Excuse me, Dear, is the house burning - or is it a CD?

CDs have already brought the sounds of waterfalls, howling wolves, and jungle chatter into our homes, so why not the crackling sounds of a burning fire?

Each year more Americans are turning to gas rather than wood fireplaces, since gas fireplaces provide the look and feel of a real fireplace without the hassle of cleaning. But until now, something was missing - the sound.

A company called Firesounds hopes to change that. Its 72-minute digitally-recorded CD comes complete with the pops, crackles, and hisses of a wood-burning fire.

While the CD will not alleviate heating expenses, gas fireplace owners may also find Firesounds helpful in covering up the sound of noisy blower motors in gas fireplaces.

The CD is $15.99, and can be purchased at www.firesoundscd.com.

To save on those heating expenses, take a look at www.homeenergysaver.lbl.gov - a creation of the Department of Energy. You can use the site to calculate energy usage and to help identify the best ways to save both energy and money in your home.

(c) Copyright 2000. The Christian Science Publishing Society