Helpful Tips

Wood burning inserts provide a large mass of metal and a closed combustion system, allowing for heating efficiency ratings that are exponentially higher than burning in a traditional chimney.

Pellet stoves and inserts cost less to heat the same space – We have Harman pellet stoves, the industry leader!

Gas inserts provide a closed combustion system that can be captured and re-circulated throughout the house providing exponentially higher efficiency.

Both options can provide significant heat to an area of the home and, in some cases, heat an entire home.  The difference between these two options will be very specific to your needs and can be broken down into a few categories:

Availability of Fuel:

Wood – Do you harvest your own wood?  Have access to a reliable supplier?  Space to store wood?  These are important questions when considering purchasing a wood stove.  It’s important that you have access to dry, seasoned, wood to run your stove clean and at peak efficiency. 

Gas – Are you a natural gas customer with service from your municipality?  Or are you currently using a liquid propane delivery service?  If you have liquid propane service at your home, is the tank able to be accessed directly from the area where you’d like to install a stove?  Gas stoves are very convenient but, they require a gas line to be run to them, which can be an issue if there’s not a direct path from the location of your tank. 

Heating Needs:

Wood – wood stoves tend to produce higher BTUs, making them a great option for primary heat source in a large area.  Wood stoves, of course, require building a fire and maintaining that fire. 

Gas – gas stoves are very convenient, easy to use, and reliable.  Most of the options that Frost & Flame offers can be activated remotely with the push of a button.  Though they’re very capable heaters, gas stoves can be sized appropriately and turned down to accommodate any supplemental heating need. 

Venting Options:

Wood – Wood stoves require a chimney for venting.  This can be achieved with a traditional masonry chimney or with a manufactured Class A chimney system.  Bear in mind when considering a wood stove that you may have to make an investment in the chimney system in order to be able to install one in your home.

Gas – Gas appliances are very versatile in their venting ability.  They can be vented directly out a wall, up a chimney, or into their own vertical chimney systems, depending on the application.  This allows for installation in virtually any area as long as safe clearances can be maintained. 

Traditional masonry fireplaces have been installed in homes for centuries.  They lend a beautiful ambiance to any room and have a special place in our homes.  Unfortunately, the fires that we build in a traditional masonry fireplace just aren’t very efficient.  Most of the heat ends up going up the chimney and out into the atmosphere.  There’s also the issue of building fires, storing and hauling firewood, and, of course, the clean up of the ashes afterward.  All of these are great reasons to consider a gas insert to convert your fireplace. 

Gas fireplace inserts from Fireplace Xtrordinair and Jotul can be installed in most masonry fireplaces and even in some manufactured fireplaces.  At Frost & Flame, we’ve installed thousands of gas fireplace inserts that give old masonry fireplaces new life.  Not only are they highly efficient heaters but, with beautiful flames, accent lights, glowing embers, and numerous decorative choices; these appliances can really add to the character of your home. 

The process involves running a gas line to the firebox, installing special chimney liners, and setting up the fireplace insert appliance – all of which can be achieved in under a day!  At the end of the installation, you can enjoy a push-button-operated fire that produces significant heat output for your home!

There is no shortage of options for gas stoves in the marketplace today.  Gas stoves have become a fixture in the heating industry because of their convenience, efficiency, and beauty.  When looking at purchasing a gas stove there are a number of things you should consider:

Aesthetics – Gas stoves come in all shapes and sizes and can range anywhere from classic to modern in their design.  When considering the best option for your space it’s important to decide on what type of look you’re going for in the room and how the stove will lend to that appearance. 

Ignition System – Gas stoves are available in electronic (intermittent) ignition systems or millivolt systems.  The difference between the two is that millivolt systems have a standing pilot that is burning at all times whereas the electronic system is only ignited when you want to turn the stove on.  Some stoves on the market have more features with their electronic ignition systems that you may find more appealing, however, so be sure to talk with your local hearth dealer about the available ignition systems for the stove you’re interested in.

Product Quality – As we mentioned above, there are a lot of options out there when it comes to gas stoves.  How do you know what you’re getting is going to last?  Installing a gas stove is expensive (running gas lines, venting, etc.) and you don’t want to waste that investment by installing a stove that doesn’t last or doesn’t perform.  It’s important to investigate the quality of the product that you install – using reputable brand names from a reputable shop will ensure that you’re getting a stove that will last the test of time!  We always recommend visiting our showroom at 621 Main St in Gorham where you can look over all the options and discuss the best fit for you!