If you enjoy the warmth and ambiance of wood burning, but are looking for a little more convenience when it is time to start and maintain the fire, perhaps you should take a good look at the new generation of gas appliances available today. Fueled by America's most used (and in some areas, least expensive) fuel, these freestanding stoves offer beauty and efficiency.

Gas stoves are designed to burn either natural gas or propane. Gas burner modules and very realistic logs made of refractory or ceramic fiber are common to all gas units. Advanced technology and design create a convincing wood-fire look. Efficiencies for gas appliances can exceed 80 percent, making them more efficient than central gas furnaces, which can lose 20-25 percent of the efficiency through heating duct loss. And, most importantly, the heat is steady, adjustable and even. Most require no electricity, yet can be run with a thermostat.

The benefits of gas stoves are many. Installation can be simple and inexpensive, as venting is versatile and gas appliances need little floor protection. They are easy to maintain, with no ash or creosote build-up. They are convenient, as many models offer push button ignition. They are clean, with no wood chips of bark to clean up. And they are labor free -- no chopping or hauling of fuel.

Stop by our store and see the many gas stoves burning on our showroom floor!