Alternatives :|: Alternative FAQ's

FAQ's

What can you tell me about The Big Green Egg?
What can you tell me about Solar Heating?
What can you tell me about Pellet Stoves?
What can you tell me about Heat Pumps?
What can you tell me about Electric Fireplaces and Stoves?
What can you tell me about Electric BBQ’s?
When shopping for a new heating unit, customers will sometimes ask “what installation options do I have?”
As a new home builder or renovator what are my Fireplace Options?
Selling hearth products and bicycles is a unique combination, how did this come about?

What can you tell me about The Big Green Egg?

Are you ready to take your interest in BBQ’ing to another level? How about grilling delicious food the old fashioned way with natural charcoal? If you are, there is no better way to do it than with a Big Green Egg.

The Big Green Egg is the World’s Best BBQ and Smoker. It is made of ceramic and can reach temperatures as high as 750 degrees, which is great for searing your favorite steaks. The Hearth and Home Magazine recently reported that the Big Green Egg is the best known and best selling ceramic cooker and offers the greatest selection of sizes. We are not surprised at this because it happens to be our fastest growing BBQ.

There are many reasons why the Big Green Egg continues to grow in popularity;

It retains heat and moisture so your food does not dry out,

It produces the juiciest and most succulent food you will ever taste and

It uses natural lump charcoal, a renewable resource.

As a serious and dedicated cooker you will have lots of fun with this product by cooking everything from pizza to the Christmas turkey. In between you can experience juicy and flavorful steaks, roasted rack of lamb or slow smoked pork spareribs. And there are more benefits to the Big Green Egg!

You can cook year round,

Charcoal gives your food great flavor, and

It will make you the best chef in the neighborhood

To learn more about the Big Green Egg go to http://www.biggreenegg.com. There you will learn about unique cooking eggsperiences, direct from the eggsperts.

What can you tell me about Solar Heating?

Solar energy is a free, endless, environmentally friendly energy source. Using solar energy reduces utility bills, and the installation of solar collecting equipment in your home will provide a return on investment as high as 20% - all tax-free savings!

Knowing how to use this free energy will help determine the most effective manner to capture it. Energy in most homes in New Brunswick is consumed as follows:

60-65% for space heating

20-25% for domestic hot water heating, and

10-15% for appliances and lighting.

Determining the best type of system for your home will depend on its age and construction, the orientation of the sun to the house, your current heating system, the size of your family, and how your family uses energy in the home. Some families, for instance, use a large amount of hot water, and would be best served by installing a solar hot water heating system than a space heating one. Consulting with an experienced installer will help determine the best system for you.

Most solar heating systems can be installed in any existing home, and if you are building a new home, it is a wise investment that will save money for many years to come. If a solar heating system is not in your building budget, ask your builder to install the necessary piping or ductwork, so that you can save money and be solar-ready in the future. With the rising cost of oil and electricity, most solar thermal systems will pay for themselves in just a few years.

Solar energy is a renewable energy source that makes both economic and ecologic sense in today’s world. Other countries in both warm and cold climates have relied on solar for years to offset high traditional energy prices. Today’s systems are safe, affordable, and efficient, and should be considered for any home, old or new, that has a viable location.

What can you tell me about Pellet Stoves?

Pellet Stoves burn pellets that are made from waste sawdust. By using waste material and giving off only one to two grams of emissions per hour, pellet stoves have earned the reputation of being environmentally friendly.

A pellet stove can heat between 1400 and 2000 square feet. And one bag of pellets can last for 40 hours on low setting, or 24 hours on high setting. This results in a cost between 12 cents and 20 cents per hour (depending on the cost of pellets). Pellet stoves also need a source of power to operate the auger, fan and electronics but this only requires as much energy as two 100 watt light bulbs. A pellet stove will cost between $2,100 and $3,200 plus the cost of installation. Some customers have experienced a 3 to 5 year payback on their investment!! This is why pellet stoves have gained the reputation of being cost effective. There are however other advantages.

A pellet stove does not require a chimney going up through your house, so you have lots of flexibility as to where you locate your stove. A pellet freestanding stove can be vented to any outside wall or you can install your unit into an existing chimney, or into a masonry fireplace as a pellet fireplace insert.

Pellets are clean. They come in plastic bags for easy storing and transferring to your stove. And the long lasting burn makes them a great alternative for the family that is away from home all day.

Since pellet stoves require electricity you may want to consider purchasing a generator or battery pack in the event of a power shortage.

What can you tell me about Heat Pumps?

The Heat Pumps, which we carry in our store can heat up to 1000 sq. ft. at about one-third the cost of electric baseboard heating. So if you are looking to save some money, you will want to investigate the opportunities that might exist for you.

These units can be used a heater in the winter, an air conditioner in the summer and a de-humidifier all year round. If you have a room that needs extra heat in the winter, or cooling in the summer like a garage, basement or work area, a heat pump may be the answer.

There may be business applications as well. Is your staff too hot during the summer? Could your office or showroom be more comfortable for your customers? There are many applications for a heat pump.

These units are easy to install and consist of three parts; an interior wall unit, an outside compressor and a remote control. An installed heat pump should cost you less than $3,000.

We have one operating in our store, so come in and see for yourself.

What can you tell me about Electric Fireplaces and Stoves?

The quick answer is that they are wonderful products, but you definitely should shop around to see what is available. Let us first explain why they are wonderful products.

These hearth products provide instant ambiance and the romance of a wood fire. No venting is required, they can be operated with or without heat, they are easy to maintain and economical to operate. And they can be operated with a remote control!

Your interest in buying one of these units will be to enhance the living space in your home. You will want it to bring years of satisfaction. Do not be disappointed. Shop around. Here is what you should consider.

If you are looking for a fireplace, what size would you like? They range from 23 to 45 inches. How about the mantel? You can choose from a finish in mahogany, cherry, burnished walnut, or oak. White is also very popular. What trim options would you like? Satin nickel? Polished brass? Black radiance? How about a bay window or a unit with Victorian Styling? Take the time to find the right combination for your living space. Remember, you get what you pay for!

How about a built-in electric fireplace? These units can give you as much as 45 inches of viewing space. And since they are hard wired you get twice as much heat. These units are great for new construction or renovation projects.

Maybe you would like a corner unit. There are floor and wall models to choose from. And there are elegant entertainment centers where you place your TV in the cabinet above the fireplace.

When you are doing your shopping ask about warranties. The better the product… the better the warranty. And finally, ask about assembly and delivery, two services that you may find very valuable.

What can you tell me about Electric BBQ’s?

Recently we have added a new option for our customers, an electric BBQ. An electric BBQ is ideal for any location including backyards and patios, but is absolutely perfect for apartment and condo balconies where gas grills are impractical or not allowed.

The PowerChef Electric BBQ by Electraflame sears and cooks food fast and easy with mouth watering results. You can cook using the manual mode, which is really like any other BBQ or you can use PowerChef’s automated program. In the automated mode you tell PowerChef what meat you are cooking, the thickness and how well to cook the food. The control chimes when it is time to flip and when it is time to serve. Now could BBQ’ing be any more relaxing than that?

The PowerChef is made of restaurant quality stainless steel and plugs into a standard 120 volt power outlet. You will also find that the durable wheels provide for easy portability.

Now, here is a feature a lot of you will really like. Just flip up one of the dual elements to convert the BBQ into a rotisserie. This will ensure no flair ups while you cook those juicy roasts.

When shopping for a new heating unit, customers will sometimes ask “what installation options do I have?”

Let us start with an existing fireplace. If you have one, you could increase the efficiency by installing a wood burning insert, or you could convert it to a propane, natural gas or electric fireplace. If you have an old coal burning fireplace you might be interested in an electric burning unit. Another alternative would be to take any free standing stove (wood, oil, pellet or propane), place it in front of the fireplace and vent directly into the fireplace. In all of these situations, except for the electric, it will be necessary to upgrade your fireplace chimney.

If you want a new fireplace to enhance the atmosphere of a room, we would recommend propane, natural gas or electric. Any of these units, supplemented with a nice mantel, make a great addition to any room. Electric has the advantage of being portable. All that is needed is a 120 volt outlet.

Even with free standing units there are many alternatives. For instance, if you do not want to see the stove pipe then we would recommend a propane or pellet unit with direct venting. Direct venting is possible on any outside wall, and reduces the installation cost because you do not need a chimney. A wood stove built on a new hearth is another popular alternative. And of course with an electric free standing unit you can put it anywhere there is an outlet.

No matter what alternative you choose make absolute certain the installation is performed by a certified installer. Ask to see his certification if in doubt.

As a new home builder or renovator what are my Fireplace Options?

A fireplace can be a wonderful addition to a family room, a den, a bedroom or even a kitchen. It will add beauty and elegance to the living space and will provide a lovely atmosphere and ambiance to the room when in use. The heating options are wood, pellet, propane, natural gas or electric. But that is only the start. You then can choose from different door finishes (gold, nickel, metallic black, etc), and different surround trims. You can even opt for a bay window. And finally you can choose from a variety of mantels (cast, wood or stone) to add that final touch of elegance. And do not forget that electric fireplaces have the advantage of being portable. All that is needed is a 120 volt outlet.

A lot of home builders are installing wood burning fireplaces to supplement heat throughout their entire home. This trend could be due to concerns over energy costs or simply a desire to be safe and secure during power outages. In these situations heat is transferred to different zones in the home by ducting the fireplace into the furnace plenum for distribution through the central heating system’s ductwork. In other cases homeowners are using ducts to get heat into an adjoining room or two. Ducting can go in any direction, including down to the level below the fireplace!

A popular trend, for homeowners designing large family rooms, living rooms or dens, is to install a gas fireplace with flames that can reach as high as 18 to 20 inches (normal height is 4 to 6 inches). This of course is necessary to ensure that the flame is in proportion to the size of the living space. With numerous options available such as different mantels, firebox liners, log designs and flame patterns, new homeowner’s have complete control over the look of their fireplace.

And then in 2009 we saw the arrival of the wood burning Renaissance Rumford, the worlds first open hearth fireplace with 21st century clean burning technology. To learn more about this product go to http://www.renaissancefireplaces.com.

For the homeowner that is looking for an entirely different look there are now propane and natural gas fireplace wall units and corner units. And for a contemporary look you now have flames that rise over smooth river rock or tumbled glass.

Selling hearth products and bicycles is a unique combination, how did this come about?

This is a question we are asked quite often.

Well in our early years, 1977 to 1980, we sold only wood stoves and they were typically bought from September to December. Customers were interested in heat! So that left 8 very quiet months of the year. Bicycles were seen as a product that would create traffic and business during our slow months. We also tried solariums, windows, camping gear, canoes and fitness equipment. But it was bicycles, Thule Car racks and Oakley glasses that grew into enjoyable spring and summer product lines

It is interesting what has happened over the past number of years. Customers now buy wood, propane, oil, electric and natural gas stoves and fireplaces all year round. And cyclists ride in the winter as well as the summer.

We also have the advantage of giving younger family members something to look at when their parents are looking at hearth products!

Alternatives - Serving Greater Saint John since 1977