When choosing fireplace mantle accessories, use a small number of high-quality pieces as your starting point. Perhaps an antique mantel clock will be your focal point. A nice set of brass candle holders is another way to give your mantelpiece style and weight, or get a large, unique vase that can hold fresh or dried flowers.

After you’ve chosen your anchor items, start looking for ways to personalize your mantel shelf. Be creative and let your mantle show off your personality. Use personal treasures that can be loosely grouped under a single theme. These can include photographs in unique frames, figurines, and antiques and collectables.

Don’t be limited to only one set of mantel accessories. You can change things up when the mood suits you. Seasonal items provide you with a way to express your artistic side and add variety to your home décor. Springtime is the time to put freshly cut flowers into your mantel vase. You can also force daffodils or paperwhite narcissus into bloom and place them on your mantel shelf. Summertime is the time to collect wildflowers and set out green plants as mantel accessories. In the fall, add colored leaves, pumpkins, and dried flowers to reflect the mood of the changing seasons. For the holidays, pine garland and velvet ribbon sets the mood for the holiday season.

Safety should also guide you when choosing mantle accessories. Anything flammable, especially pine boughs, should be kept up on the mantel shelf and not be allowed to dangle in front of the fireplace where it could catch fire. Be careful of cobwebs and dust gathering on your mantelpiece, as they can easily burst into flame.

Make baffle inspection part of your wood stove maintenance routine. If your stove is in constant use, or you burn a lot of green firewood, you’ll be cleaning your chimney once a month. Take this opportunity to let the fire go out so the stove can cool down. While it’s cold, inspect the stove baffle for cracks and warping. Get to know the construction of your particular stove’s baffle system so you don’t have to learn it on the fly when the baffle fails.

Typical wood stove baffle construction consists of a large plate suspended in place somewhere above the flame. The baffle can be made of cast iron, stainless steel, or occasionally a fireproof synthetic fiber. It works by diverting the exhaust from the fire into a secondary chamber, where the trapped heat raises temperatures high enough to burn off much of the creosote in the smoke. This secondary burn chamber also sends additional heat into your home. Stoves with baffles are much more efficient than ones without them.

Just about all baffles are factory replacement parts. If you have a manual for your wood stove, looking up the replacement part number is easy, and frequently the manufacturer will include a diagram that will help you figure out the steps for replacing it. If you don’t have a manual, then the manufacturer’s web site might have diagrams and part numbers. If that doesn’t work, call or visit a dealer for your brand and get some help with identifying the part and finding out how much a replacement costs. $150 is a frequently quoted number for baffle replacements on popular brands of wood stoves.

Removing the baffle is going to be a frustrating job, because the mounting screws holding it in place are probably fused to their sockets from corrosion and high heat. Drilling them out after the bolts break would be a straightforward job if it were easy to get to them, but you’ll be working inside a small chamber with limited room to hold your tools.

When you’re ready to start the job, put quilts down on the floor to protect both the floor and the stove’s finish, or take the stove out to your shop and work there. Clean out the stove down to bare bricks so you can tip it at the best angle to reach the baffle mounts without making a big mess. If the bricks aren’t fastened down, remove them and set them aside to they don’t break when you start tipping the stove. Remove the door and any other parts that could come loose while you’re working. Plan to get dirty while you do this job.

One word of caution: many wood stove baffles have a ceramic fiber blanket fused to the metal plate. The fibers can hurt you if you inhale them, so manufacturers recommend that you not try to work on these stoves yourself. You can find out whether your stove is one of these models by consulting your owner’s manual, or by contacting a dealer or the manufacturer. If you insist on replacing one of these baffles yourself, treat this stuff the same way you would asbestos. That means full body protection and an industrial-quality respiratory mask.

What to do when your wood stove glass breaks? A common misconception is that you need wood stove tempered glass, but in reality this is the type found on glass fireplace doors or a glass fireplace screen. It’s stronger than ordinary glass, but it’s not made for constant exposure to high temperatures and close contact with flame. Tempered glass for wood stove is a misnomer.

Wood stove replacement glass is actually not glass at all. It’s a transparent ceramic panel that looks like glass but performs like ceramic. Look for trade names like neoceram and Pyroceram III. Neoceram is 3/16 inches thick. It has a slight amber tint and can withstand temperatures up to 1,600 degrees F. This is far more than the tempered glass fire screens you would use in a fireplace.

Glass replacement for a wood stove is an easy operation but requires concentration, just like any other job involving expensive, breakable material. First you’ll need to order the replacement panel. A dealer for your brand of wood stove is the first place you should look for this, since you know you’ll be getting a perfect fit if you go this route. If you can’t find a dealership, there are sites online that promise an exact match for your old ceramic glass panel if you give exact measurements. These sites can even match curved panels and special cuts by working from a drawing or diagram.

When you have your replacement panel, remove the wood stove door lay it next to the new panel on a large work table with plenty of good lighting. Put down some old towels for padding so you don’t crack the new glass. Carefully remove the old panel and set it aside. If your model has a gasket between the panel and the door, inspect it and decide whether to replace it. This item is a dealer part, but it’s set up for easy replacement. Most of them come with a built-in adhesive strip. You simply peel off the backing and press it into place.

Now comes the part that requires concentration. Lay the replacement panel over the gasket and install each screw but don’t tighten them yet. When all of the screws are in place and tightened just enough to touch the panel, begin tightening them one turn at a time. Work in pairs by starting with the two across from each other closest to the center of the panel. Move to the next two across from each other. Always tighten the screws in pairs across from each other, and never tighten them more than one turn at a time. Less is more with this part of the job. What you want to avoid is getting one screw too tight and then snapping the new glass panel in two when you move to another screw and tighten it. Check the glass for movement as you tighten and stop as soon as it’s securely in place.

Reinstall the stove door, and your wood stove glass replacement operation is complete.

By itself, a fireplace is actually an energy loser because it sucks warm air out of the room, uses it to fuel the fire, and sends it up the chimney as exhaust. Some estimates of heat loss from a traditional open fireplace run as high as 300 cubic feet per minute. So while an open hearth fireplace looks inviting, it’s a net energy loss.

A high efficiency fireplace insert reverses this energy loss and keeps heat in the room where it belongs. These inserts are similar to a woodstove because they are airtight so they don’t need a lot of air from the room to keep the fire burning. The models that extend out onto the hearth are even better because the additional surface area exudes more radiant heat into the room.

Fireplace inserts efficiency is increased if they are EPA approved. To receive EPA approval, the insert must have a catalytic afterburner to get rid of creosote and other gases that pollute the air. Not only does this make for a cleaner, greener world, but it also directs additional heat back down into the living area.

Although proper chimney installation doesn’t affect fireplace insert efficiency, it does make use of the appliance a lot safer, not to mention in conformance with the law. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommendations regarding inserts are now required in the United States. That means that your fireplace insert must have a direct connection between the unit’s exhaust outlet and the lower section of the chimney flue liner. This is to keep creosote and other debris from building up in the gap between where the outlet ends and the chimney begins.

Regular chimney cleaning is a must for anyone who burns wood. If the appliance and the chimney are only joined by a connector, then you’ll need to move the insert every time you have the chimney cleaned. The cost of this can add up fast. A better solution might be to pay up front to have a full length flue insert installed that makes a positive connection with the appliance’s exhaust opening. With this setup, you won’t need to move a 400-pound stove every time you have your chimney cleaned. For homeowners concerned about fireplace inserts and efficiency, saving money on chimney cleaning is part of the equation.

A fireplace insert guide to efficiency usually recommends purchasing one with blowers installed. This setup adds the benefit of convection to an already efficient appliances. The blowers catch heated air from hollow chambers built into the sides of the unit and blow it back out into the room. In combination with ceiling fans, the effect approaches the comfort of a forced air furnace if you close off any unused rooms in your house. And it definitely costs less than heating with gas or oil.

Aside from the financial benefits, a wood fireplace insert can look every bit as beautiful as an open hearth fire. Most models are available with glass doors so you can see the fire inside. Brass or pewter trim complements any décor. Best of all, it saves money on the heating bill and doesn’t pollute the air, unlike an inefficient fireplace.

A mantel (sometimes called a mantle) is the decorative frame around a fireplace. It is sometimes called a mantelpiece. Unlike a mantel shelf, which is a horizontal piece of shelving above a fireplace, the mantel is a square, three-sided structure that surrounds the fireplace and sets it off from the rest of the room. Either type is a wonderful place to put fireplace mantel accessories, which add warmth and flair to your home.

Mantels can be pre-built as a single three-sided unit, or they can be custom built on site by a woodworker or stone mason. The pre-built mantel is the most common approach nowadays because craftspeople are in short supply and prefer to work in their own studios. A good stone mason or bricklayer is especially hard to find, and can charge a premium price for his or her work.

If you have plenty of money to spend and your home is built to handle the weight, choose a marble mantel. These are mined from marble quarries and handcrafted in the style of your choice. The majority of marble mantels are done in traditional styles such as Greco Roman, Italian, English or French. However, you can also buy a marble mantle in a very plain contemporary style, usually called a fireplace facing or fireplace surround. Marble mantles are only available in colors found in nature, such as white, black, green, tan, and brown.

A wood fireplace mantel is a less expensive alternative to marble and is versatile enough to fit in with any décor. Wood can be carved in a multitude of designs, from very traditional to very contemporary. There are many hardwoods to choose from, including, oak, maple, teak, and cherry, and they can be stained to match any color scheme. A masonry fireplace surround is typically an integral part of wood fireplace mantels. These can be made with brick, granite, or ceramic tile.

Cast stone mantels are a lightweight, inexpensive alternative to native stone. Made from a mixture of portland cement, gypsum, and crushed rock, a cast stone mantel can be shaped into a wide selection of designs and colors. They look heavy and imposing, but in reality weight only 200 to 400 pounds, which means they can be installed by two people.

Here are some tips for cleaning wood stove glass:
*Practice good burning technique to minimize soot buildup on your woodstove glass. Avoid burning softwoods like pine and birch, because they not only put soot on the glass, but they build up creosote in your chimney, which increases the risk of a chimney fire. Poplar seems safer as long as it’s properly seasoned and burned hot. Avoid burning wet or freshly cut firewood of any type for the same reason. Also give your fire plenty of air when you first add a log to the firebox. Let it burn at full draft until the fresh log is on fire and burning by itself. Only then should you choke down the draft to slow the fire down.

*Try using wet ashes to scrub your glass wood stove doors. Wood stove owners report that this works like a charm. They’re cheap and there’s no lack of supply. Use a dampened newspaper as a scrubber so you can just throw it away afterward.

*A glass cleaner with a silicone additive will help you go longer between cleaning your wood stove glass doors. Users also report that it makes cleanup faster and easier.

*Although some users report good results with ammonia-based window cleaners, others report that it leaves a rainbow sheen on the glass that’s difficult if not impossible to remove. If you try this technique, test the cleaner in a non-conspicuous area of your woodstove glass before you do the whole thing.

*Other wood stove owners have had good results scraping the glass gently with a single edge razor blade. This can indeed leave scratches on the glass, so proceed with caution.

*The safest cleaning medium for woodstove glass is the one recommended by the manufacturer: good old dish soap and water with white vinegar added.

*Jotul wood stoves have a built-in airflow glass cleaner that minimizes the need for cleaning. If you don’t mind paying for a top of the line stove, this is probably the best solution to the problem.

Wood burning stoves have different designs, depending on the brand, so not all of these suggestions will work for all units. Nonetheless, here is some general advice for keeping your wood heater in peak operating condition.

Adjusting the Wood Stove Door

A loose door on your woodstove means poor efficiency and increased buildup of soot. A clever way to test the tightness of the seal between the door and the stove body is to let the stove cool down and place a dollar bill along the door seal. Close the door with the bill sandwiched in between and try to pull it out. If you can slide it out easily, the door is loose, and you need to adjust the latch. If that doesn’t solve the problem, the door gasket probably needs replacing.

Wood Stove Door Gasket Replacement

Nowadays it’s unusual for a wood burning stove to be manufactured with a gasketless door, although some older designs are made this way. If your stove has a gasket, it will probably be made of fiberglass or asbestos and look like thick rope. Thicknesses vary, so if in doubt, pull the old gasket out of the door and bring it with you when you shop for a replacement. Wood heaters with a separate ash pan door might need a separate replacement gasket for that, too.

Many woodburning stove manufacturers sell door replacement kits online. If the kit doesn’t include stove gasket cement, you’ll need to purchase some; or if you can’t find any, use a good quality silicone caulk.

Gasket installation is fairly simple. Remove the old gasket, including removing the wood stove door if that makes the job easier. Clean out the gasket channel, first with a screwdriver, and then with coarse grade steel wool. Once the surface is clean, cut the gasket material to a length slightly longer than the perimeter of the door so you can tuck in the ends next to each other. Apply a beat of silicone or gasket cement along the channel and press the gasket into the cement. Allow it to dry, reinstall the stove door if you removed it earlier, and use the dollar bill test to see whether the seal is tight.

Many woodstoves are manufactured with clear ceramic doors so you can see the fire inside. These glass inserts need their gaskets replaced from time to time, although not as often as door gaskets. This type of gasket usually comes ready-made from the manufacturer and has a built-in adhesive strip that you press into place. Handle the glass inserts with care and be careful not to overtighten their fasteners, as they can crack under stress.

Painting Your Wood Stove

Most modern wood burning heaters are painted with a high temperature coating that needs to be touched up from time to time. Spray painting gives a superior finish over using a brush. Let the stove cool down fully, then mask off anything you want to proect from overspray. Use a paint made especially for woodstoves.

If you stove has a shiny surface, it has been enameled at the factory and can’t be repainted. You can still touch up nicks and chips using an exact color match from the manufacturer.

Check Your Wood Stove Firebrick

Many cast iron wood stoves are lined with firebrick to make them more efficient. Some modern designs use a low-density firebrick that’s certified by the EPA to perform better than conventional firebrick. If you have one or more cracked bricks, be sure to determine which type your stove has before you go shopping for a replacement.

Check the Wood Stove Baffles

Some wood stoves have a series of baffles inside the firebox to direct the heat through additional combustion chambers and increase efficiency. Baffles get constant exposure to fire and can fail over time, so you should inspect them regularly for cracks and warpage. If you need to replacement, consult your owner’s manual, and obtain the correct parts from a specialty store or the manufacturer.

Inspect the Catalytic Element

Catalytic elements make your stove burn cleaner, which keeps your chimney clean and your neighbors happy. These elements are made to last about six years with proper care. Maintenance consists of removing the unit from your wood stove and vacuuming it or brushing it gently. You should inspect it at that time for missing pieces or discoloration.

Glass screens have some real advantages. The high quality ones are a beautiful addition to your home. Unlike mesh curtain models, which interfere with your view of the flames, the glass doors let you see the fire clearly while it’s burning. They also make your fireplace more efficient by blocking the flow of air up the chimney while the fire is burning. They’re not as efficient as an airtight woodstove, but they’re a step in that direction from an open fire. When the fire isn’t burning, they’ll stop heat from leaking up the chimney too. Either way, you’ll save money on your heating bill.

Ceramic glass is your best choice when choosing fireplace doors. While tempered glass is stronger than ordinary glass, it doesn’t approach the heat resistance of ceramic. Ceramic costs more than tempered, but it actually radiates heat back into the room, much like a cast iron woodstove. Tempered glass actually blocks heat from the fire from entering the room, instead funneling it up the chimney. Although tempered glass increases efficiency over a mesh curtain screen, ceramic glass will result in even more energy savings for you.

Glass fireplace doors are vented, and you need to keep the vent clean and free of ash. You should inspect the vent often and make sure it’s clear. This is very important for keeping the unit burning efficiently. You should also make sure the seam where the doors join the fireplace is sealed and insulated. The less air that enters from the surrounding room, the more efficiently the fire will burn.

Glass doors do collect soot if they’re well sealed, and while this won’t make the fire burn any differently, it’s not very aesthetically pleasing. If you like a clear view of your fire, then you’ll either have to clean the doors every few weeks (a dirty job), or install a special system that cleans the doors automatically while the fire burns, called an airwash system.

Small children are a major concern if you have glass fireplace doors, and so are pets. The glass can get very hot, up to 400 degrees, and severe burns can result. If your kids are too young to understand fireplace safety, consider installing a safety gate in front of your fireplace if you’re going to use it while your children are awake.

Conventional fireplaces look great, but they’re inefficient because they’re not airtight, so they pull in huge amounts of air from the room, heat it up, and blast the heat straight up the chimney while sending only a small amount back into the room. Like all airtight woodstoves, an insert burns wood in an air-suffocation environment, capturing up to 50 percent more heat than an open fireplace.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certifies all new wood stoves, including inserts, so they have to conform to pollution and efficiency standards. Inserts can be made of cast iron or steel. The models with glass doors look great in any room and give the same atmosphere as an open fire, only far more efficiently.

It’s worthwhile to consider buying an insert that comes with a blower system, which traps even more heat from the sides and top of the insert and sending it back into the room. Thermostat systems attached to the blowers can give your insert performance much like a central heating system.

The U.S. National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) requires an insert to be installed with a connector flue section between the insert and the first section of chimney flue in your home. Canada’s regulations for chimney connection are even more strict. If you really want to play it safe, you’ll re-line your entire chimney when you have your insert installed. It costs more, but it will make the stove draft more efficiently, and you’ll save money in the long run on chimney cleaning costs.

Do you have a factory-built fireplace made of metal? Then you may run into complications if you try to install an insert, or even a woodstove, and vent it up the chimney of the prefab unit. If the prefab fireplace isn’t listed for this type of installation in its factory manual, then you can’t do it—at least, not and collect on your insurance policy if this type of unsafe installation practice results in fire damage to your home. A prefab fireplace usually has a round opening at the top that leads to the chimney, and is made of metal. A masonry fireplace is made of firebrick and vents up to an chimney flue made of terra cotta colored clay. The opening will usually be square.