Planning Your New HearthHow to avoid the heartbreak of a lousy system
One of the most common mistakes in planning a hearth is to insist on bringing to life a dream – a big cheery fire burning in an open hearth surrounded by rustic stone or elegant carved wood. Trouble is, when the dream fireplace or stove installation is made real, it often turns out to be a nightmare.
The dream fireplace has a big hearth opening with a big black stain above it, evidence that it has spilled plenty of smoke into the room. The cozy crackle of the fire spits out glowing embers that produce those small burn marks on the floor and carpet in front. When it is not in use the dream fireplace or wood stove installation can leak foul odors and cold air. When it is in use it sets off the smoke detectors. A lot of dream wood burners are heartbreaking and are rarely used.
But you can avoid all these problems and be assured of an effective, enjoyable woodburning system. By following the 10 Steps to Perfection and the other articles here, you are virtually guaranteed a trouble-free system.
