no signs of burnout

By BRIAN SODOMA
SPECIAL TO YOUR HOME

Living in the desert lends itself to a lot of talk about the hot summer days where the mercury tops 100 degrees. It’s the last place outsiders would think of as a hotbed for selling fireplaces and other fire-related amenities. But Luke Hoffman is one of many people living in the desert who says buying a home in Las Vegas without a fireplace just doesn’t feel right.

“Even in the desert, a fireplace is an upgraded amenity people definitely seek in their homes,” Hoffman said.

The marketing director for a local real estate firm, Majestic Properties, has been in the real estate and development business for nearly two decades, and he sees no sign of requests for fireplaces and other indoor and outdoor fire amenities slowing.

“Even in commercial spaces, you’ll see fire pits at Brio (Tuscan Grille), even at a PT’s (pub) around town. It’s been an attraction since caveman times. It’s soothing to watch, it’s warming and has a calming effect. I don’t think the fireplace is going out of style,” Hoffman added.

Aesthetics, trends

Chris LeCates, founder of Custom Specialties Group, which has been installing fireplaces in valley custom and tract homes for about 15 years, says today’s indoor fireplaces tend to be more linear and rectangular in shape, similar to wide-screen TVs.

“The traditional fireplace has taken a step back from that square or round look,” he added.

Locally, gas fireplaces are in greater demand, too, LeCates said. But there are also electric and alcohol-burning units with zero emissions.

“They (the alcohol units) are 100 percent clean, and the heat it generates stays in the home. The problem is you need to refill them. It’s kind of like refilling a propane tank for your grill,” he said.

LeCates says about 70 percent of the fireplaces he installs are for aesthetic reasons, not so much for heat.

Vicki Payne, whose home improvement and design TV show, “For Your Home,” is broadcast on PBS and Create TV, said from a design perspective, the fireplace is not really a focal point, but more of an accent in a room. And adding a fire accent has never been easier.

“The fireplace has never been a more important element than right now because of all the new products available for homeowners and designers,” she said, while adding that in the past if a home wasn’t built with a fireplace, it was difficult to add one. “Now it’s like plug and play with some of these electric and ventless fireplaces.” She said Dimplex and Napoleon have some of the more popular electric units.

Electric fireplaces also have seen a boost because many families were forced to move into smaller spaces as a result of the recession. And there are more apartment dwellers these days buying electric units as well, she added.

Outdoors

Payne also speaks to a movement to outdoor fire amenities such as chimineas and custom-built fire pits. She even talks up some of the store-bought fire pit kits.

“You can set one up in the afternoon and have it ready for guests in the evening,” she said.

LeCates also gets plenty of calls from homeowners wanting to build fire pits in their backyards, near a pool or as a conversation space surrounded by furniture. These designs also tend toward the long rectangular modern look as well.

“They’re almost like coffee tables in the backyard, but it’s a fire pit,” he said.

But Payne cautions homeowners considering adding an outdoor fire amenity to look at the entire yard and evaluate the flow of traffic with the fire feature in place before installing it.

“It creates a kind of social gathering place … and people tend to gather in a circle like a campfire,” she said. “Fireplaces in a home tend to be at the end of a living space or they cap off a corner. … You’ll need to think about where you’ll put tables or if you have to move the grill. Think about the way people will gather and use this new fire source and how you’ll accommodate that.”

Wood-burning units, logs

About 30 million American homes still have wood-burning fireplaces, according to Pine Mountain Firelogs brand manager Jeff Marvel. It’s this reality that has the nearly 50-year-old company still doing solid business.

There are still some people who want wood-burning fireplaces in the valley, too, LeCates said. But he estimates it’s only 2 percent of his business. A wood-burning fireplace installation requires it to be Environmental Protection Agency Phase 2 approved, he said, which means it must emit less than 5.1 grams of smoke per kilogram of burned wood.

For those who have chimineas or natural fire pits in their backyards who need firelogs, Pine Mountain’s offerings are growing. The company introduced its Yule-Logg this past year, which brings colorful dancing flames and a hint of cinnamon scent. Its ColorCrackle log is also popular with its crackling, colorful flames.

About 15 years ago, the company introduced its Java-Log, which is made with recycled coffee grounds. It’s still a hit today, and in 2001 Time magazine gave it a “Best Invention of the Year” distinction.

“All of these ideas really just come from directly talking to consumers,” Marvel said. “We have focus groups and find out what customers need.”

The recurring suggestions his company hears from customers is to create a product that burns cleanly, is easy to use and isn’t messy.

“Fire is very emotional. It’s a way to transform from chaos to peace and we like to bring products that help with that,” he said.

Efficiency

New building codes enforced in 2014 also mean manufacturers of gas units must create products with at least a 70 percent efficiency rating, LeCates said.

In the past, open-face units with air flues didn’t allow for optimal efficiency, he explained. Now, more fireplaces are sealed and come with a direct vent that doesn’t allow any room air to be exhausted into the atmosphere.

Considerable progress has been made with how cleanly logs burn, too. Pine Mountain’s logs emit less than 20 percent of the carbon monoxide of oak or Douglas fir wood and they only emit 25 percent of the particulate matter of oak wood and less than 50 percent of particulate matter of Douglas fir, according to the company’s website.

“One thing people don’t realize is how clean these logs really burn,” Marvel said.