Preparing For Winter In The Heat Of Summer

By Nancy K. Crevier

With summer getting ready to turn up the heat, not a lot of people are thinking about heating their homes next winter. But according to Rob DiLisio, owner of Fiamma Fireplaces and Stoves in Woodbury, summer is the perfect time to get ready for the colder months.

“Now is a great time to think about installing a wood stove or fireplace,” said Mr DiLisio, “because by October or November, there will be a waiting list of people wanting stoves put into their homes.” It is also a good way to avoid issues with inclement fall and winter weather when a fireplace is installed in warmer months, he pointed out, and the appliance will be ready to go on that first crisp, autumn morning.

Newtown resident Rob DiLisio opened Fiamma in the Middle Quarter Mall off of Route 6 on May 19. He had previously operated out of a small storefront in Bethlehem for two years.

“We moved to these larger quarters in Woodbury so that I could showcase the high end, contemporary gas and wood stoves and fireplaces that I carry,” said Mr DiLisio. The more than 2,000 square feet of showroom offers clients a huge array of stoves for everyone from the farmer looking for a classic heating unit to Manhattan weekenders looking to add an unusual stove to their downtown apartment or summer home, he said. The clean-burning, fuel-efficient, compact fireplaces blend in with today’s lifestyle. The sleek forms accent a room with flickering light and warmth, or become subtle background pieces when not in use. “This is the Art Deco of the 2000s,” Mr DiLisio said of the new looks that dominate woodstoves and fireplaces.

Fiamma features a number of units for which Mr DiLisio is the exclusive dealer in the Northeast, including models by ThermArt out of British Columbia, Canada, and Max Blank out of Bavaria. He is also the exclusive importer and dealer for Nestor Martin gas stoves out of Belgium.

Fiamma customers are generally looking for a higher-end wood-burning unit, something a little classier than the traditional form, Mr DiLisio said. The stoves and fireplaces he carries are mainly contemporary in style and feature cast iron and stainless steel components. “ThermArt is a nonconventional fireplace, for example,” said Mr DiLisio. Unlike most fireplaces that are at floor level, many of the ThermArt models are installed at picture level, set into a standard six-inch wall. The steel frames that surround the glass fronts make the fireplaces as much a decorative accessory as they are a heating unit, and it is precisely what makes the ThermArt stand out, Mr DiLisio explained.

Among the designs put out by Max Blanc, one in particular catches the eye in the Fiamma showroom. The three-tiered piece consists of a bottom storage box, a fire box stacked on top of that, and the piece de resistance, an oven topping it all off. Imagine snuggling up on the couch to read while across the room dinner bubbles and the glow of a fire reflects off of the walls. The slender tower is an attractive addition to nearly any room and offers the ultimate luxury in nesting at home.

If baking is not the customer’s cup of tea, Max Blanc designs also include a combination indoor waterfall/fireplace or a petite unit that slowly spins 360 degrees. These fireplaces come at a cost, though, warned Mr DiLisio, ranging from just under $1,000 to $8,000.

Pellet-burning stoves, including one that burns corn and cherry pits as well as pellets, fireplaces that use stones in place of the traditional logs, and classic, squat wood stoves can be found at Fiamma alongside the nouveau burners.

 There have been many improvements from traditional wood-burning units of even ten or 15 years ago, said Mr DiLisio. “Stoves today are safer, they burn more cleanly, and they are environmentally friendly. The Blaze King has a catalytic converter that incinerates creosote before it gets in the pipe and becomes a fire hazard, for instance. Most of these [fireplaces and stoves] exceed the EPA standards,” he said. Not only that, while many customers purchase a wood-burning stove for its esthetic value, a wood stove has the capability in some instances to reduce the heating bill by nearly half, Mr DiLisio said.

Hearth rugs, fireplace tools, stovetop steamer kettles, outdoor fire pits, and high-fashion oil lamps are also available at Fiamma. If the crackle of a fireplace is a thought just too hot to handle right now, Fiamma is happy to supply the cooling tranquility of wall-mounted or freestanding indoor waterfalls, instead.

Fiamma is open during the summer from 9 am to 5 pm, Tuesday through Saturday. After Labor Day, the store will be open seven days a week. For more information visit fiamma.us or call 263-2120.

Winter seems so far away, but installing a fireplace or wood stove now, Mr DiLisio urged, means enjoying the comfort it offers when the first snowflake hits the ground.