# FAQ

- Link: https://hearthsidepatio.com/about-us/faq/
- Published: 2019-12-09T01:53:23-05:00
- Author: John Mazza

# Frequently Asked Questions

### Hearth

Fireplace Troubleshooting Video[hearthsideri](https://hearthsidepatio.com/author/hearthsideri/)
2022-01-28T10:51:40-05:00

#### Fireplace Troubleshooting Video

A video that will help diagnose troubles lighting your gas fireplace.

 

[https://youtu.be/-I8P3X1fe7E](https://youtu.be/-I8P3X1fe7E)

How to Make Sure Cord Wood is Seasoned[John Mazza](https://hearthsidepatio.com/author/johnm/)
2021-04-05T22:09:06-04:00

#### How to Make Sure Cord Wood is Seasoned

Many homeowners come into our stores looking to purchase a wood stove or insert.
Burning wood has been a part of our “human nature” since the dawn of time. And since
that time, humans have known one simple fact about burning wood: dry wood burns 
better!

However, freshly cut wood can contain as much as 50% – 80% moisture by weight. If
you have ever seen wood “spitting” and steaming when thrown into the fire, that’s
an indication that the wood is still wet. In fact, when the wood is wet (>35% moisture
content), over 1/2 the energy content of the wood is lost boiling the water out 
of the wood itself. This means that you have to burn twice as much wood as necessary
to generate the desired heat. In addition, burning wet wood results in a COLD draft
in the chimney since the energy lost in boiling the water out of the wood is not
available to heat the draft. This results in stoves that are difficult to light,
back “puff” into the home, and substantial creosote being generated in the chimney.

## Buying Cord Wood to Burn

Whenever you see hardwood or cord wood advertised for sale, it always states that
it is “Seasoned”. Unfortunately, that’s frequently not true. Since seasoning cord
wood takes approximately 9-18 months, the amount of physical space required to store
500+ cords of wood (typical for a good scale wood sales operation) is simply not
economically feasible for most people selling hard wood to access. Simply put, companies
selling “seasoned” wood just don’t have the physical space necessary to truly season
the wood. So what do they do? They sell wood that is 3 – 6 months old, and call 
it “seasoned”.

## So how do you make sure that your cord wood is seasoned?

The only sure way is to season it yourself. How do you do this? Simple enough – 
do it yourself!

Cut to length (16″ typically – longer for larger stoves)
 Split lengthwise Stacked
off the ground in the open air, with the top (but not sides) covered with plywood
or a tarp Let sit for 12+ months before burning

From a practical sense, this means that if you burn 2 cords of wood each season,
you need to have space to store 4 cords – 2 to burn this season, and 2 that are 
seasoning for the next season.

When purchasing cord wood, I will call in the Spring (when no one is calling) and
ask for green-split wood…and ask for the best price, since I don’t expect it to 
be seasoned. Then I stack it and let it season for around 18 months.

If you follow this method, you will never have issues with wet wood.

Which is better, Vented Gas Logs, or Vent-Free Gas Logs?[John Mazza](https://hearthsidepatio.com/author/johnm/)
2025-04-04T11:39:47-04:00

#### Which is better, Vented Gas Logs, or Vent-Free Gas Logs?

**Vented Log Sets**

Vented Gas Logs are designed to use right in your traditional wood-burning fireplace.
Vented sets are the best way to achieve an experience close to that of burning real
wood. Realistic flames surround the edges of logs and ascend high into your firebox,
just the way that wood burns naturally. Besides the installation of the gas line,
no major modification needs to be done to your existing fireplace, barring unforeseen
issues. Vented Gas Logs have been around for over 20 years, and are the tried and
true method to achieving a hassle free and beautiful fire on a cold evening.

When Vented Gas Logs are in use, the fireplace damper must be in the open position.
This is because Vented Log sets do not burn as efficiently or a cleanly as Ventless
of Vent-Free sets do. They still, however, burn much more cleanly than a fireplace
that burns wood. This type of burn creates a more natural looking flame, and cuts
down on cost per unit.

**Ventless Log Sets**

The main draw of a Ventless Gas Log installation the amount of heat output it is
capable of. Ventless Gas Logs are able to operate with the fireplace damper closed.
This way the heat circulates into the room rather than up the chimney. This leads
to efficient and low-cost heating of your room. In situations of power loss, a Ventless
Gas Log set can even be used as a backup heat source.

Since burning material of any kind creates a certain amount of carbon monoxide, 
one may wonder how an unvented log set can safely operate. [Unvented Log Sets](https://hearthsidepatio.com/product-type/hearth/hearth-accessories/gas-logs/)
actually burn so hot that nearly 100% of the fuel is combusted. This decreases the
amount of soot and carbon monoxide generated down to a negligible level, allowing
Ventless Gas Log sets to operate in a safe manner.

Another byproduct of using a Ventless Log Set is a small amount of moisture. In 
the winter months this moisture can behttps://hearthsidepatio.com/product-category/
whitinsville-gas-logs/ beneficial in a dry room. If you are also using a humidifier,
excess moisture may result in condensation on windows.

For an additional safeguard, Ventless Gas Log Sets are always equipped with an Oxygen
Depletion Sensor. An ODS measures the amount of available oxygen in the room and
will turn off the burner before the oxygen in the room reaches a dangerous level.
The method in which this fuel burns can be thought of as similar to how a natural
gas range works in your kitchen. The burner on your range is specifically designed
to achieve a clean and smokeless flame. The technology available in Ventless Gas
Log Sets on the market today works on similar principles.

Possibly the most potentially problematic issue with Ventless Gas Log is the potential
for sooting. Ventless gas logs must be burned exactly as the manufacture specified.
If the logs are mis-aligned or some foreign object falls into the log set, it can
and will produce soot, which, over time, will deposit over the living area.

Another disadvantage of Ventless Logs are that the flame is generally smaller. A
realistic flame is still possible, but it may not be as large as a flame from a 
Vented set of comparable size.

In general, if you can use Vented Gas Logs, that is our recommendation. However,
there are certain installations where only a Ventless Gas Log set makes sense, and
we can help you with that selection.

How do I light the pilot on my fireplace?[John Mazza](https://hearthsidepatio.com/author/johnm/)
2020-08-25T11:06:10-04:00

#### How do I light the pilot on my fireplace?

Here is a [link](https://www.heatnglo.com/shopping-tools/blog/how-to-light-a-standing-pilot#:~:text=Locate%20the%20control%20knob%2C%20push,wait%20five%20minutes%20and%20retry.)
to a great video from HeatnGlo on how to light your pilot.

Wood Stove or Pellet Stove? Which is right for me?[John Mazza](https://hearthsidepatio.com/author/johnm/)
2021-03-31T21:07:43-04:00

#### Wood Stove or Pellet Stove? Which is right for me?

As fall approaches, we begin to say goodbye to scorching days and nights and prepare
to say hello to the colder ones. As that transition gets underway, we become more
concerned with heating and begin to evaluate our options for the cool months ahead.
There’s always the option of more expensive home heating via gas, but what about
a good old fire? Any home can be equipped with a stove. But which type should you
choose? Here the decision comes down to wood vs. pellet stoves, and each has its
own ups and downs. Let’s take a look.

Buying Your Stove
 Wood Stove

You want a new stove, so the first consideration will likely be price. There’s a
lot to love about wood and pellet stoves, but the price tag will undoubtedly stand
out. So how do the options stack up?

Wood Stoves
 Wood stoves average around $3,000 – $4,200 when you factor in the cost
of bringing in a pro installer. For a premium model with all the bells and whistles,
you may be looking at about $5,000. If your home has a chimney and a preexisting
fireplace unit, installation may be simplified and you may be able to save money
and opt for a fireplace insert, which sits directly inside the fireplace’s firebox.
If not, you’re looking at lofty fees to fashion a ventilation system.

Pellet Stoves
 On the other hand, pellet stoves come in anywhere from $1,700 – $
3,000 prior to installation fees, and could total $3,500 – $4,000 when all is said
and done. That’s already lower than the higher price points of wood stoves, plus
pellet stoves are able to be ventilated through a small hole in the wall, making
them able to be installed anywhere in the room and saving on chimney costs.

With cost and installation flexibility, the better bet has to be a pellet stove.

The Cost of Fueling Your Stove
 wood pellets

The primary difference between pellet and wood stoves is their fuel source.

Wood Stoves
 Wood stoves operate much like fireplaces in that they burn logs. This
is generally convenient and cost-effective, as firewood can at times be harvested
and seasoned on your own property (free wood!) or bought by the cord from stores
for low sums.

Pellet Stoves
 Pellet stoves utilize wood pellets for fuel, composed of sawdust 
or small wood chips. These chips are added to a reservoir to be burned. Pellets 
are harder to come by as they are specially manufactured (not available in your 
own backyard) and not everyone sells them. This fuel must be purchased from other
areas in the US, making them somewhat less common, though plenty of regions carry
them. Using pellets means planning to buy and ship the item to use.

In either case, according to the Department of Energy, you should expect to pay 
about $190 for a **[cord of wood](https://hearthsidepatio.com/faq-items/cord-wood-how-to-make-sure-its-seasoned/)**
or ton of pellets (at 6.5 cords or 7.3 tons of pellets per season, factoring in 
that a ton equals 1.5 cords). Pellets are slightly higher in price per year, though
they burn longer than wood. So, given both the abundance of and cost per season 
for natural wood, wood is a winner over pellets, as it’s both affordable and accessible

Powering Your Stove
 Pellet Stove Hopper

Another aspect that distinguishes wood and pellet stoves is power.

Wood Stoves
 Wood stoves work essentially like fireplaces—add wood, light it, stoke
as needed, etc. They operate completely free of power such as electricity, making
them usable anytime as long as the timber is available.

Pellet Stoves
 Pellet stoves rely on power no matter what. Electricity is a cornerstone
in their operation, so when the power goes out, so does your fire. The electricity
powers a motorized hopper that feeds the pellets into the stove. It is possible,
however, to run your stove on a UPS backup battery or generator during power outages.

So what wins on power? In this instance, wood does. Got dry wood and a match? You’ll
have fire. Pellet stoves require extra resources and expenses. With the electricity
used for such a unit, you may be left in the cold during a power outage, all the
while paying for 100 kilowatt-hours each month (about $9).

Lean, Mean, and Green
 a wood stove chimney

Pellet and wood stoves vary in their degrees of “greenness.”

Wood Stoves
 EPA-certified wood-burning stoves are tightly regulated, releasing 
between 2 – 7.5 grams of smoke into the air every hour— an improvement over those
of the olden days that emitted 40+ grams. According to the Biomass Energy Centre
in the UK, when burned, wood releases 0.00612 pounds per kilowatt-hour of CO2.

Pellet Stoves
 Pellet stoves, however, emit almost no smoke—less than 1 gram per
hour. With such a small footprint left behind, the EPA doesn’t monitor them. Additionally,
as pellets are essentially wood waste, using them is a form of recycling, keeping
wood particles out of landfills. According to the Biomass Energy Centre in the UK,
when burned, pellets release 0.035 pounds of CO2 per kilowatt-hour.

So for greenness, which stove comes out on top? Pellets stoves. While both wood 
and pellet stoves have come a long way toward operating cleaner and greener, pellet
stoves have minimal smoke and CO2 impacts and also promote recycling. Both fuels
are “carbon-neutral” and are not considerable hazards.

Stove Safety
 wood stove fire

“Playing with fire” is risky business all around and one must take necessary safety
precautions when tending to a fire. Everything from using appropriate kindling to
wearing gloves may be essential. Beyond this, however, are the safety factors of
the stoves themselves.

Wood Stoves
 Wood stoves give off flame sparks, which may lead to burns, and these
units could accumulate creosote deposits resulting in dangerous house fires down
the road. Additionally, firewood has the potential to bring mold or pests into the
home from outside.

Pellet Stoves
 Pellet stoves burn cleaner and safer, without the risk of harming
you or your home. The contained flames keep your family safe from flying embers 
and sparks, however, the pellet stove will become hot to the touch. All members 
of your household should be made aware that the stove will become very hot, and 
efforts should be made to keep pets away from the device.

In terms of immediate safety, wood stoves get a big thumbs-down here, leaving pellet
stoves to take center stage. Sparks, creosote buildup, and house fires from wood
stoves are great risks associated with wood stoves. Pellet stoves contain flames
and prevent users from getting unexpected burns from flying burning debris.

Maximum Performance
 pellet-stove

Your stove is there to keep you warm, so which type does that better? This all depends
on the units of heat measure, or BTUs and how effectively they’re used between the
fuel sources and getting heat to your space. Each stove uses great amounts of BTUs
to burn logs or pellets throughout the season. However, not all of this energy is
converted into usable heat.

Wood Stoves
 Firewood is used by the cord (stacked wood equaling 4 feet high x 8
feet long x 4 feet deep). According to the Department of Agriculture, every cord
utilizes 15.3 million BTUs. In heating your home, you benefit from 10.7 million 
BTUs out of that total, enjoying a stove efficiency level of 70%.

Pellet Stoves
 On the other hand, pellets come in 40-lb bags and the stoves have
a BTU output of 13.6 million per ton of pellets. From this, you soak up 11.3 million
BTUs of heat. The result is greatly improved efficiency over wood stoves, coming
in at about 83%.

Pellet stoves come out on top.

Stove Maintenance
 chimney sweep

Some maintenance is required no matter what type of stove you opt for. Cleanings,
component checks and more all must factor in.

Wood Stoves
 Wood stoves are maintained like chimneys, requiring that a certified
chimney sweep be brought in annually to do an inspection of the system, including
the flue and other components, and need to have residue and soot cleaned out periodically.
A major maintenance consideration for wood stoves is inspecting the catalytic combustor,
and that must be done 3 times per season alone.

Pellet Stoves
 Pellet stoves, however, are simple to maintain, so long as you follow
manufacturer recommendations. It may be as simple as checking the working order 
of motors and fans or removing excess debris. Maintaining a pellet stove is a straightforward
and potentially less-costly process. You can do much of the checks yourself by following
guidelines and don’t need to pay for as many inspections. However, if your pellet
stove needs serviced, finding repairmen with the necessary skills can be difficult,
and repairing one of the three motors or electronic circuit boards can become costly.

Pellet stoves win here, too.

Aesthetics
 wood stove

Ok, admit it. After all of this talk about wood and pellet stoves, you’re wondering,
which is prettier? Well, each option comes in a variety of shapes and models designed
to fit well with your home décor, many fit into preexisting fireplaces and still
others are freestanding models that may be moved if necessary. Both wood-burning
and pellet stoves are made to be attractive whilst being functional. Therefore, 
the deciding factor here has to be the burn itself.

Wood Stoves
 When you look into a wood-burning unit, you see orange flames licking
at dried, aged logs. Still more, you take in the smoky aroma of the burning timber.

Pellet Stoves
 Pellet stoves have the same bright flames, however, that “wow” factor
may be diminished for some, as the logs you’d expect to see are replaced by minuscule
fragments.

Aesthetically-speaking, then, wood’s got it won.

In the war of wood vs. pellet stoves, you may still wonder which stove is the better
option. Strictly speaking, pellet stoves may be a better investment due to such 
factors as maintenance, efficiency, safety, and more. But ultimately, the decision
lies with you. What things are most important? If it’s the crackle of logs burning,
wood may be good too! YOU decide!

### Harman Pellet Stoves

Regular Cleaning for a Harman Pellet Stove / Insert[John Mazza](https://hearthsidepatio.com/author/johnm/)
2021-04-01T03:30:17-04:00

#### Regular Cleaning for a Harman Pellet Stove / Insert

Regular cleaning of your Harman Pellet stove or insert is necessary to keep your
stove running properly. The frequency can vary from just a few days to a couple 
of weeks, depending on usage, quality of the pellets, and the stove capacity for
ash collection. The following steps are necessary:

**Vacuum Firebox
 
Using a vacuum that is designed for Ash (steel hose, steel body),
vacuum the firebox completely clean.

**Scrape Heat Exchanger
 
Using the Harman Arrow tool, scrape the heat exchangers(
either along the back wall or roof of the firebox). Then vacuum the ash that falls.

**Scrape Burn Pot
 
Using the flat end of Harman Arrow tool, or a large flat head
screwdriver, vigorously scrape the burn pot until you are SURE there is no residual
carbon built up. If the carbon builds up, it will INSULATE the ignitor, and prevent
the stove from automatically lighting.

**Vacuum Ignitor Compartment
 
On the bottom of the fire pot, there are two wing
nuts holding a cover in place. Remove the cover plate, and using a toothpick, from
the top of the fire pot, poke thru all the holes to clean out any ash in the holes.
Then, from the bottom cover plate, vacuum the compartment clean. If there is ash
built up in this compartment, the automatic ignitor will not function.

**Clean Glass
 
Using a non-ammonia-based glass cleaner, or a wood stove glass cleaner,
clean the glass with paper towels.

If you follow these directions regularly, your Harman stove will give you years 
of energy-efficient enjoyment and savings. Please also be careful of the _**[number of blinks on your Harman Pellet stove](https://hearthsidepatio.com/faq-items/what-do-the-blinks-mean-on-my-pellet-stove/)**_.

Installing Harman Stoves with a setback Thermostat[John Mazza](https://hearthsidepatio.com/author/johnm/)
2021-04-06T00:27:37-04:00

#### Installing Harman Stoves with a setback Thermostat

All Harman pellet units can utilize a setback thermostat. The thermostat must be:

 * Millivolt compatible
 * Have gold contacts
 * be low voltage
 * be low current

Harman recommends the following Honeywell units for this use:

 * RTH230B
 * RTH6300B

If there is a jumper between Rh and Rc, it must be removed from the terminal block
of the thermostat. The thermostat must be connected in series with the room sensing
probe using the Rh and W terminals of the thermostat. Except with the P38, which
has no room sensing probe, the set-back thermostat MUST be used in conjunction with
the room sensing probe.

There are two modes of operation as well:

**Occupied Mode: (someone’s home)**
 Set the thermostat to its max temp setting.
The stove room-sensing probe will control room temperature, so set the desired room
temp on the stoves temp dial.

**Unoccupied Mode: (no one home)**
 Program the thermostat to the desired set-back
temp. When the thermostat opens (is satisfied) the stove will go into a 4-blink 
status. If the stove is a auto-ignite model and the auto/manual switch is in auto,
the stove will shut down. When the thermostat closes (calls for heat) the 4-blink
status will reset and the stove will ignite. If the stove is a manual ignition model,
or an auto-igniting unit with the selector switch set to manual, the stove will 
go into the 4-blink status when the thermostat opens (is satisfied) and the stove
will go to a minimum burn and stay there until the thermostat closes (calls for 
heat). When the thermostat closes, the 4 blink status will reset automatically.

Consult your owners’ manual for a description of the 4-blink status. This error 
occurs when the contril board senses the room sensing probe isn’t connected or has
failed. This happens with the thermostat in series, since when the thermostat opens(
is satisfied), there is a loss of continuity in the room-sensing circuit. The 4 
blink status automatically resets when the board recognizes the room-sensing probe
has been reconnected (ie: when the thermostat closes and calls for heat).

What do the “Blinks” mean on my Pellet Stove?[John Mazza](https://hearthsidepatio.com/author/johnm/)
2021-04-06T01:09:09-04:00

#### What do the “Blinks” mean on my Pellet Stove?

 * 1 Blink: Indicates control board self diagnostic failure. This requires a manual
   reset*.
 * 3 Blinks: Indicates ESP (Exhaust Sensing Probe) failure. This requires a manual
   reset*.
 * 4 Blinks: Can occur only in Room Temp Mode and indicates Room Sensing Probe failed
   or not installed. If a Room Sensing Probe is then installed, the status light
   will automatically reset. The Room Sensing Probe is the thick black wire coming
   out of the pellet stove/insert. NOTE: Unit will not start in “AUTO” with this
   status error.
 * 5 Blinks (In Igniter Auto. Mode Only): Indicates that the unit has failed to 
   light after 4 consecutive igniter cycles, 32 minutes total. To reset – Turn Mode
   Selector to “OFF”, then turn to either mode again.
 * 6 Blinks : Indicates that the control has calculated poor or incomplete combustion
   occurring for more than 50 minutes. See Troubleshooting section for more details.
   A six blink status may be set if the stove is allowed to run out of pellets. 
   To reset, turn mode selector to “OFF” then back on to the desired mode. If the
   unit was not out of pellets, see Troubleshooting section of owners manual for
   more details.

## Instagram Inspiration

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