Mobile Edition
Print
Get the Mag
Weekly Updates"Many people don't realize that wood is a green source of heat,'' says Martin Schweighardt, branch manager for Northern Fireplace in Saskatoon. "For one thing, wood is from a renewable resource, and a lot of wood fuel comes from deadfall that would otherwise be a wasted energy source." More importantly, he says, wood is considered 'carbon neutral' because trees convert carbon dioxide in the air into oxygen throughout their growth period and this balances out the amount of carbon dioxide returned back to nature when wood is burned.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Northern Fireplace has been operating for more than 15 years in Western Canada, retailing and servicing fireplaces, wood stoves, and natural gas barbeques. Headquartered in Regina, the company also has stores in both Saskatoon and Edmonton. Schweighardt has worked in all three branches. "There's a definite advantage to operating in Saskatchewan right now," he says. "We're not feeling the effects of the economic downturn in the same way as other places."
Even in a downturn, Schweighardt sees that his customers are most concerned about efficiency--particularly in an era of rising natural gas prices and increasing concern for the environment.
"One of the greenest things we do is to improve energy efficiencies," Schweighardt says, "especially in our home renovation work. Fireplaces today are so much more efficient than they were even 10 years ago."
Regulatory changes in both the United States and Canada have resulted in dramatic performance improvements and reduced emissions over earlier models. Today's fireplaces are designed to have two simultaneous combustion zones: one is the conventional flame of wood burning, and the second is the zone directly above this which burns off volatiles before they are released and significantly reduces emissions. Some models show an 80 per cent reduction in emissions and a 20 per cent gain in efficiencies over older designs. Fireplaces and wood stoves can also displace up to 70 per cent of the electricity used for space heating.
Such considerations are becoming more important to Schweighardt's customers. "Our busiest time of year is in the fall and winter--everybody wants a fireplace for Christmas," he says. "But we're finding ourselves increasingly busy all year round with home building and home renovation projects." Over the past few years in Regina and Saskatoon, the frenzy of new home construction made it difficult for home owners to get access to contractors for repairs and renovations. As new housing starts begin to level off, contractors are becoming more available and home renovations are on the rise.
Northern Fireplace also carries fireplaces, stoves and fireplace inserts that use biomass burners fuelled by clean-burning grain or wood pellets. Feed wheat, corn, or compressed-sawdust pellets are fed into a hopper, then an auger carries the grain or pellets to the heating element to maintain consistent burning and temperature. Some radiant heat is also delivered off the glass door. While the fuel is different, the appliance looks much the same as conventional fireplaces. "Grain burners tend to sell better from our Regina store," Schweighardt says. "There's not the same access to wood that you see in Saskatoon or Edmonton."
Grain and pellet burners use a wall thermostat to control an automatic ignition system. They can operate unattended (just as a furnace can) as long as the appliance is filled with fuel. Even though Saskatchewan is known as a major grain producer, grain burners are still new to many here. In other areas of the world, grain burners are built to use several different kinds of biomass, such as black oil sunflower seeds, peanut shells, flax straw, even cherry pits.
Another important way to ensure energy efficiency, Schweighardt says, is to regularly maintain your fireplace, "Just like a furnace, you should service your fireplace at least every two to three years."
Martin Schweighardt likes the way his industry is moving, with a greater awareness of efficiencies, customer needs and environmental consideration. "Everyone is striving to get the highest efficiencies out there. For a long time, manufacturers weren't listening to consumers," Martin says. "Now, there are many more choices available."
FEED