Adding a fireplace to your home

By Mary Malik

Temperatures are dropping and Clevelanders are heading indoors. Are you warm enough in there? Does your fireplace need updating?

Or, maybe you’d like to add one to that room you can’t seem to keep warm. It’s time to look forward to spending time indoors. The experts at American Home & Energy, in Painesville, can help with that.

“We are your one-stop fireplace shop,” says owner Chris Bedrick.

“As the largest fireplace shop in Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula Counties, we carry a full line of gas fireplaces and inserts, as well as wood-burning fireplaces, and take care of all installation and service. We’re a real destination place for all things pertaining to the fireplace.”

Chris invites you to visit the American Home & Energy store, take your time and see everything they have to offer. Not only can they install a new fireplace, they also have a complete selection of stone for your fireplace surround, hearth and mantle, and fireplace accessories to create a stunning focal point in your home. And even beyond all of this, Chris thinks the most important thing they have to offer is knowledge.

“Educating our customers is a big part of what we do here,” says Chris.

“Our entire staff is extremely knowledgeable about fireplaces and everything that goes along with them. People often know they want a new fireplace, or they want to update an existing one but don’t know what their options are. That’s why we’re here. Come in, look around, ask a ton of questions and we’ll get you what you need.”

Did you know there are vent-free fireplaces, vented gas fireplaces and direct vent fireplaces? Do you know the difference between catalytic wood combustion and the reburning particulates method? Me neither, but Chris and his staff do.

“We’ll explain all of this when helping you make decisions about fireplaces,” says Chris.

“We remove brand new fireplaces from homes because mistakes were made during installation. This can cause fires, smoke damage and other issues in your home. It needs to be done the right way and we will make sure of that.”

And once the decision is made on the type of fireplace you need for your home, then comes the fun part. American Home & Energy has that covered, too. Everything from hearth rugs and log sets to stonework, custom mantles and bookcases is available to customize your project.

“Many people come in thinking that adding a fireplace is a huge project involving installing a chimney and holes in the wall,” says Chris.

“That simply isn’t the case. You don’t need a chimney for a fireplace. And if ambiance is all you’re looking for, we can do a wall-mounted electric fireplace. It won’t emit as much heat, but it’s very decorative.”

The most important thing to remember when looking at fireplace solutions for your home is that you have options.

“We have so many units and design options on display in our showroom,” says Chris. “Come in and point to exactly what you want for your own home. It’s really that simple.”

Who knows, you may start to look forward to winter.

American Home & Energy is located at 1270 Mentor Avenue (Across from the Lake County Fairgrounds) in Painesville. Hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; closed on Sunday. For more information, call 440-358-5858 or visit American-Home.com.