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You finally have the fireplace and fireplace supplies you have always wanted. You dream of sitting around it with family and friends on long winter evenings all snug and warm has come true. You have had the chimney or vents properly cleaned and inspected and you are all set to go...except where do you get quality fireplace supplies?
What about buying fireplace accessories like ash buckets, tool sets, a fireplace remote control or fireplace covers? If you have ever wondered how to find the best place for your fireplace supplies then you should read this article on how to find the right vendors of fireplace fuels and accessories locally.
Finding Quality Supplies Locally
Have you ever thought out loud, "How do I buy firewood?" or "Where can I buy coal for my fireplace?" if you are like many new fireplace owners, these questions and others like it can be very frustrating. After all most modern city dwellers don't have a quick and easy access to wood or coal.
But with some research you should be able to find enough firewood to suit your needs. First you should determine your actual fuel needs. If you are using firewood, you should map out how many days you plan on using your fireplace and how many hours you plan to having burning.
A good stack of wood (3-6 pieces) can burn anywhere from 4 to 8 hours depending on various factors like your fireplace design, wood stacking, air drafts, etc. So once you determine how many days you plan on burning your wood...say you want to burn a fire every weekend from November to March. Roughly that would be about 16 weeks or 12-20 pieces of firewood per week. It's been estimated that there is approximately 600 or so pieces of timber in a "cord" of firewood. Firewood is traditionally sold in "cords".
In the US, a cord has a standard measurement of 128 cubic feet or pile of wood stacked 4ft high by 4ft wide by 8 ft long. This is basically 2 full-size pick-up truck loads of wood or 4 compact pick-up truck loads. An average cord of wood can weigh around 5600 lbs (give or take for moisture).
A smaller quantity of wood is the "face" cord or a "rick" of wood which is roughly 1/3 the size of standard cord. Or you can buy firewood by the "pick-up truck load" which varies depending on the size of the truck bed. As you can see, if you buy more than an even a small amount of wood, you will soon have to find adequate space to store it safely. What about coal? While you can use coal in certain fireplaces (coal burns hotter than wood), in many US urban areas you will have to check with local air regulations concerning using it and basically finding coal for domestic use is becoming extremely difficult.
Once you have determined your fuel needs, check all your local fireplace retailers and dealers. Some fireplace dealers and merchants may know who in your area provides households with fire wood. Next check the classified listings in your local newspapers or on an online merchant directory that serves your region. Local Dealers are the Best Places to Look for Your Supplies & Accessories. Many vendors also have parts and offer technical support for many different fireplace makers and fireplace inserts.
Depending on your local dealer, you should have access to a wide array of fireplace tool sets, fire screens, grates, log holders and ash cans and hearth cleaning equipment and fireplace supplies.
