Time to start thinking about keeping warm for winter

There isn't exactly a nip in the air in the waning days of summer but now is a good time to think about getting home heating stoves ready for the cold days ahead.

"The main thing to think about now is servicing your wood stoves and getting chimneys cleaned," said James Carbine, of Valley Stove in Gardnerville. "Gas stoves occasionally need cleaning. Pellet stoves require more service and a lot I've seen in the area need to be cleaned."

He said a dirty pellet stove could cause a chimney fire just like a wood stove could.

"It's important to clean the built-up creosote," he said. "It's time to clean and make sure things are running right."

Carbine runs a one-man operation at Valley Stove and can work on all kinds of stoves. He started as an installer and did inspections and service previously at Comstock in Carson City and the old Valley Stove in Gardnerville.

"I opened the business to take care of customers," he said. "I found a lot of situations when that wasn't being done. If there's a sticker on the door, I'm out on a service call taking care of customers."

Besides servicing stoves, he sells new, used and refurbished stoves from brands such as Buck Stove, Heat-Tech and Kozy Heat fireplaces.

In his store on Industrial Way, Carbine sells fireplace inserts, fireplace grates, screens and solid wood free-standing mantles that come finished or unfinished, along with gift items.

"I have 18 years' experience in the hearth industry and run a service-based business. Taking care of the customer is the most important."

Valley Stove is at 1420 Industrial Way, No. 1 in Gardnerville. Hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Call 782-1260 for information.