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This Cheap Storage Hack Keeps My Firewood Dry All Winter Long
When my family moved into our second home 8 years ago, we were delighted to see a beautiful wood stove situated right...
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The Best Wood Stove Fans to Evenly Circulate Warm Air Through a Room
Wood stoves may be a good source of secondary or even primary heat for a home or cabin, but on their own, they aren’t...
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Whatever You Do, Don't Burn These 15 Things in Your Fireplace
Thanks to modern heating technologies, homeowners today no longer have to rely on fire for heat. But that doesn’t mea...
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11 Dos and Don’ts for Cleaning a Wood Stove
Why would you want a wood stove in your home? There are plenty of pros. Reducing your reliance on the grid is one gre...
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IKEA Mirrors and ZLINE Gas Ranges: 9 Recalls You Need to Know from November 2023
It’s important to ensure that the products we use in our homes are safe, and staying informed about recent product re...
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Pellet Stove Installation: Cost Considerations and Factors
Highlights Most pellet stove installation costs average $2,293, though a typical range is $1,036 to $3,550. The cos...
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9 Fireplace Screens for a Safe, Inviting Hearth
Fireplace screens are an essential piece of safety equipment for anyone who has an open fire. They prevent sparks and...
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Can The PowerSmith Ash Vacuum Tackle The Messiest Fireplaces?
It's tough to beat the radiant warmth and ambience of a real wood fire, but it can be tedious to clean up the inevita...
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20 Ways to Stay Warm Without Turning on the Heat
When winter winds blow, some homeowners dread the accompanying—and often outrageous— heating bills that Jack Frost br...
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Solo Stove Tower Patio Heater Review: Expectation vs. Performance
Outdoor patio heaters extend the usefulness of decks, patios, and other outdoor living spaces into the cool and crisp...
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The Best Copper Fire Pits of 2023
While fire pits come in various shapes and materials, few offer the mix of style and function that a copper fire pit ...
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The Best Fire Pit Tongs of 2023
Tending to bonfires or outdoor fireplaces requires a set of fire pit tongs up to the task. These handy tools typicall...
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How to Get Your Fireplace Ready for Winter
 One of the great pleasures of winter is snuggling up in front of the fireplace, enjoying the warmth and beauty of a ...
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The Best Labor Day Deals on Fire Pits, Camp Stoves, and More
Fall is a favorite season for many, with dropping temps signifying the perfect opportunity for an evening around the ...
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20 Surprising Ways You Can Use Ashes From Your Fire Pit or Fireplace
Beyond their conventional use, the remnants of a wood-burning fireplace hold surprising potential. In fact, in the 17...
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Solo Stove Mesa XL Tabletop Fire Pit Review: A Perfect Tabletop Fire Pit for a Quick Fire
While Solo Stove is best known for its large smokeless fire pits, its line of tabletop fire pits is up and coming. Th...
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The 11 Best Fire Pits Tested in 2023
Whether camping, tailgating, or hosting backyard bonfires, a fire pit is the critical centerpiece. Originally just a ...
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Breeo vs. Solo Stove: An Honest Breeo Fire Pit Review by a Solo Stove Fan
It seems that every new deck and patio upgrade includes a fire pit, and savvy buyers are going smokeless. I’ve tested...
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Does Your Fire Pit Need a Battery-Powered Fan? We Tested a BioLite FirePit+ to Find Out!
Relaxing by the campfire is a great way to unwind, until smoke drifts your way. It is possible to build a less smoky ...
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Fire Pit Safety: 13 Rules to Remember
In 2021, nearly 6,200 emergency room visits were related to injuries from fire pits or outdoor heaters. Young childre...
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25 Bad Habits That Could Burn Down Your House
House fires are more common than you probably realize: The U. S. Fire Administration reports that, in 2020, at least ...
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Solo Stove Pi Fire Review: Turn Your Solo Stove Into a Pizza Oven
For backyard chefs, there is always another gadget to open the culinary horizon and—ideally—improve outdoor cooking. ...
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7 Ways See-Through Fireplaces Can Heat Up Your Home Decor
The see-through fireplace, with designs ranging from rustic to sleekly modern, offers the ambience of a wood-burning,...
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Gas vs. Electric Fireplace: What’s the Difference?
Fire is one of the core natural elements that people are attracted to—in addition to water, earth, and air. Whether i...
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Solved! 4 Reasons Why Your Gas Fireplace Smells Like Gas
Q: A few minutes after I turned on my gas fireplace this evening, I noticed a faint gas smell. I am concerned about t...
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Solved! My Gas Fireplace Won’t Turn On—What's The Problem?
Q: I tried to get a fire started in my living room, but my gas fireplace won’t turn on. Any idea what’s causing this?...
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Extend Your Outdoor Living Season With These Creative (and Cozy) Projects
For many of us, the first day of autumn—or even Labor Day—signals the end of  “hanging-out-outside” season. But it do...
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Bob Vila's 10 "Must Do" Projects for October
Brrrr! Most of us are past the point at which we can spend all day puttering around outside, taking care of lawn and ...
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The Best Fireplace Mantels
A fireplace brings warmth to any home, literally and figuratively. Fireplace mantels are both functional and ornament...
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How Much Does a Fireplace Remodel Cost?
Typical Range: $400 to $2,000 National Average: $1,200There’s nothing quite like curling up to a cozy fire on a co...
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The Best Chimineas of 2023
Whether you're looking for a portable heat source to extend your patio’s seasonal usage or a stylish focal point for ...
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The Best Electric Fireplace TV Stands to Keep You Cozy and Entertained
An electric fireplace TV stand is an excellent option to improve the aesthetic of a room while also setting up an ide...
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The Best Tabletop Fire Pits Tested in 2023
Tabletop fire pits, also called tabletop fireplaces, provide the cozy aesthetic and charm of a crackling fire but in ...
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How to Stain Brick
Many homes have brick facades, fireplaces, mantels, interior walls, and walkways. Although it’s a long-lasting buildi...
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We Tested the Solo Stove Bonfire and It Lived Up to the Hype
Spending an evening outdoors by the warm glow of a campfire is a great way to unwind with family and friends. But bef...
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The Best Fire Pit Covers
The metal fire pit that serves as the focal point of your backyard on brisk evenings won’t last long if it’s not prot...
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The Best Chimney Caps for Rain
While a wood-burning fireplace may warm you on a chilly day, if its chimney lacks a quality protective cap, you’re le...
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How Much Does Fireplace Installation Cost?
Typical Range: $870 to $3,792 National Average: $2,314When snowflakes are swirling and Old Man Winter is howling a...
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How Much Does an Outdoor Fireplace Cost?
Typical Range: $1,500 to $20,000 National Average: $3,000There must be some ancient gene that causes humans to enj...
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The Best Electric Fireplace Inserts of 2023
Electric fireplace inserts, popular electric room heaters, are not only energy-efficient and relatively easy to insta...
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Here's Why You Shouldn't Bring Your Own Firewood on Your Next Camping Trip
You might be tempted to bring your own firewood on your next camping trip, or haul back fallen logs to use in your ho...
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Pellet Stove or Wood Stove: Which Is Best for Heating Your Home?
If you’re looking for the perfect solution to keep your home warm and toasty in the winter without spending an exorbi...
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The Best Firewood Delivery Services of 2023
There’s nothing like sitting by a backyard firepit or around a living room hearth on a crisp fall evening or cold win...
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The Best Wood Stoves of 2023
A wood-burning stove provides an effective heat source for a home, cabin, or even a tent. It also creates a rustic fe...
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10 Outdoor Fireplace Ideas You’ll Want to Copy in Your Backyard
Adding an outdoor fireplace may be just what your alfresco entertaining space needs, but if you’re not sure about spe...
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The Best Paint for Brick Fireplaces
A warm, crackling fire on a chilly night is timeless, but design trends change. If you’ve updated your furniture or r...
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The Best Wood-Burning Fireplace Inserts of 2023
A fireplace insert is a unit installed into a pre-existing wood or stone fireplace. Among the types available, those ...
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The Best Gas Fireplace Inserts of 2023
There are several different types of fireplace inserts, but gas fireplaces are a favorite because they offer the ambi...
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The Best Fireplace Tools to Keep Your Fireplace Clean—and Stylish
Whether you have a traditional open fire, a wood-burning fireplace insert, or a wood stove, a set of fireplace tools ...
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The Best Fireplace Grates of 2023
Most people simply place firewood on the hearth of their wood-burning fireplaces. What they don’t realize is that a f...
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How Much Does a Gas Fireplace Insert Cost to Install?
Highlights The typical range for installing a gas fireplace insert is $700 to $6,500 with a national average of $3,6...
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12 Home Maintenance Services You Should Book ASAP, According to Experts
While the days are still long and the temps are soaring, preparing a home for the coming winter is the last thing on ...
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The Best Electric Fireplace Heaters for Added Warmth in Your Home, Tested
Gas and wood-burning fireplaces require a vent or a full chimney, making retrofitting one into an existing home costl...
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The 12 Top Smokeless Fire Pits of 2024, Tested and Reviewed
An outdoor fire pit creates an inviting campfire vibe that extends enjoying a backyard space well into the evening. B...
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12 Creative Ideas for Firewood Storage
Firewood storage doesn’t have to be boring. Use one of these ideas to come up with a functional way to keep logs ready to toss onto the flames at a moment’s notic...
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7 Types of Brick All DIYers Should Know
Bricks are used regularly in commercial, industrial, and residential construction because they are durable, long-last...
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The Best (and Worst) Types of Wood for Burning in the Fireplace
A healthy blaze in a wood-burning fireplace or stove adds ambience to cold winter nights, warms a room during a power...
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The Best Creosote Remover to Keep Your Chimney Clean
Creosote is a by-product of burning wood, coal, pellets, or oil, which create gases as they burn. These gases rise th...
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The Best Firewood Racks of 2023
It’s pretty tough to beat kicking back in front of a warm fire on a cold night. Whether it’s burning wood in a firepl...
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The Best Splitting Mauls for Cutting Firewood
Those living in wooded areas with plenty of hardwoods have the luxury of free firewood if they have the right tool fo...
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The Best Fire Logs for Long-Lasting Ambience, Tested
When outdoor temperatures drop and sweaters come out of storage, there’s nothing quite like the crackle of a real fir...
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The Best Ash Vacuums Tested in 2023
A crackling fire adds coziness and ambience, but the resulting ash cleanup is unpleasant. Traditional hearth cleaning...
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12 Beautiful DIY Fireplace Ideas
Give that outdated or blah fireplace a makeover with one of these creative DIY fireplace decorating ideas.
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The Best Gas Fire Pits, Tested and Reviewed
Whether it takes you back to camp, the beach, or other summertime memories, there’s something special about gathering...
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DIY Lite: Set Up a S'mores Station Anywhere with This Tabletop Fire Pit
What's summer without s'mores? Even if your outdoor living space is limited to a small side yard, you can still enjoy...
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15 Little Signs Your House Has a Big Problem
Small home annoyances are sometimes indicators of a bigger structural problem. Learn to recognize the signs of these maintenance issues that need to get addressed...
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The Best Electric Fireplaces for a Cozy Room
If you long for the glowing warmth of a fireplace but could do without the usual maintenance, consider an electric on...
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The Best Fire Starters Tested in 2023
Fire starters make it easy for anyone to start a roaring fire. Rather than having to wrestle with damp wood or crumpl...
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The Best Axes Tested in 2023
Enjoying the warmth of a wood-burning fireplace is priceless to many, but buying firewood can be expensive. A cord, w...
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14 Impressive Fireplaces That Feature Tile in a Big Way
Ignite inspiration with these striking tile fireplace surrounds to find the look that suits your décor.
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Solved! Why Your Fireplace Might Be Smoking Up the House
Q: I was alarmed to see smoke enter the living room when I last used my fireplace. Why was my fireplace smoking, and ...
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How to Start a Fire in a Fireplace
At first, it may seem like a foolproof undertaking: You put some wood in the fireplace, light a match, then sit back ...
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5 Important Reasons to Schedule a Chimney Inspection ASAP
Kicking back in front of a roaring fire is among the simplest, most satisfying pastimes during chilly weather. But th...
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5 Fireplace Maintenance Tasks to Complete Every Fall
As days get shorter and the weather gets colder, we retreat indoors to the warmth of our homes and hearths. If you ha...
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11 Ways to Winterize Your Home on a Budget
Keep the cold out, the heat in, and your energy bill down with these cost-effective tips for winterizing your home.
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Considering a Ventless Gas Fireplace? Here's What You Need to Know
Nothing feels quite as nice as the cozy glow of a warm fire on a blustery winter’s day. While wood-burning models are...
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Solved! Why It's a Mistake to Mount a TV Above a Fireplace
Q: I’d like to hang a new 65-inch TV over the fireplace in our family room, but my partner’s afraid that heat from th...
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Dos and Don'ts of Building a Fire Pit
Fire pits are a hot commodity! These attractive backyard additions can dress up a drab yard with mesmerizing flames w...
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How To: Clean a Stone Fireplace
Dust and dirt may go undetected on the lighter patina of stone fireplaces compared with brick, but your fireplace mus...
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How To: Use a Fireplace
During the colder months, nothing beats warming the house with a crackling fire. But while wood-burning fireplaces sh...
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6 Ways to Stop Chimney Fires Before They Start
There are more than 25,000 chimney fires incurring $125 million-plus in property damage every year in the United Stat...
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So, You Want to... Build an Outdoor Fireplace
It's the ultimate in backyard entertaining—an outdoor fireplace where friends and family gather to share good times a...
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How to Clean Brick, Indoors and Out
The naturally distressed patina of brick adds to its desirability indoors and out, but too much dirt accumulation can...
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So, You Want to... Reface Your Fireplace
You can repaint the walls, re-carpet the floor, and replace all outdated furniture, but leaving that eyesore of an ol...
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How To: Build a Faux Fireplace
Even if it’s not operational, a fireplace somehow still makes a space feel cozy—and ups its “architectural charm” fac...
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How To: Whitewash Brick
Seems like just yesterday that the red brick in your family room looked perfect, but tastes change with time. Now you...
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The 21 Most Stunning Fireplaces on the Internet
From luxe fire pits to eco-friendly floating hearths, these 21 radiant fireplaces could set any home aglow with their warmth, comfort, and trailblazing style.
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How to Clean a Fireplace
Curling up in front of a fire is a thoroughly delightful aspect of fall and winter. But a fire can be a messy busines...
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Genius! Chop Down Heating Bills with This Fireplace Hack
As temperatures dip, nothing feels better than thick fleece socks and a seat next to the fire. But, between uses, an ...
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How To: Split Firewood
Fireplace season has at long last arrived: Time to gather around the hearth, hunker down, and embrace the warmth of t...
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How To: Paint a Brick Fireplace
Sometimes, even despite attentive maintenance and care, brick masonry fireplaces amass a fair amount soot, mildew, an...
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5 Cheap and Easy DIY Fire Starters You Can Make in Minutes
If you love your fireplace and spending time in front of a cheery, crackling flame, you’re no doubt familiar with fir...
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How to Clean a Chimney
Some folks love the romance of a wood-burning fire. Others may prefer the all-night warmth of a wood stove. But almos...
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Bob Vila Radio: Is There a Leak in Your Gas Fireplace?
Gas fireplaces have been showing up in more and more homes the past few years. They're clean, easy to use, and add a ...
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9 Reasons to Bring Back the Wood Stove
Costs for heating your home with oil, natural gas, propane, and electricity seem to go in only one direction: up! Steadily increasing prices for fossil fuels are ...
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11 Mistakes You Should Never Make With Your Fireplace
When it’s cold outside, there is nothing more delightful than curling up in front of a roaring fireplace. First, make sure your hearth is inviting and safe.
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5 Things to Do with... Fireplace Ashes
Cozying up to a roaring fire is a winter evening pastime that no one would reject. Disposing of fireplace ashes? Well...
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7 Seriously Surprising Spots for a Fireplace
They're not just for living rooms anymore! With a well-situated fireplace, any room in the house can become warm and cozy.
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Planning Guide: Fireplaces
Is there anything better than sitting beside the fireplace on a chilly winter eve? Not only does a fireplace provide ...
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Chimneys 101
Why would Kris Kringle choose to squeeze his considerable girth through one of the narrowest and most soot-covered pa...
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How To: Paint Brick
There are a host of reasons that homeowners choose to paint brick:• If a brick fireplace is out of sync with the deco...
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How To: Make Fire Logs from Newspaper
As winter approaches, many homeowners are eagerly anticipating the opportunity to use their fireplaces and wood-burni...
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Hot Fireplace Inserts
Fireplace inserts are a great way to update an existing masonry fireplace. A traditional open-front wood-burning fire...
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Firewood: What Type Should You Use?
'Tis the season for hot chocolate and snuggles by the fire. Many newer homes have gone to gas fireplaces. They’re che...
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The Pellet Stove: An Eco-Friendly Heating Option
The warmth of a wood stove appeals to many homeowners as much for its practicality (it can cut down on heating costs)...
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Quick Tip: Make Your Fireplace More Efficient
Burning MoneyA fire in an open hearth is only 10 percent efficient at best, which means that 90 percent of the heat e...
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Gas Fireplaces 101
Fireplaces have always been among the top amenities for homeowners looking to buy a new house. In fact, they rank jus...
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Gas Fireplaces: A Showcase of Design and Innovation
Consider these gas fireplaces for warmth and energy savings, certainly, but also for their red-hot style.
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How To: Stack Firewood
Nothing celebrates the colder weather like the distinct scent and sound of a crackling log in the wood burning firepl...
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Putting in a New Fireplace, Painting the Interior, and Installing Doors and Floors
The walls in the new addition are just about ready for paint. The new fireplace, trimmed with fieldstone, will make this new in-law suite very cozy. Interior door...
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Installing the New Garage Doors
Bob talks with Robert Rainey of PJ Overhead Door as the new and improved garage door panels and tracks are installed on the Norwell home.
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Brick Chimney Repair
Bob meets with Ed and Lisa Zywusko, a husband-and-wife masonry team, and sees how they are going to refurbish the old brick chimney.
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Repairing the Chimneys, Installing a Gas Fireplace Insert and Completed Cabinets in the Basement Family Room
The house's two chimneys are repaired, allowing the installation of a gas fireplace insert, and basement family-room cabinets are completed.
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Direct-Vent Fireplace Installation
Jack Murdock from RMI and Craig Ryans from Vermont Castings demonstrate how simple it is to have gas appliances and heat in a rural location.
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Touring the Heat-N-Glo Showroom
Bob learns about Heat-N-Glo gas fireplace technology.
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Gas Fireplace Installation
The crew from The Ironhouse hooks up with Dan DeMagistris of Heat-N-Glo to install the fireplace.
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Tour the Tappahannock Room at Winterthur
Bob returns to Winterthur, the historic du Pont estate, to tour the Tappahannock Room.
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Touring the Blackwell Parlor at Winterthur
Bob tours one of Winterthur's most ornate rooms, the Blackwell Parlor.
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Installing the Chimney Liner
Bob and Chris Vila join Andy Grover of Hallsted Welles Associates for the installation of a new, flexible, stainless-steel chimney liner.
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Building the Fireplace
Bob talks with general contractor Ted Riley about the fireplace construction.
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Building a Rumford Fireplace
Masons are building the Rumford fireplace, as Bob talks over the herringbone construction process being used.
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Installing the Fireplace Throat and Flue
Masons install the throat and flue for the Rumford fireplace in the Lifespan House.
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Lamp Making and Landscaping
Bob explores the practice of custom lamp making and learns more about the outdoor fireplace.
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Restoring the Mantel
Carpenter Bob Ryley and Greg Cowan (from Tidewater Restoration) discuss the process of restoring the antique mantelpiece.
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Installing the Restored Mantelpiece
Bob returns to the Virginia governor's mansion to see the restored mantelpiece reinstalled in the ballroom.
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House One: Tour of a Gothic Carpenter-Style Home
The first Elmwood project concerns remodeling a Gothic Carpenter-style home, built in 1871.
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Installing a Gas Fireplace and Refinishing the Hardwood Floor
Joe Murphy installs a direct vent gas-driven fireplace, and Howard Brickman refinishes the hardwood floor.
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Bathroom Remodel
Pat and Roger Simons, the owners of the second house in the Elmwood project, review the goals of their bathroom remodel.
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Salvaged Brick Hearth
Bob watches as the mason lays a new hearth in the old fireplace using salvaged Charleston brick.
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Mantelpiece Work
Bob joins restoration contractor Richard Marks in the library of the Federal-Style home to review the restoration of the mantel.
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Count Rumford Fireplace Construction
As the mason builds a Count Rumford fireplace, he describes the foundation built to support the hearth and the variety of bricks used throughout the fireplace.
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The Search Ends for a Home on Martha's Vineyard
The search for Bob's next project house ends, when he finds a small 19th-century home on a large plot of land in East Chop, a laid-back, picturesque part of the i...
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Concrete Chimney
Bob and contractor John Clancy discuss creating the new concrete chimney at the Victorian-style project house in Martha's Vineyard.
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Tour of Vermont Castings
Bob tours the Vermont Castings factory in Randolph, VT in order to learn about the manufacturing process for the type of wood-burning stove being used in the Mart...
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Redressing the Fireplace
Carpenter-contractor Bob Ryley dresses up the fireplace to give it a Colonial look.
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Installing a Zero-Clearance Fireplace
Fireplace dealer Kris Renier installs a new zero-clearance fireplace and explains how it operates.
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