For example, a fireplace using LPG bottled gas is most often cheaper to install than a slow combustion fireplace, but its operating cost will be higher. If one intends using the fireplace on only the coldest nights of the year, the operating cost will be less of a factor in selecting a fireplace. However, if one intends to burn the fireplace continuously over the winter months, the operating cost becomes a significant factor which may sway your decision.

Obviously fuel costs are subject to escalation and unfortunately all at different rates. Eskom’s recently announced proposals for tariff increases are a case in point.

Please ask us for guidance in respect of operating costs taking account of your intended usage of the fireplace and the convenience of alternative fuel types you are considering.

In South Africa, Morsø’s popularity has made it the generic name for cast iron “closed system” fireplaces.

Morsø’s slogan is: “More warmth, more luxury, more control”.

Certainly Morsø’s stylish cast iron “closed system” fireplaces deliver impressive heat outputs and their aesthetically pleasing designs fabricated to exacting quality specifications can add a stunning feature to any home.

In addition, the “closed system” fireplaces are highly efficient relative to traditional open fireplaces, allowing good control and using only a third of the fuel. Owing to the efficiency of the fireplaces, longer cleaner burn times are achieved, with more heat radiated into the room and significantly less heat loss to the chimney.

The range of Morsø product available in South Africa is featured in the Fireplace page on this website.

Why does The Fireplace Shoppe choose to be an agent for Morsø product?

• Quality and style
• Efficiency and control.
• More economical
• Product support – Morsø has proved its commitment to supporting their products.

Jetmaster:-

• manufactures and distributes quality solid fuel (wood or anthracite) or gas fireplaces, not only in South Africa, but also internationally.
• imports Heat & Glo gas fireplaces and Amesti closed system fires to complement their range of fireplace product.
• manufactures and distributes a range of quality braais, both built-in and portable.

The broad range of Jetmaster product available is featured in the Fireplace and Braai pages on this website.

Why does The Fireplace Shoppe choose to be an agent for Jetmaster product?

• Quality
  • Jetmaster fireplaces and braais are manufactured according to strict ISO 9001 quality specification
  • Gas fires are approved by the Australian Gas Association and the LP Gas Association of South Africa.
• Competitive pricing
  • For equal quality, Jetmaster units offer excellent value for money.
• Innovation
  • Jetmaster have a state of the art research and development centre and are continually developing new product and striving to improve the performance of their units.
• Product support
  • Jetmaster have proved their commitment to supporting their products.

An old wive’s tale says that, if there is plenty of rain in Gauteng in December and January, the next winter will be a very cold one.

Given the amount of rain we have had recently, guess what? The old wife says we will be freezing our butts off in winter 2010!

As far as we are aware, there is no scientific evidence to support the old wive’s tale, but experience over recent years seems to indicate that the old wife may indeed be right. One person’s theory is that saturated ground conditions draw down surface temperatures –sounds plausible?

If you believe the old wife or whether you are a good scout who likes to be prepared, it is time to consider your heating requirement for 2010 NOW! The demand for fireplaces and installations ahead of the 2010 soccer is expected to outstrip the capacity of the fireplace industry to supply.

Don’t be disappointed! Speak to us now!

• Heat output of the unit for the room volume to be heated
• Fuel type
• Positioning of the fireplace
• Flue or flue-less
• Built-in or stand-alone?
• Aesthetics

but most often neglected is the issue of local product support.

There are many fireplace brands available locally.

Some serious questions to be asked:

• Does the supplier have the capacity and infrastructure to provide product support if needed?
• What happens if I need a spare for the unit?
• Is the supplier locally represented?
• Do I need to wait for a distributor to import parts from abroad?

The Fireplace Shoppe believes in providing excellent support to its customers.  The only way we can do this is by working exclusively with suppliers who are able to provide us with excellent product support.

It is no coincidence that our major suppliers are Jetmaster and Morso.

Newspaper reports suggest that this will make the cost of electricity in South Africa amongst the most expensive in the world. Previously South African’s enjoyed electricity at amongst the lowest prices worldwide.

We can all throw stones at Eskom (if this would do any good) OR we can be proactive in finding ways to minimize our electricity bills. One of the ways we can be pro-active is by looking at our electricity usage for heating of our homes and offices.

Many of us rely on electricity to satisfy our heating requirements. Lots of homes and offices have under-floor heating, air-conditioning units and wall-mounted or stand-alone electric heating units. All these will significantly increase our electricity bills owing to the proposed tariff increases.

If we can reduce or even eliminate the usage of electricity for heating, we can:-

• reduce our own electricity bills
• contribute to a reduction in the rate of increase in the national demand for electricity, thus reducing the need for Eskom to invest in further generation capacity. This will mean less pressure on Eskom to increase tariffs.

The good news is that we can do something proactive!

Heat can be generated using other fuel sources. There are a wide range of wood-burning, multi-fuel (wood and anthracite) and gas fireplaces available. A broad selection is presented in this website. Please browse and contact The Fireplace Shoppe for assistance in making choices, for a free on-site inspection if you are in the Johannesburg / Pretoria region and for a free quotation.

A closing point – arguing that one can’t change from electricity because one has invested a large sum in, say, under-floor heating may be a very poor argument from an economic perspective. The differential between electricity costs and the costs of alternative fuels is likely to more than pay for the costs of installing a much more cost-efficient system, say, a closed system wood-burning fire.

Many visitors to South Africa, especially those from Europe, complain bitterly about our cold winters. Sounds strange, but Europeans have taken significant steps to combat the cold in their own countries. We in South Africa very often have not.

If you are extending or renovating to provide accommodation, perhaps to rent to visitors to South Africa during the World Cup, don’t forget the fireplace!

Visitors to South Africa, particularly those from first world countries, will expect a reasonably high standard of accommodation. They will not expect to be colder in South Africa than they are in their own countries.

When considering a fireplace or heating system, it is worth taking account of the proposed Eskom tariff increases which will make electrical heating systems, including under-floor heating, increasing expensive to operate.

A wide range of wood burning, multi-fuel (wood and anthracite) and gas fireplaces are presented in this website. Please browse and contact The Fireplace Shoppe for assistance in making choices, for a free on-site inspection if you are in the Johannesburg / Pretoria region and for a free quote.

There is likely to be a last minute rush to have fireplaces installed. Please don’t leave your fireplace to the last minute to avoid disappointment. Even the largest fireplace manufacturers and suppliers, including Jetmaster and Morso, are likely to be stretched to meet orders this coming winter. Please order as early as possible!

This recipe will make approximately 6 thin, medium sized pizza bases.

Ingredients:

• 600g cake flour
• 350 ml tepid (warm) water
• ½ packet (5g) dry yeast
• ¼ cup oil (75 ml)
• ½ teaspoon salt

Method:

Pour flour into a large bowl.

If using wet yeast, take approximately 25ml of the measured water and dissolve the yeast, then pour into flour.

If using dry yeast, pour yeast into the flour.

Add the salt and the oil and mix thoroughly until smooth.

Add the balance of the tepid water and knead until a consistent mixture is obtained. Form into a nice round ball and leave in the bowl, covering with a towel to keep warm.

Leave to rise for approximately 30 minutes, roll and leave for another 30 minutes.

It is always a good idea to keep your dough warm before rolling.

Form nice round palm sized balls and roll individually.

Of course, this recipe works best with a Jetmaster pizza oven!

See the Braai page on this website.

Outdoor cooking has been part of the human experience since the discovery of fire.  Nowadays outdoor cooking is heavily focused on entertainment with the barbeque or braai and now the outdoor pizza oven becoming vital essential tools for the enjoyment of family and friends.
You too can experience perfect pizzas with outdoor pizza ovens:-

• Wood-burning pizza ovens from Jetmaster or Earthfire
• Gas-burning pizza ovens from Jetmaster

These pizza ovens are featured on the Braais page of this website.

The use of pizza ovens is not restricted to the baking of pizzas. Pizza ovens will give the chef the opportunity to experiment with the baking of different types of bread, lasagnas and other dishes.

The Jetmaster pizza oven, whether wood- or gas-burning, has a stainless steel door flap, which is used to trap the heat in the oven while cooking and can be used as a preparation counter when open.  The oven is supplied with a pizza paddle for loading and removing the pizza from the oven.
The Earthfire pizza oven is ceramic and portable. It is versatile in that it can be used with the stainless steel grill as a handy portable braai or, by popping on the lid, as smoker.  Ovens are available in four different colours.