Wood Fireplaces
There’s nothing like a wood-burning fireplace!
People love the sound and smell of a wood-burning fireplace. Whether you’re looking for a traditional design or something with modern flair, Always A Sweep’s NFI Certified Hearth Design Specialists can help you choose the perfect wood fireplace for your home.
The benefits of a wood-burning fireplace include:
- Burning wood can be economical depending on your area.
- Some wood appliances can heat an entire home.
- There are a wide variety of types and styles.
- Some can be later converted to gas burning, when desired.
Wood Stoves & High Efficiency Fireplaces
Radiate heat in your room
faster and more efficiently!
The biggest advantage homeowners have with a wood-burning stove is the quality and feel of heat the appliance gives off. Wood stoves operate primarily on the principle of radiant heat, which warms objects (walls, furniture, dogs, backsides, etc.), but many wood stoves and high efficiency fireplaces are equipped with the ability to heat the air space and even some can be ducted into adjacent rooms or furnace systems to heat the entire home.
The benefits of a wood stove include:
- Wood fuel is renewable and is environmentally friendly.
- Burning wood can be economical, depending on your area.
- Some wood appliances can heat an entire home.
- There are a wide variety of types and styles.
- Wood appliances can work during power outages.
Gas Fireplaces
Why choose a gas fireplace or log set?
Gas (propane or natural) fireplaces and log sets are convenient and can be energy efficient. Whether you have natural gas or propane, we can help you pick the size and style gas appliance to enjoy in your living space.
The benefits of a gas fireplace and log set include:
- Many gas fireplaces offer high efficiency heating.
- Both gas and propane can burn cleaner than other heating fuel sources.
- Lighting a gas fireplace or log set can be quick and easy.
- Gas fireplaces, stoves or inserts can fit into a variety of spaces and decor.
Direct Vent Gas Fireplaces
A direct vent gas fireplace has a sealed combustion chamber which allows it to vent directly out a side wall or through the roof. Because these systems take all their combustion air from outside, these Direct Vent Fireplaces are the perfect solution to newer more energy efficient homes that do not have adequate house pressure to vent traditional fireplaces properly.
Some of these Direct Vent fireplaces can be installed into code compliant masonry or site built fireplace system that meet certain requirements. A NFPA Level 2 inspection by a Certified Chimney Professional would be needed to determine if your current chimney system met those requirements.
Vent Free Gas Logs & Gas Fireplaces
Ventless or “vent-free” gas logs burn efficiently with a lower flame with emissions considered “safe to be vented into the home” for short periods of time, usually 45-90 minutes at a time depending on the unit. These types of units have been around for quite a while. Many homeowners have seen older style propane or natural gas wall heaters that utilized the same venting into the home system. This type of system has some great benefits, but also should not be installed in many situations.
Some of these appliances are free standing or built into the wall of the home with specified precautions and some of these home vented gas appliances can be installed into a code compliant masonry/site built fireplace system and even a few newer factory built fireplace appliances that meet certain requirements. A NFPA Level 2 inspection by a Certified Chimney Professional would be needed to determine if your current fireplace and chimney system met those requirements.
WARNING: Installation of a “vent-free” gas log into a current fireplace system that does not meet at least the minimum fire safety standards would violate the manufacturer’s requirements and could cause a serious fire hazard. Talk to our NFI Certified Hearth Design Specialists about whether this type of gas appliance is right for you.
Vented Gas Logs or Vented (B-vent) Gas Fireplaces
Vented (sometimes called “Decorative”) gas logs burn like a real wood fire with deeper yellow-orange flames that produces more smoke and soot. These vented gas log sets or fireplaces are required to be burned with a locked open damper so smoke goes up the flue along with most of the heat.
Vented gas logs can be installed into a code compliant masonry/site built fireplace system and many factory built fireplace appliances that meet certain requirements. An NFPA Level 2 inspection by a Certified Chimney Professional would be needed to determine if your current fireplace and chimney system met those requirements. Talk to our NFI Certified Hearth Design Specialists about whether this type of gas appliance is right for you.
Electric Fireplaces
Add relaxing ambience to any room in your home!
Electric fireplaces are the perfect way to add ambiance and style to your home or business without the same maintenance of traditional fire features. There are a wide variety of styles to choose from including built-in, wall-mount and insert designs that are beautiful, energy efficient, and low-maintenance.
The benefits of an electric fireplace include:
- Beautiful flame appearance.
Reliable heat. - No gas or wood to purchase.
- No ash or soot to clean.
- No venting required.
- Install almost anywhere.
- When it is 95 degrees on Christmas in your Florida home, many of these units can still be enjoyed with the heat mode turned off.
Water Vapor Fireplaces
A fire that water won’t put out!
You can enjoy a water vapor fireplace year around! Like traditional electric fireplaces, water vapor fireplaces are beautiful to look at and often it is hard to tell from across the room whether the fire is a wood burning or gas fireplace.
Water vapor fireplaces are electric or battery powered and produce a realistic flame without producing any harmful emissions, keeping your air clean. Although the flame looks realistic, it is cold to the touch so you can actually reach out and touch it. Most water vapor fireplaces do NOT come with a built-in heater.
Fireplace Design Consultation
Sometimes you need an experienced and trusted advisor!
One of our favorite services is our fireplace design consulting. We love to help homeowners and contractors find their best fireplace. Whether you have an existing fireplace that you would like to beautify safely or you want to add something to set off that living room or bonus room, we would love to help guide you to a fireplace and design that you and your family could enjoy for decades.
Our NFI Certified Hearth Design Specialists understand both the serious potential safety concerns as well as the wide variety of wood, gas, electric, and water vapor fireplace systems on the market today. “We help you have a fire on your hearth, and not in your home!”
Why Choose Us
We will make sure the job is done right!
At Always A Sweep, we are committed to providing our clients with the highest quality dryer vent cleaning services throughout Ocala and Gainesville, FL and surrounding areas. In addition to servicing chimneys, we inspect and clean dryer vents in one- and two-story homes. A thorough sweep by one of our dryer exhaust technicians includes searching for any issues that might interfere with optimal operation. Highly effective diagnostic tools allow us to detect and resolve issues before they become problems.
Our knowledgeable team is skillful at removing the buildup from your dryer vent, and will restore your machine to proper levels of functioning. As certified chimney sweeping professionals, you can count on us to get the job done right the first time. Our family has been serving Marion and Surrounding counties for over 35 years, and we look forward to serving you.