At a time when we seem most to
need the comfort, congeniality, and
reassurance of a cozy hearth and warm
fire, more and more reasons accumulate
not to have a fireplace or wood
stove. These include pollution indoors
and out, and backdrafting of dangerous
flue gases in tightly sealed homes.
Technical solutions, such as catalytic
converters and glass doors, don't
seem to be keeping up with the problems,
so maybe we should attack them
head-on. If the fireplace is outlawed
and we can't snuggle up to a burning
log, what can we do to focus our afterdinner
get-togethers?
Why Fireplaces and Stoves
Appeal to Us
A love of fires may well be built into
human nature. Lisa Heschong, in