Stockbridge Gas Co Inc

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Do you ever feel a chill as you walk by your fireplace? That fireplace that is supposed to give your house a warm, cozy feeling may also be doing just the opposite. The masonry you love so much may be the culprit. Don’t be quick to blame your fireplace for this deficiency. Instead, take a good look at your chimney. This cold is coming into your house as a result of open flue tiles. These tiles are transmitting chilled air through your brick or stone masonry into your living space. I refer to this phenomenon as the “iceberg effect”. It would be smart to assess whether you really need to have these outside exposures in your home. Many homes have multiple fireplaces, but do these home owners really keep a fire glowing in each of these fireplaces at one time? By no means am I criticizing fireplaces for they do add beauty and charm to any home, but if allowed to, they can be counterproductive in terms of “creature comforts”. Don’t dismay, there is no need to start tearing out your fireplace(s). Simply by installing an insert, either gas or wood, what was a source of heat loss can become a resource for beauty and comfort. Would you like to know more? Just click on these links, Vermont Casting & Lexington Forge.

This is an example of a very cold zero clearance fireplace. We were called to find a solution. In order to do this, we had to open up the surround to figure out what the problem was.

Grilling season has arrived and it's time to fire it up with our favorite grilling recipes. From T-Bones to top sirloin, New Yorks to the new Flat Iron - we've got your ultimate guide to grilling success. So light the grill, grab your favorite beef steaks and get ready for a great summer of grilling fun in the sun with our Cook's Collection and Cookbook of summer grilling essentials.

Always a classic, burgers on the grill are awesome any night of the week. Get cookin' with our 101 Burger Builders and the Best Basic Burger.

Enjoy a healthy grilling season with these grilling food safety tips and great nutrition information.

Nick has alot to say about renewable energy. Give a listen and find out how Stockbridge Gas can help you be Green or Yellow. Click on the tab and give a listen.

It has been an interest for many years to utilize solar technology from the "70s" to offset some of the heating and hot water needs of today's homes and businesses. Thinking back to the old Mother Earth News and Whole Earth Catalogue days, I remember an article that spoke of a Batch Water Heater. Simply put, the article suggested using an old refrigerator as an insulated storage container with a stripped, used water heater tank installed inside it. This configuration was to be orientated to solar south, with the "fridge" door open during a sunny day and closed when the sun went down. If it was sunny, you got a hot shower! When you look at the pay back period for most alternative energy, 15 years is considered good, even with "Tax Credits". As an energy marketer, Stockbridge Gas Co. would like to offer better, more cost efficient solutions. We are about to embark on some "batch solar water heater" experiments. This technology is available to anyone that has access to the web. Simply type in "batch solar water heater" for many designs. Properly done, the collector is located as close to the point of use as possible. Depending on how elaborate you choose to be, the hot water could be used directly or piped to preheat what ever you currently use to heat your hot water. If it is sunny, more expensive energy use can be avoided. Eventually, a new mind set will take over, and true conservation thinking will become a habit, especially if you try to discipline yourself and family to utilize solar energy as much as possible, without utilizing any more "purchased" energy than absolutely necessary. Remember, no one has figured out how to meter the sun. Let us know how you make out in your experiments. Wishing you many Sunny Days. Nick

Biodiesel is: • More bio-degradable than white sugar in the environment. • Less than 1/10th as toxic as table salt if ingested. • Has a flashpoint higher than petroleum diesel, making it fire safe. • Provides excellent lubrication for engine components, reduces engine wear. • Yields approximately equal performance as petroleum diesel.
Pure biodiesel (B-100) burns cleaner,resulting in: • >50% reduction in soot and unburned hydrocarbons • >80% reduction in net carbon dioxide, helping avoid global warming. • >90% reduction in cancer risks, according to Mutagenicity Tests. • Nearly 100% less sulfur dioxide emissions.
1. Proven to work – 50 million+ successful US road miles (a few of those by Homestead’s own tractor, Ford truck, and VW Jetta, which run on pure biodiesel), and over 25 years of use in Europe.
2. Can be easily mixed with petroleum diesel, or home heating fuel - Biodiesel has similar properties to petroleum diesel, and can be blended in any ratio for reduced emissions. The increased lubricity may save vital engine components. The most common is a mix of 20% biodiesel and 80% petroleum diesel, called “B-20”. Homestead Inc. recommends a mixture of Biodiesel and standard fuel for most trouble-free performance.

Nick at Earth day 2006
Biodiesel is the clean burning vegetable-based alternative fuel for any diesel engine. Biodiesel can also be used as a home heating oil, although high concentrations (>B-25%) may require a special tuning of your heating system. No modifications of existing diesel or oil using home heating equipment are needed to use biodiesel. Biodiesel is also known as liquid solar energy made in a simple process that converts vegetable oil and methanol into a powerful, yet safe, non-toxic and biodegradable fuel. Biodiesel is perfect for farms with diesel equipment no more harmful exhaust or dangerous spills. Biodiesel is the only EPA approved alternative fuel for diesel engines: biodiesel meets all standards of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 and has completed all Health Effects Testing under the Clean Air Act. Yellow Brand PREMIUM Biodiesel is made from vegetable oil by American businesses and packaged by Homestead Inc. Yellow Brand Biodiesel is sold in refillable five gallon jugs. Return complete jug to place of purchase for a store credit towards a new container of Biodiesel fuel.