I'll never forget the first dinner party my husband and I had many years ago. The food was in the oven, the table was set, the house was spotless, and then disaster struck. We decided to light a fire to create a warm, welcoming ambiance on that cool, fall day. The house immediately filled up with smoke. Every smoke detector went off. Thinking the damper must be closed, we fiddled with the knob on our stone fireplace -- and even more smoke came in. We ran to the kitchen to get a pot of water, threw it over the burning logs, and -- you guessed it -- even more smoke. Our guests arrived just as we were fanning the doors and opening all the windows. We later learned that a squirrel had built a nest in our chimney.
Once we got up the courage to try a fire again -- after the nest was removed -- we had pretty much the same experience. Once again, the house filled with smoke. Only this time, the problem was that the logs were still "green," meaning they had too much moisture in them to burn properly.
As lovely as a real fire is, we gave up and installed gas logs instead. I loved the convenience of a switched-on fire. Aesthetically, they certainly looked like the real thing -- with a good-sized flame, glass doors that opened and a screen. However, I was disappointed to discover that they gave off virtually no heat.
So now that I'm fireplace shopping for the family room of our new home, I have a pretty good idea of what I want. I'd like to sit by a blazing gas fire and feel the heat. Most important, I want a gas fireplace that looks like a wood-burning one. I want the look without the hassle.
"Sales of gas fireplaces will continue to ignite because they blend the ancient desire for fire with the modern desire for one that's fast and simple," says a recent issue of Building Products magazine.
Williams Fazzolari, operations manager of Wilkinson Fireplace Mantels in Mississauga, says gas-fireplace companies are constantly refining their designs to make them look more realistic.
The ceramic logs, moulded from real wood, increasingly look as if they come from a wood pile. Some are charred or split. Others even glow like a real log when the flame touches them, complete with glowing embers below. The flames are now more substantial, unlike the puny gas flames of yesteryear. Some companies even add glass chips to the firebox to make the flames flicker. "It's the ultimate goal for the consumer to have a flame just as realistic as the real thing," says Mr. Fazzolari.
He says one of the first things people notice is how deep the fireplace is. If it's a narrow box -- only about 13 inches deep -- it'll never have the look of an authentic fireplace. "They're used to seeing a deeper box," he says. Most wood-burning fireplaces are about 17 to 22 inches deep, so he recommends sticking with the same measurement for a gas model.
A deep, basic black firebox, however, won't look like the real thing without firebricks on its walls. A ceramic firebrick kit is an extra with most models. Another way to create that wood-burning look is to choose a model with doors and a screen. Mr. Fazzolari warns that adding options -- at about $200 apiece for things like a fan kit, remote control, fascia upgrade and a firebrick kit --can quickly make the price skyrocket. "It's just like buying a brand-new car. Options after options. Most people think that what they see is what they get," he says, adding that the fireplaces in showrooms are usually "fully loaded."
To complete the authentic experience, consumers can buy incense with a wood fragrance, or a device called a Pine Cone Crackler. This battery-run gadget in the shape of a pine cone plays the sound of a crackling fire.
Mr. Fazzolari says there are three main gas-fireplace manufacturers in North America: two Canadian companies -- Napoleon and CFM Majestic -- and the U.S. firm Heat'n Glo. As determined as I am to buy Canadian products whenever possible, I find a Heat'n Glo model that's perfect for my family room. The flame, which can be adjusted, looks like a genuine crackling fire. "Heat'n Glo has the best-looking flame," says Mr. Fazzolari, who carries all the leading brands.
The thing I'm most excited about is that I can order a gas fireplace without that narrow, louvered panel you see on most models. I think eliminating the louvered panel - which screams "gas fireplace" - is crucial to achieving an authentic, wood-burning look. I can replace the panel, needed for air circulation, with one of six decorative designs (one modern, three classic, a leaf pattern, and one of a deer and pine trees). The panels and doors come in several different finishes, including black, pewter and an ultra-modern brushed nickel. I'm going to stick with classic black, with two arched doors.
A new feature on the unit I've selected eliminates the need for a pilot light when the fireplace isn't on. Al McElroy of Hearth Technologies Toronto says most people don't realize that it costs about $10 to $20 a month to keep a pilot light running.
Once I add a slate, marble or limestone surround, a custom-made mantel and installation costs, the total will top $5,000. It's a lot of money, and there are less expensive models and options available, but Mr. Fazzolari says homeowners should try to get exactly what they want. "It's not like a couch; it's not like a refrigerator, where you can dispose of it and get something trendier. It becomes part of the house," he says. "Look around. Shop around."
Special to The Globe and Mail