Maintenance tasks and needed updates make owning a home seem difficult at times. From mowing the lawn and washing windows to repairing a leaky faucet, you can see how so many homeowners become overwhelmed.

Fortunately, certain updates can be physically, emotionally, and financially rewarding. The addition of an outdoor fireplace is one of these updates that homeowners should consider for their home, family, and finances.

Of course, everybody knows a fireplace will provide you with warmth on cool days or evenings, but there are other benefits to having one outdoors. With this guide and a professional’s help, you will understand a few real benefits of having an outdoor fireplace.

Many families realize how much daily time is spent on digital devices. This is why a lot of families have gone out of their way to spend some unplugged time together. This is purely family time, filled with various activities and with no phones, tablets, or computers allowed.

The atmosphere surrounding this family time can make a huge difference in the mood of everyone involved. One way to help increase the success of this family time is by introducing a key focal point into the room.

One of the more ideal options is a fireplace. A burning fireplace can provide a relaxing and ambient setting. The fireplace offers a great alternative to a screen and allows everyone to focus on each other rather than something else. When you make the fireplace the centerpiece, you can also choose relaxing family activities to associate with it.

Browse these various activities and see how an ambient fireplace can really make a difference.

Fire features can add functionality, beauty and resale value to your home’s outdoor living space. While most fire features intended for use outside can work for most backyards, choosing the ideal fire feature for your home may optimize the way that you, your family and your guests enjoy it.

In this blog, we compare three common outdoor fire feature options: fireplaces, fire pits and permanent grills.

When it comes to ensuring a cozy environment inside of your home, nothing blends ease and comfort quite as well as a gas fireplace. Compared to their wood burning kin, gas fireplaces are much easier to use, clean and maintain. However, just because these fireplaces are easy to use doesn’t mean that a gas fireplace won’t experience certain problems from time to time.

Unfortunately, many people fail to recognize the signs that something is going wrong with their gas fireplace. This can lead to more significant problems — problems that are both more expensive to have fixed and potentially more dangerous for you and your family.

If you would like to improve your gas fireplace troubleshooting skills, read on. This article will discuss three of the most frequently experienced problems.

Outdoor living that incorporates indoor comfort is all the rage this season-and it’s no question as to why. Homeowners across the United States are getting ready for summer by turning their outdoor spaces into extensions of their homes; they intend to blend the best of the great outdoors with the most comfortable aspects of their interior space.

Fortunately, it’s easy to capitalize on this trend. Make the most of your summer by reading the tips listed in the rest of this blog, and then get in touch with home improvement specialists in the area to make your dreams for cozy outdoor living a reality.

You know that a roaring fire is exactly what’s missing from your home’s main living area. Unfortunately, you still haven’t decided which fireplace type best suits your needs. You may have your options narrowed down, but you still have questions about use, maintenance, and efficiency.

In a previous blog entitled “Which Type of Fireplace Is Right for You?,” we gave you the basic advantages and disadvantages of your four most common options.

In this blog, we’ll address six of the most common questions about perhaps the most popular option: gas log fireplaces.

As a homeowner, you love your fireplace. This feature adds beauty to your home, warms up the space, and creates a soothing atmosphere. You love this appliance, but you also worry that it may cause a house fire.

You want to keep your family and property safe from this danger, but how? In the blog below, we list several tips so you can enjoy your fireplace and keep your loved ones (and property) safe from an accidental fire. Read on to learn how you can prevent fireplace-caused house fires.

As you plan to build your new home or renovate your current one, you have grand ideas of what you want it to look like. Your house may have vaulted ceilings with exposed beams, or it may have large bow windows. You also want it to have a cozy fireplace.

As you’ve shopped for fireplaces in your area, you’ve probably realized that you have quite a few options to choose from. But before you look at appearance and style, you need to decide what kind of fuel you want your fireplace to burn. The fuel determines how the fireplace functions and how much upkeep the apparatus requires.

To decide which fireplace you’d like in your home, read the pros and cons of each type below.

Your new fire pit is the star of your backyard. During the summer, neighbors gather around to roast hot dogs and share stories. During the winter, you and your spouse cuddle up near the fire and enjoy a cup of cocoa together. No matter the season, your fire pit helps build fond memories.

However, if you have young children, your fire pit may pose a safety hazard. Tiny fingers and toes can easily burn, and the last thing you want is a trip to the emergency room.

So what can you do to let your children in on the fun while still staying safe?