Are you no longer able to resist the allure of a warm, glowing fire? Is a fireplace something you can no longer do without? Choosing the right fireplace for your home and your budget is not too difficult.Here are a few aspects you should be thinking about.

Are you adding a fireplace to an existing home, or is it going into a new house? It’s generally easier to put a fireplace into a new home or an extension to an existing home. If you are planning to add a
fireplace to an existing home, here are some further considerations.

Firstly, is there an existing chimney, and what condition is it in? If there is no chimney, is there a place where the new fireplace can go which will allow it to vent directly outside? Or are you considering a vent-free fireplace?

If you live in a townhouse complex, you may need permission from the body corporate before installing a direct venting system.

If your house has no chimney, or if it is going to be expensive to get the chimney working properly, a direct venting system may be your best bet. A direct venting fireplace can be installed in practically any room with an exterior wall.

Modern closed-combustion wood-burning fireplaces or stoves are extremely safe and efficient. They convert as much as possible of their fuel source into heat, while generating only a minimum amount of
ash. Unlike gas, wood is a renewable resource, so wood-burning fireplaces have strong green credentials.

Would you prefer a gas fireplace rather than a wood-burning stove? Gas fireplaces allow you to avoid the mess and bother of burning logs, and can be direct vented or vented through a chimney. Vent-free gas
fireplaces are also available.

It is attractive to consider a vent-free fireplace, especially when you are adding it to an existing home. There is no need to have a chimney, or even an exterior wall for a direct vent. There is also no
heat loss to the outside, because there is no vent.

Vent-free fireplaces should not be installed in small, confined spaces. They should only be used for less than 4 hours at a time, and should generally not be the only source of heat.You should not
consider installing a vent-free fireplace if anyone in your home is a diabetic, has heart or respiratory problems, is anaemic or pregnant.

Vent-free fireplaces can cause excessive moisture. In addition, there may be a noticeable smell from the fireplace.

An electric fireplace is another possibility to explore. Modern electric fireplaces are efficient, but the cost of electricity is obviously an important factor to bear in mind. Electric fireplaces are
simple to install, because they need no venting system. With some units, you can simply take it home, plug it in and it’s ready to go.

An electric fireplace may be the only option for use in apartment buildings or in a townhouse complex.

You should generally not attempt to install a gas or wood burning fireplace yourself – rather make use of the services of an expert. Incorrect installation could result in the emission of dangerous
fumes, or in a fire hazard. It’s best to consult a professional.

A fireplace, whether gas, electric or wood, can add warmth and coziness to your home.

Green Mountain Grills Jim Bowie Barbeque Smoker

A barbecue smoker adds a wonderful rich flavour while making the food moist and tender at the same time. Smoking is a slow cooking process which is ideal for meat, fish, vegetables or sausages. Most barbecue smokers are designed for small braais.

1. The Basics Of Barbecue Smokers

A barbecue smoker is constructed similarly to a standard braai grill. The main difference is that the smoker has a closable lid which is designed to trap the smoke, which then cooks the food. There are two
main types of barbecue smoker – indirect and direct. The direct smoker allows you to add aromatic wood chips to the charcoal. The wood chips and the charcoal produce the smoke which is used to cook the food.
This method imparts a unique flavour to the food. An indirect smoker has a grill section similar to that of the direct smoker. In addition, there is a separate container called the smoker unit, which holds the
wood chips and charcoal. The smoke is passed into the grill unit, where it infuses the food with flavour.

Barbecue smokers can be designed to work with electricity or gas, or may use wood or charcoal for smoking. You can use either type of smoker for both domestic and commercial applications. There are also
transportable table-top barbecue smokers available. The type of smoker you choose depends to some extent on your skill level.

2. Electric Barbecue Smokers

One of the main advantages of an electric smoker is that you don’t have to light a fire.

Of course, many traditionalists do not see this as an advantage at all!

An electric smoker makes for trouble-free cooking, and allows the cook to spend more time with the guests rather than tending the fire. This type of smoker requires less care and maintenance than a traditional barbecue smoker.

3. The Charcoal or Log Barbecue Smoker

Charcoal or log barbecue smokers are generally reserved for the truly skilled smoker who appreciates the taste of quality-smoked food. The flavour of food smoked in a log or charcoal burning barbecue smoker is
undeniably tastier. These kinds of barbecue smokers are heavier and larger than electric smokers. They are generally fitted with wheels and handle bars to make it easier to move them around. This kind of barbecue smoker is generally fitted with controls for temperature regulation and smoke generation, which provides more choices for cooking.

The most advanced modern barbecue smokers, such as the Green Mountain Grill, use compressed wood pellets. A motorized feeder system allows you to control the temperature of the fire by speeding up or slowing down the delivery of the pellets.

5. Maintenance Tips

It doesn’t take a great deal of effort to maintain a barbecue smoker. Depending on the model, you will probably need to let it burn on the highest heat setting for about an hour before your use it. This
burning-in process will eliminate any sources of contamination before the unit is used for cooking. In effect, this initial smoking process provides a protective layer for the smoker.

Make sure that there is adequate ventilation in the area where you plan to use the smoker. If you use the smoker in a poorly ventilated area, the fumes may choke your guests. Excessive smoke caused by poor
ventilation can also build up dangerous toxins.

Syam Exclusive 8 Portable Gas Grill

Gas grills are becoming a popular choice among braai enthusiasts. One of the major reasons is that, unlike charcoal braais, gas grills are relatively easy to clean. Additionally, gas grills tend to be involved in fewer accidents. A gas grill can be ready to braai in ten minutes. Here are some considerations for anyone planning to purchase a gas grill.

1. Price Ranges Of Gas Grills

Entry-level – these are the most basic gas grills on the market, but unfortunately can be of questionable quality – The Fireplace Shoppe does not stock entry level gas grills.

Mid-Range – These gas grills are a bit more expensive but offer more features than the basic gas grills. Prices for mid-range gas grills start from around R6,000. For these types of grills, it’s best to choose one made by an established manufacturer in order to get a quality product.

Deluxe Models – These grills are the cream of the crop. Prices start at R10,000 and some models going for more than R20,000. The brand name and construction quality of the grill should be the main concerns when buying a deluxe model gas grill.

2. Basic Elements Of A Gas Grill

Gas grills are generally constructed in a similar way. The gas burners generate heat, and above the burners is some kind of heat dispersal system. Above these are the cooking surfaces or grates where the food is placed. What is hidden under the hood is what separates a typlcal gas grill from an excellent one. A grill with at least two individual burners allows for better control of the heat. This allows the heat to be evenly distributed over the cooking surface, which results in better tasting food. When braaiing meat, its difficult to avoid dripping juices and fat, which causes flare-ups. Some gas grills are fitted with systems to control flare-ups and turn them into smoke, which enhances the taste of the food.

3. Check For Solid Construction

When you buy a gas grill, it’s very important to choose one which is solidly built. A badly built grill has a tendency to wiggle, and may fall apart easily. You should always make sure that you see a demo model of the grill you’re planning to buy, so that you can check on the quality of the construction. Choose a gas grill made of high quality stainless steel, or one with a baked-on porcelain enamel finish. The grates should be made of aluminium, stainless steel, cast iron or porcelain-coated cast iron.

4. Gas Grill Maintenance

You should consider the amount of maintenance which will be needed to keep your gas grill running for years into the future. Choose a brand of gas grill that provides easy to understand product information. Make sure that the manufacturer can provide hassle-free access to spare parts and services. Buy from a reputable retailer who is willing to stand by their products.

The Fireplace Shoppe sells and installs closed-system wood burning fireplaces from a number of manufacturers, including Morso, Blaze, Franco Belge and Godin.

Closed-system fireplaces are highly efficient – in other words, the fuel is converted to heat with minimal losses or smoke emissions.

The tables below compare typical units using different fuel types in terms of the above measures. The costs are based on current prices of particular suppliers in the Johannesburg region. Costs will vary depending upon the fuel supplier and the geographic region. All costs are subject to escalation, unfortunately at different rates for the different fuel types. The tables provide a comparison at April 2011.

Fireplace units with larger heat outputs (for larger volumes to be heated)

 
Open fireplaces burning wood and/or anthracite are not included above as there is little demand for these units at present. An open wood/anthracite-burning fireplace is considerably less efficient than a closed system fireplace.

Wood-burning closed system fireplaces are the most cost efficient by any measure. Heat & Glo gas units are significantly more cost efficient than open gas fireplaces.

Fireplace units with smaller heat outputs (for smaller volumes to be heated)

The electrical costs above are obviously for electrical input, not heat output. The efficiency of the appliance will determine the heat output. Nevertheless, it is clear that electric fireplaces are the most cost efficient for small areas/volumes.

The choice of putting another log on the fire or turning up the central heating a couple of degrees has a significant impact on the environment far beyond just keeping us warm.

Wood as a fuel is environmentally friendly as wood consumes more carbon dioxide whilst growing than it emits during burning. It is also one of the very few fuels that is renewable during our lifetimes.

If using wood from a sustainable source, the pruning and harvesting of woodlands not only provides fuel for fireplaces but also promotes the growth of healthy trees that can absorb up to three times as much carbon dioxide as is released when the wood is burned. Because of this, The Carbon Trust recognizes that wood is the only “zero rated” fuel available.

The following chart formulated by The Carbon Trust gives examples of how many kilograms of carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere from the average family home in the UK.

For more information on The Carbon Trust, please visit their website www.thecarbontrust.co.uk

Reference: Franco Belge catalogue

No distortion

Cast iron does not distort. This means that regardless of how many times you fire it up the integrity of your fireplace is maintained and the cast iron door of your closed system fireplace closes tightly every time. The point about tight closing of the door cannot be over-emphasized: the door must close tightly for efficient operation of your fireplace.

Heat retention

Cast iron is especially suitable for fireplaces because it retains heat for a much longer time and emanates an even and pleasant warmth for a long time after the fire has died.

Durability

There is no danger of cast iron being burnt through. Cast iron has proved to be more durable under high temperatures than other materials.

Aesthetically pleasing designs

Unlike steel, cast iron can be moulded into a large range of textures and designs. Hence the range of aesthetically pleasing cast iron fireplace designs from Morso and Franco Belge.

Additionally, many models of cast iron fireplace have flat tops, and will allow you to place cooking pots on top, directly above the fire.  They don’t produce very high heat for cooking, but they will slow cook your food.

Sources: catalogues of Morso SA and Franco Belge