Clean Sweeps of Michigan's Blog

Our Partnership with Regency’s Green Initiative

At Clean Sweeps of Michigan, we are dedicated to helping our customers use their heating appliances in environmentally friendly, sustainable ways. To support this, we are proud to partner with Regency Fireplace Products for their new green initiative! Regency strives to create heating appliances and products that allow homeowners to enjoy their fireplaces while lessening their carbon footprint and minimizing environmental impact.

About Regency Fireplaces

Founded in Vancouver, Canada in 1979, Regency Fireplace Products has become a world leader in fireplace design and manufacture. Regency is dedicated to the four cornerstones of a great fireplace: beautiful aesthetics, clean and efficient burning, high quality, and good value.

Regency is dedicated to creating environmentally friendly fireplace products. The first way they do this is through ensuring all fireplaces, stoves, and inserts meet or exceed the emissions standards set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA. These standards are designed to improve fireplace efficiency while also reducing particulate emissions, carbon dioxide, and smoke; this makes the air cleaner while fireplaces are in use.

In addition to meeting EPA standards, Regency fireplaces are designed to burn more completely; the special firebox design creates more air flow through the firebox, allowing the wood to burn more completely and reducing the amount of ash that is left behind. This reduces the amount of fuel that is needed – as well as making it easier to clean out the firebox. Likewise, Regency products create up to 50 times less smoke per hour than traditional wood heating appliances, improving air quality in and outside of your home.

Other ways Regency goes green

There are a number of ways that Regency strives to lessen their carbon footprint and create a green environment. First, Regency uses recycled materials in the workplace; this has allowed them to become a nearly waste-free business. This dedication to reducing waste extends through the manufacturing process. Their special manufacturing process is designed to maximize efficiency by eliminating unnecessary steps and processes to ensure that there is as little waste as possible.

When new fireplaces and hearth products are shipped to retailers and consumers, biodegradable foam and bags are used. While traditional foam and packing materials can be environmentally hazardous and are not biodegradable, their special packing materials are both better for the environment while ensuring the products are not damaged during shipping.

In addition to creating environmentally friendly products and reducing waste in their office and manufacturing process, Regency is proactively helping the environment. For every Excalibur, Hampton, or Regency fireplace sold, Regency plants a tree. These trees can help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in their atmosphere, aiding in reducing global warming, as well as the impact fireplaces, have on the atmosphere.

Our promise to go green!

Living and working in pure Michigan, Clean Sweeps of Michigan understands the importance of protecting our natural environment. Because of this, we are proud to partner with companies like Regency Fireplace Products who are as dedicated to going green as we are! For more information on Regency’s green initiative or to learn how you can make your fireplace more environmentally friendly, contact us  today!

Alternatives To Propane Heating

For years, propane has been one of the most popular fuel sources for around the home. Clean burning and inexpensive, propane are used to power grills, heat homes, and more. Recent propane shortages have led to an increase in prices – and a decrease in availability; because of this, many homeowners are looking for alternatives to propane for their homes.

At Clean Sweeps of Michigan, our fireplace store has a variety of choices as alternatives to propane. Our staff of fireplace experts can help you find the right heating appliance to keep your home warm and toasty – without propane – this winter!

Other gas fireplaces and inserts

If your fireplace burns propane, switching to natural gas can be an easy transition. Like propane, natural gas is clean burning,inexpensive, and provides energy efficient heat at the push of a button. Existing propane fireplaces can often be easily converted to natural gas; our fireplace store has a wide variety of inserts in various sizes and styles to meet both your home’s heating needs and existing décor.

Wood burning fireplaces, stoves, and inserts

Wood burning heating appliances have come a long way from their inefficient origins. Modern wood-burning stoves, fireplaces, and inserts can be used as either primary or supplementary heat sources; with virtually unlimited choices when it comes to heat output, style, and more. Our fireplace experts can help you find the perfect wood burning heating appliance for your home.

While wood does not have the same push-button ease as gas, it is considered a more environmentally friendly fuel source. Modern wood heating appliances are more energy efficient and “carbon neutral”, creating the same amount of carbon dioxide as naturally decaying wood. Likewise, wood is a renewable resource; this helps keep supply steady and prices low. Homeowners can make wood even more affordable by chopping and seasoning their own firewood.

Pellet fireplaces, stoves, and inserts

For homeowners who want the look and feel of wood with the efficiency and ease of use of gas, pellets may be the perfect fuel source. Pellet heating appliances are fed using a hopper; while the fires do not need to be tended or stoked, the hopper needs to be occasionally refilled. Wood pellets come in large bags that can be stacked and stored in garages, sheds, or even outdoors. With a price comparable to firewood, pellets can be purchased at most home improvement or hardware stores.

Like wood, pellets are considered environmentally friendly because they are made from a renewable resource. Made by compressing recycled wood pieces that are too small to be used in other ways, pellets create fires that burn similar to real wood – with one major benefit. Their small size allows the pellets to burn more completely, leaving behind less ash and soot, reducing waste, and maximizing fuel usage and savings.

Don’t let high propane costs leave your family out in the cold this winter. Switching to an alternate fuel source can ensure your family has consistent, low-cost heat this winter. For more information on propane alternatives including natural gas, wood, or pellets, contact the fireplace experts at Clean Sweeps of Michigan today.