![]() “A lot of times, builders will spec in a fireplace for a customer, and if they’re building, say, a $400,000 house and putting in a $1,000 fireplace, something doesn’t add up,” Peloquin said. In addition, “if you have an existing brick-and-mortar fireplace used for wood, and if you want to convert it to gas to make it more efficient and get more heat out of it, you can do a gas fireplace insert, because natural gas is one of the cheapest ways to heat right now.”Īs for new construction, Fireside receives a number of calls from consumers who want a higher-end fireplace rather than the one that came with the house. In the realm of fireplaces, that tends to be gas-burning units, in addition to pellet stoves. But more important has been a continual focus on what products - in the categories of fireplaces, heating equipment, and grills - customers want most. “For people in the right situation, it’s still a great investment - it pays for itself within a few years, and you’re using a clean energy source.”įor Fireside Designs, a family business that dates back 40 years, those economic trends have occasionally impacted sales, said Peloquin, the West Springfield store’s general manager. Oil prices have come down significantly since then, he said, but pellet stoves remain popular, particularly for people who otherwise heat their house with electricity or propane. “We had people lining up out the door just to order stoves because it would save them so much money over their regular heating bills.” “When oil prices were skyrocketing, we couldn’t keep these things in stock,” he recalled. Jay Peloquin remembers the heady days for pellet stoves, back in 2008, when oil surged to more than $100 a barrel. Jay Peloquin says gas fireplaces are especially popular at a time when natural gas is inexpensive. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |