Masonry Magazine January 1979 Page.36
Sales Rise for Fireplaces and Stoves
More than five million American families will be burning wood this winter to meet some or all of their home heating needs, according to a leading energy consulting firm.
In a study for the Department of Energy, the consultants of Booz, Allen & Hamilton, Inc. found that more than one million woodburning stoves were sold last year in the U.S., along with another million fireplaces in new houses. "With tremendous increases in the price of heating oil, sales of wood stoves are accelerating rapidly in many parts of the country," said project director David L. Hartman. "Over the next five years, demand should remain strong. with annual industry sales of 1 to 1.5 million units."
Booz, Allen studied the wood energy industry to determine the impact of proposed tax credits for purchasers of residential woodburning equipment.
Repair Program Set for Damper System
The Chim-A-Lator Company, Minneapolis, Minn., has announced a voluntary program to modify approximately 15,000 air damper systems for fireplaces and woodburning stoves. The announcement was made in cooperation with the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Sufficiently hot chimney temperatures could cause the air damper to close inadvertently and force smoke or flames back into the room. According to the company. such a heat build-up primarily is caused by overfueling fireplaces, burning dangerous materials, or failing to have the chimney cleaned.
Since 1977, the firm has received a report of one minor burn injury, which occurred when the damper closed accidentally.
The damper systems, which have been manufactured since 1969, are marketed as energy-saving devices to reduce heat loss from air drawn up fireplace and stove chimneys while they are not in use.
To ensure that the damper maintains an adequate opening, even in extreme temperatures, the company is offering a device to accomplish this purpose which consumers can install themselves the device hooks over the edge inside the top flue. Consumers can obtain this free device by writing to the Chim-A-Lator Company, 8824 Wentworth Ave., South, Minneapolis, Minn. 55420 (telephone: 612/884- 7274).
Anyone requiring additional information should call the Consumer Product Safety Commission's toll free Hot Line at the following numbers: in the Continental U.S., dial 800/638-8326; in Maryland, 800/492-8363; and in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, 800/ 638-8333.
Operation MOST Program Gains Ground
Operation MOST, a program founded in 1976 and designed to solve problems between labor and management on construction job sites, is working so well in Central Ohio it has been endorsed by the National Construction Employers Council.
The board of directors of NCEC, which represents 17 leading construction management associations that comprise the membership of the Council, has asked MOST to offer its program for other regions of the country, according to John Wenger, president of Limbach Co. and public relations chairman for Operation MOST.
As a result, Wenger said. Operation MOST (Management and Organized Labor Striving Together) has made available a plan to be coordinated by NCEC for use by local labor union/management organizations. According to Wenger, the program could be duplicated in other areas.