified professional install the insert.
The lower priced Model 1000 insert has an ignition for matchless pilot lighting, while the more expensive Model 2000 has electronic ignition; six of one, half a dozen of the other! Both inserts are available in natural gas and propane models and both are certified by the American Gas Assn.
As I’ve said in past columns, even a well constructed masonry fireplace is a notorious energy waster, providing about 10% efficiency. Metal fireplaces are better, but Superior claims 70% efficiency for the Hearthwarmer gas insert, about the same as that of a well-designed wood stove and just under that of a central heating system.
The Hearthwarmer insert has two independent heating systems that can be used together or separately. In the rear is a miniature furnace, complete with fan and gas jets providing a blue flame. In the front is a gas log set with yellow-flame jets for an authentic look. A glass front is standard.
Options include a hood--needed if the fireplace opening height is greater than 25 inches and a surround kit--necessary if the opening width is greater than 34 inches.
The distributor, Western Fireplace Distributors Inc., 20445 Walnut Drive, Walnut, can furnish names of dealers.
ANOTHER CATALOGUE: Just received my 1986 Garrett Wade “master catalogue,” 226 pages of products of interest to woodworkers. It’s a bargain at $3 from Garrett Wade Co., 161 Avenue of the Americas (if you call it 6th Ave. it will get there just the same!), New York, N.Y. 10013. Many bookstores handle this magnificent wishbook. Also enclosed was a separate catalogue of brass furniture hardware. If you’re skilled at building reproductions of antique furniture--or if you want to achieve greater skill levels--this “Classic Hardware” catalogue is a must.
AND YET ANOTHER: For $2.50, you can have the Mason & Sullivan 1985-86 catalogue of clock and similar kits. The catalogue has a generous listing of hardware and finishing materials, along with mouldings, turnings and accessories for clocks, barometers, music boxes, etc. From: Mason & Sullivan Co., 586 Higgins Crowell Road, West Yarmouth, Mass. 02673.
