Choosing The Right Fireplace Stove For Your Cabin By Trusted Saskatoon Wheatland Fireplace, Kitchen & Bath

1. Nov 2022 Admin Saskatoon Fireplaces, Trusted Tips

Your first step into the beautiful Wheatland Fireplace Kitchen & Bath Saskatoon showroom will help you understand why Wheatland Fireplace has been given the Thumbs up by Trusted Saskatoon as your exclusive Saskatoon fireplace store. Wheatland loves their customers and as a result, their customers love and TRUST them. In their latest fireplace tip, they share the ins and outs of choosing the right freestanding stove for your cabin or cottage.

Choosing The Right Freestanding Stove For Your Cabin

A freestanding stove is a great addition to any cabin or cottage. Freestanding stoves add unmatched warmth, comfort and heating capacity while also creating that atmosphere that is quintessentially cabin – nothing beats sitting in your cabin and staring at the fire. But which freestanding stove is right for YOUR cabin? There are so many styles and types to choose from; this guide will give you a brief breakdown of the different styles of stoves, fuel types available, and the benefits of each.

Step 1: Choose Your Fuel Type

Cabin Friendly Wood Stoves

Wood-burning stoves are the most popular for cabins and cottages. For hundreds of years, freestanding wood stoves have been used to heat off-the-grid cabins and vacation properties. Due to the remoteness of these locations and the usual abundance of wood, Wood stoves are a favourite for heating cabins. Nowadays however there are multiple different types of wood-burning stoves, the most common being non-catalytic and catalytic wood stoves.

Non-Catalytic Woods Stoves & Your Cabin

A non-catalytic wood stove uses air tubes and super-heated oxygen to mix with and generate a secondary burn with the gasses and particulates released from burning wood. This results in fewer emissions and greater efficiency.

Key Benefits of Non-Catalytic Wood Stoves

Easy Operation
Highly Efficient
Mid-Long Burn Times
2020 EPA Certified
96% Reduction in Emissions
Limited Lifetime Warranty

Non-catalytic stoves are well suited to someone looking for a straightforward, traditional wood-burning stove. Things to consider for non-catalytic stoves are whether you use your wood stove for supplemental heat, do not live in an extremely cold climate, only use your wood stove occasionally, or want to prioritize straightforward operation over burntimes. In addition, these units are better suited to rental or holiday homes as operating them is very straightforward.

Hybrid-Catalytic Wood Stoves & Your Cabin

A catalytic wood stove uses a catalytic combustor to re-burn the gasses and particulates that are released from the burning wood. These gasses pass through the catalytic combustor, which operates at very high temperatures, and combust – providing increased efficiency, fewer emissions, and longer burn times.

A hybrid catalytic wood stove uses both air tubes and a catalytic combustor to burn the gasses and particulates three times – resulting in extremely efficient fires, very limited emissions, and the longest burn times. After initial combustion, the gasses and particulates from the burning wood are mixed with super-heated air and combust a second time. After secondary combustion the remaining gasses and particulates are funneled through the catalytic combustor where they are then ignited for a third and final time, removing virtually all particulates and gasses.

Key Benefits of Hybrid-Catalytic Wood Stoves

Hyper-Efficient
Very Long Burn Times
Stable Heat Output
2020 EPA Certified
98% Reduction in Emissions
Limited Lifetime Warranty
Industry Leading 10 Year Catalyst Warranty

Catalytic stoves/Hybrid catalytic stoves are ideal for serious wood burners who are seeking longer, overnight burns. If you live in a very cold climate and/or are using your unit as the primary heat source in your home or if you are an eco-conscious consumer looking for the lowest emission wood-burning product available a hybrid catalytic wood stove will be your best fit.

Cabin Friendly Gas Stoves

While lots of people like the look and feel of a traditional wood-burning stove, many don’t want the effort that goes along with splitting, stacking, chopping & hauling wood as well as building and maintaining a wood fire. Luckily there are freestanding gas stoves that give the same look feel, warmth & ambience of a wood stove, but with the convenience of gas. Freestanding gas stoves come in a variety of styles including contemporary, modern, traditional & cast iron so you can replicate the charm, style and beauty of a wood stove without the need for wood!

Natural Gas Freestanding Gas Stoves & Your Cabin

If you have a natural gas line running to your property this is likely the best option for adding a gas stove to your cabin. Natural gas lines are rare in some parts of the country and in the vast majority of “cabin country” so chances are this is not an option for you. Luckily, all Regency gas stoves can be converted to run off liquefied propane as well using a simple conversion kit.

Propane Freestanding Gas Stoves & Your Cabin

Propane is the most common gas used when installing a gas stove in your cabin. Typically an existing propane tank or infrastructure will already be set up prior to the purchase of a stove, but if not you can install a large propane tank (likely a 250-500 gallon tank depending on usage) that will sit on your property and provide storage for the propane used to heat your house.

Step 2: Find Your Size

Standard Wood Stove Square Foot Heating Capacity

Small Wood Stove: less than 500 sq. ft.
Medium Wood Stove: 500 - 1,000 sq. ft.
Large Wood Stove: 1,000 - 2,200 sq. ft.
Extra-Large Wood Stove: 2,200+ sq. ft.

Note: this is simply a benchmark. A wood stove's actual heating capacity will vary dramatically based on a high number of factors, see below for more details, and always discuss sizing and installation with an Authorized Regency dealer.

Factors Affecting Wood Stove Heating Capacity?

There is a wide variety of factors that can influence the heating capacity of your wood-burning stove, some of these include:

Ceiling Height - The total volume of the room can drastically change the heating capacity of a wood stove
Insulation - Older poorly insulated homes will decrease the heating capacity of a stove, whereas new highly insulated homes may increase the capacity of the stove
Number of Windows - Windows (even dual-pane) are a source of cooler air, and the more windows in a home/room, the greater the obstacle to the stoves heating capacity
Room/Wall Layout
- Open rooms vs. homes with lots of walls will affect how effective the stove is at heating an area
Type of Wood - The type of wood you are burning will produce a variety of different BTU’s – see the highest BTU wood types here

Step 3: Contact Your Local Fireplace Dealer

Did you know that all fireplaces need to be professionally installed to ensure safe and efficient operation? Many people think they can install them all by themselves, especially in their cabins. All gas appliances need a licensed gas fitter to hook up the gas lines, and modern EPA-certified wood stoves are very precise combustion systems. Failure to install a wood stove correctly can result in poor burn times, inefficient burns or dirty burns that release too much particulate matter into the atmosphere, or an increased risk of fire.

Wheatland Fireplace, Kitchen & Bath are successful for a reason! This really is where your outdoor living and indoor fireplace, bathroom & kitchen dreams meet in spectacular surroundings! Wheatland services and installs high-quality fireplaces, Visit their website or stop by their showroom to feel the warmth and comfort of their amazing selection.

"Better Living Begins Here... At Wheatland, it is ALL ABOUT YOU!"

Wheatland Fireplace Kitchen & Bath are your Trusted Saskatoon Fireplace Store

Trusted Saskatoon Employment Agency Express Employment Discuss Quite Quitting

31. Oct 2022 Admin Saskatoon Recruitment, Trusted Tips

Express Employment Professionals is Saskatoon’s only locally owned and operated staffing and recruitment agency, that offers a full scope of staffing and recruitment solutions from professional search and headhunting to temporary staffing in Saskatoon. Express Employment Saskatoon Is Your Trusted Saskatoon Recruitment and Employment Agency allows clients to focus their efforts and time on being productive and doing what they do best – their business! Let their team focus on finding that right hire – that is what they do best! In their latest Saskatoon employment agency tip, they discuss quite quitting and what to do to ensure your employees don't secretly head for the door.

Exodus: Are Your Star Employees Quite Quitting?

Recently, companies have experienced a paradigm shift in the relationship they have with their employees and expectations concerning loyalty and retention. The once common two-weeks notice to inform an employer of a job, company, or career move has evolved into a more common trend in which an employee either mentally checks out and coasts through the daily grind or simply does the bare minimum to remain employed while actively searching for a new opportunity elsewhere. This new employment phenomenon, known as “quiet quitting,” has left employers with lower productivity rates, unknown realized turnover issues, and a step behind in the battle for talent during the Great Resignation. To combat this trend, it’s important to understand what is causing employees to “quietly quit,” how to read the telltale signs, and what to do to ensure your star employees don’t secretly head for the door.

What Is Causing Quiet Quitting?

While many may not realize the gravity of this situation, it is a lot more common than you may think. Gallup recently did a study on this workforce trend and found that “quiet quitters make up at least 50% of the workforce.” Moreover, Gallup also found that while employee engagement remained stagnant at 32% (down from 36% in 2020), actively disengaged workers rose to 18% (up from 14% in 2020), lowering the ratio of engaged to disengaged to the lowest in nearly 10 years. Those neither engaged nor actively disengaged fit the mold of “quiet quitters”—those mentally detached.

The causes of this trend run the gamut; but the most common are burnout, stress, poor work-life balance, and lack of boundaries. During the most recent trend, The Great Resignation, a Pew Research study found that the main causes were low pay, no advancement opportunities, feeling disrespected at work, child care issues, and not enough flexibility, among others. These too could be spill-over causes for quiet quitting.

What Are the Telltale Signs?

As leaders, it’s important to be involved in your employees’ overall experience at work—and being observant and having open communication goes along with that. Even if everything seems fine on the surface, you could still have some of your team among the quiet quitters. Here are just a few signs to look for in your employees to determine if they’ve succumbed to this trend:

Lack of enthusiasm at work or within their job
Low engagement in meetings or missed meetings
Isolation from other teammates and/or lack of collaboration
Lower performance/production levels
Workplace despondency or passion
Showing up late/leaving early

These red flags can mean one of three things, either they are setting boundaries to avoid being taken advantage of, are actively seeking another job, or simply have experienced overwork or burnout and are trying to alleviate anxiety and stress in the workplace. The only way to determine which is to have meaningful conversations in discovery.

What Can You Do to Fix It?

While it may be too late to reverse the effects for all employees, it is never too late to help build a culture to minimize this issue and create an environment that negates this trend in the future. Most of the individuals who are participating in this trend have some amount of engagement issues. As a leader, you can improve the employee experience, which in turn, may help increase overall engagement and decrease apathy in the workplace. If you are experiencing this in your organization, try these quick tips to help your workforce:

- Open the lines of communication – Employees need to feel heard and know their professional needs are being met.

- Manage workloads and stress levels – Burnout is the quickest way to push workers to the brink. Make sure your team practices delegation and shares the workload.

- Create clear paths for professional development – When workers feel like they’ve hit the ceiling, they stop trying to progress. Determine their goals and create paths to achieve them.

- Allow for flexible schedules/remote work – During the past few years, employees have come to expect more flexibility to do their job and create work-life balance.

- Proselytize the vision and purpose of the position – Team members need to know that their work makes a difference, so it’s important to clearly show how each employee’s work contributes to the company’s mission.

Quiet quitting may be the new buzzword in employment, but the issues it presents are nothing new for leaders of all industries. It’s important to understand the underlying causes of this phenomenon and work through them with your team to help cultivate a highly engaged, productive environment.

Express Employment Professionals allow clients to focus their efforts and time on being productive and doing what they do best – their business. Let their team focus on finding that right hire – that is what they do best!

Click Here: Saskatoon JOB SEEKERS
Click Here: Saskatoon EMPLOYERS

Contact Hanif and the team today! Connecting employees with great companies like yours.

'It's What They Do'

Express Employment Saskatoon Your Trusted Saskatoon Headhunters and Employment Agency

Landing a Seasonal Job This Holiday Season From Express Employment, a Trusted Saskatoon Employment Agency

31. Oct 2022 Admin Saskatoon Recruitment, Trusted Tips

Express Employment Professionals is Saskatoon’s only locally owned and operated staffing and recruitment agency, that offers a full scope of staffing and recruitment solutions from professional search and headhunting to temporary staffing in Saskatoon. Express Employment Saskatoon Is Your Trusted Saskatoon Recruitment and Employment Agency allows clients to focus their efforts and time on being productive and doing what they do best – their business! Let their team focus on finding that right hire – that is what they do best! In their latest Saskatoon employment agency tip, they share advice on how to land a seasonal job this holiday season.

Landing a Seasonal Job This Holiday Season

We’re nearing the end of the year, and it’s time to start creating a game plan for the holiday season. While many people are planning their holiday celebrations, businesses are increasing their efforts to recruit and hire additional help during this busy season.

If you need some extra money to get through the holidays or are simply looking for a new opportunity during this time, finding a seasonal job may be the solution. We want you to land a job by making the holiday hiring season work in your favour.

Apply Everywhere for Seasonal Opportunities

If what you need is a job, any job, don’t narrow your job search to one type of business.

The National Retail Federation (NRF) predicts that retail sales for 2022 will grow by 6 to 8% over 2021, with its data showing retail sales were up 7% year-over-year for the first six months of the year. Although retail is expected to hire in spades, other businesses are just as busy. Shipping companies, restaurants, customer service centers, flower shops, caterers, and event centers usually hire additional workers during the holidays.

You can also work with local staffing companies (like Express Employment Professionals) so they can connect you with opportunities you wouldn’t hear of otherwise. With you and the staffing agency both job searching, you get twice the job search power without paying a dime.

Be Prepared to be Flexible

Seasonal workers must be flexible to accommodate extended holiday hours, and you don’t want to knock yourself out of the game by demanding a specific schedule. Taking seasonal work may mean spending more time away from loved ones or skipping a holiday party. Understand that the sacrifices you make as a seasonal worker are only temporary.

Make the Most of a Seasonal Job

A seasonal job really can lead to permanent employment, but even if it doesn’t, it’s still an opportunity filled with endless possibilities. It can be an opportunity to grow and learn, a chance to add to your resume, a way to earn a paycheck, or a little extra money during one of the most financially stressful times of the year. Maybe it’s an opportunity that will lead to a life-long friendship or help you decide what you want to do with your life.

Embrace the opportunities that come your way today; you never know what they will bring you, or where they could take you.

Click Here: Saskatoon JOB SEEKERS
Click Here: Saskatoon EMPLOYERS

Contact Hanif and the team today! Connecting employees with great companies like yours.

'It's What They Do'

Express Employment Saskatoon Your Trusted Saskatoon Headhunters and Employment Agency

Developing Your Basement With Trusted Saskatoon Contractors K & S Contracting - Part 2 of 2

26. Oct 2022 Admin Saskatoon Contractors, Trusted Tips

K & S Contracting specializes in foundation repair for homeowners across Saskatchewan. In addition, they also offer general contracting services to Saskatoon and the surrounding area. In their latest Trusted Saskatoon tip, K & S Contracting, Trusted Saskatoon General Contractors, and foundation specialists, they continue last month's blog on Developing your Basement. This is Part 2.

DEVELOPING YOUR BASEMENT - PART 2

Many basements are little more than a place to collect cobwebs and store stuff. However, fixing a full-height basement can increase the usable living space in your home at a lower cost than adding on. Basements can be turned into any one of several living areas: bedrooms, rec room, or office space.

Changing a concrete dungeon into an inviting living area can be a challenge, and not every basement is a good candidate for finishing. And this time, we are going to review the key considerations for conversion including lighting, ventilation, and dressing up those window wells. Although you can do some of the work yourself, hiring K & S Contracting can save money and headaches.

WHERE IS THE LIGHT?

Basements that walk out usually have an abundance of light; however, when the only light is from small, ground-level windows, the basements can be dark and uninviting. The first step is to clear away shrubbery from existing window wells to make the most of what natural light there is available. If the basement is served by a steel bulkhead, a door with glass lights can be installed at the bottom of the steps and the bulkhead doors left open when the weather is nice.

The options listed above, don’t always do the trick, so lighting needs to be added to the ceiling. Depending on the area you have to work with, you will have different options. Some of them include track lighting, recessed lighting or “can” lights can be added as spot or flood lamps. These lights allow you to add a dimmer switch which gives you more lighting flexibility.

VENTILATION ISSUES

If you only go down to the basement occasionally, musty, damp air may be something that you can tolerate. But once the basement becomes a true living space, some form of ventilation is crucial in controlling air quality. Using reverse fans work, in winter they draw in fresh dry air from outdoors, and in summer moist air can be pumped out of the house. If the home already has a forced air heating system then the basement can become another area.

HOW TO DRESS UP THE WINDOW WELL

It’s hard to enjoy the view out of a basement window if all you see is a when all you see is corrugated steel. Changing that dreary scenery may be easier than you think. You can add a view of the seashore, mountains, woodlands, desert or golf course with Scenic Window Wells’ WELL liner. These are weather-resistant polystyrene liner that slips into a standard window well. The window well liners will allow you to imagine you are on vacation to the ocean or on the golf course.

There’s a lot to think about when you convert your basement into a bright, welcoming living area, when trying to make the decision to develop your basement, we recommend you call Steve and ask him to provide you with your options and costs. Once the work is done, you won’t be sorry about the decision.

K & S Contracting is a Trusted Saskatoon General Contractor and foundation specialists.

Their services include:

For more information about K&S Contracting, view their listing in the Contractors section on Trusted Saskatoon.

Developing Your Basement With Trusted Saskatoon Contractors K & S Contracting - Part 1 of 2

26. Oct 2022 Admin Saskatoon Contractors, Trusted Tips

K & S Contracting specializes in foundation repair for homeowners across Saskatchewan. In addition, they also offer general contracting services to Saskatoon and the surrounding area. In their latest Trusted Saskatoon tip, K & S Contracting, Trusted Saskatoon General Contractors, and foundation specialists, discuss what you should consider when developing your basement. This will be a 2 part article.

DEVELOPING YOUR BASEMENT - PART 1

Changing a concrete dungeon into an inviting living area can be a challenge, and not every basement is great for finishing. Some of the things you need to think about are building codes, moisture, low-hanging drain lines, ductwork and wiring, and your walls and floors. Although you can do some of the work yourself, it will save you time, money and headaches, if you contact K & S Contracting to help you with the project.

MEETING BUILDING CODES

Building codes vary, but generally, a basement must be 7 feet tall. Codes can permit lower obstructions if you have structural beams that can’t be moved. Connect with a local home inspector while you are in the planning stages and they can help you determine what you need to be within the National Building Codes. Once you determined what your basement will be used for, you must make sure it includes doors and windows for emergency escape.

MOISTURE

If your home has a history of flooding, you need to fix that problem before developing the basement. 2 inches of rain falling on a 2,000 sq ft home produces approximately 2,600 gallons of water. Repairing cracks in the foundation, making sure that gutters are clear of clogs and sloping the ground away from the house can solve some of these flooding problems.

LOW-HANGING UTILITY LINES

When you are building a new home, the basement ceiling height and utilities can be planned accordingly. However, when renovating an older area, water lines, air ducts, bathroom and kitchen drains etc are generally smack in the middle of where the renovations are happening. There are a few choices. Move them, box them in or leave them as is. If you decide to tuck water and drain lines out of sight, don’t block access to water shutoffs and drain clean-outs.

FINISHED WALLS AND FLOORS

Hiding concrete or block behind new walls is the easy part. Building walls that won’t encourage mold and mildew, or be damaged by condensation, is a lot harder. Because concrete in contact with the ground is always cool, it can become a condensing surface for water vapour in the warm air escaping from a finished basement. The result? Damp building materials, mildew and, eventually, rot. Air will be musty, finished surfaces ruined.

When it comes to flooring, just about any material will work — tile, carpet, vinyl or laminate. Few contractors recommend traditional hardwood flooring because the moisture in the concrete can cause the wood to swell and buckle.

When trying to make the decision to develop your basement, we recommend you call Steve and ask him to provide you with your options and costs. Check out Developing Your Basement – Part 2 in next month’s blog and Steve will talk about lighting, windows and ventilation.

K & S Contracting is a Trusted Saskatoon General Contractor and foundation specialists.

Their services include: