Clean Sweeps of Michigan's Blog

Check Out Our Propane Alternatives

Propane has long been considered a clean burning and cheap way to heat your home in fireplaces, grills, and more. However, many of our customers have noticed the serious shortage of propane in Michigan – and across the Midwest. Lowering the thermostat or using the fireplace less frequently can help conserve propane. However, having a cold home during harsh winter conditions is not a long term solution.

If you use propane as a primary heating source in your home, it may be time to switch to another fuel source. At Clean Sweeps of Michigan, we have a wide variety of fireplaces, stoves, and inserts to meet your family’s heating needs. Whether you prefer wood, pellets, or even a different variety of gas, we have the perfect appliance to heat your home this winter!

Wood fireplaces and stoves.

There is nothing quite like the smell, sight, and warmth of a crackling, wood burning fire. Modern wood burning fireplaces and stoves have come a long way from their inefficient masonry counterparts; new wood burning heating appliances are more efficient than ever before. In addition, they can be used to heat everything from a room to an entire home.

Along with their improving efficiency, many homeowners choose wood because of its low cost, environmental impact, and availability. Buying firewood is often an inexpensive endeavor; enterprising homeowners can even cut, chop, stack, and season their own wood for pennies. Likewise, as a renewable resource there is little risk of ever running out of firewood. Finally, firewood is readily available and can be bought almost anywhere from private dealers to at local home improvement stores.

Pellet stoves and inserts.

Pellet stoves and inserts are an excellent alternative for homeowners who like the look and feel of wood fires but want an easier to use, more efficient alternative. Pellets are created from compressed, recycled wood parts and pieces; they burn hotter, create less smoke, and less behind less ash and residue than traditional wood logs. Likewise, they are considered to be carbon neutral by many. This is since they are made from recycled parts of an already renewable energy source.

Pellet stoves and inserts are easy to operate. Depending on the size of the hopper, it may only need to be reloaded once per day. Bags of pellets are relatively inexpensive and typically resemble bags of mulch. This makes them easy to stack and store.

Gas fireplaces and inserts.

Many homeowners who already use a propane heating appliance prefer the benefits of gas to other fuel sources. We offer a variety of natural gas fireplaces, inserts, and stoves to match your home’s décor and style. Whether you prefer sleek and contemporary or rustic and traditional, we have a variety of gas heating appliances to meet your needs.

Don’t let Michigan’s propane shortage leave you out in the cold this winter. Instead, consider switching to an alternate heat source. Contact the experts at Clean Sweeps of Michigan today for more information on finding the right wood, pellet, or natural gas heating appliance for your home!

The Advantages of Pellet Stoves and Inserts

If you are looking for a heating system that is both energy-efficient and economical, consider purchasing a pellet stove or fireplace insert. John Gulland, a wood heat expert and contributing editor for the original guide to living wisely, Mother Earth News, claims, “For someone committed to using a renewable energy source and is away from home for many hours at a time, a pellet stove can be a good choice.” Knowing the advantages of this type of heating system will give you a better idea if a pellet stove or insert is your best option. At Clean Sweeps of Michigan, we sell Regency Greenfire pellet stoves and inserts, and we would like to tell you more about the benefits of heating your home with a pellet stove or insert.

Easy and Safe to Operate

To use your pellet stove or insert, all you have to do is pull out the hopper and load it with wood pellets. With one load of pellets, you will get heat for at least 16 hours before you need to reload with more pellets. Since a pellet stove does not give off external heat during its operation, you can place it as close as one inch from a wall and not worry about it becoming a fire hazard. This quality also makes pellet stoves a great choice if you have children or pets in your home.

Clean-Burning and Environmentally-Friendly

One of the main advantages of a pellet stove over a traditional wood-burning fireplace is there is no smoke produced from a pellet-burning fire. You will never have to worry about smoky rooms, dry air, or unpleasant odors when you heat your home with a pellet stove or insert. Cutting down on air pollution is another benefit of its smoke-free operation.

Inexpensive and Cost-Effective

The average price of a 40-pound bag of wood pellets is approximately three dollars, and this amount provides sufficient heat for two or more days. This means your total heating cost each month will be $50 or less, even during the cold winter months. A typical home heating bill for fuel-heated homes runs about $250 for the winter season, so you can save at least $100 on heating costs with a pellet stove or insert.

Renewable and Highly-Efficient Fuel

Another environmental advantage of pellet stoves and inserts is the fuel source itself. Wood pellets are made from recycled wood from sawmills. Sawdust and wood shavings are compacted into tightly condensed pellets, and burning these pellets is a low-moisture, highly-efficient process. Fewer harmful gases are released when burning wood pellets as compared to regular wood-burning fireplaces and stoves.

Convenient Fuel Storage
You do not need as much space for storing wood pellets since they are so condensed and compact. A ton of wood pellets produces the same amount of heat as a cord of firewood; however, you will need at least 128 cubic feet to store a cord of firewood logs but only 80 cubic feet of storage for a ton of wood pellets. Additionally, since wood pellets are already bagged when purchased, you can store them inside your home, which gives you easy access to your heating fuel.

Want to learn more about the benefits and advantages of pellet stoves and fireplace inserts? Contact Clean Sweeps of Michigan today to find out more information about these cost-efficient and environmentally-friendly heating systems.