There is nothing like a beautiful fireplace to give a home a warm and cozy feeling throughout the year. And when the weather turns cold the fresh scent of wood in a roaring fire soothes the soul. But with most of the heated air escaping through the chimney, a traditional wood-burning fireplace is not the most efficient way to heat your home.
How Does a Fireplace Work?
Before you can increase the efficiency of your fireplace, it’s important to understand how it works. When you light the fireplace, oxygen inside the chimney feeds the fuel that allows the fire to burn. As the cooler air is sucked into the chimney, the heavier heated air rises to the top and is vented through the chimney along with smoke, soot and other contaminants. This continuous down draft flow of cold air is causing your home to be insufficiently heated.
Increasing Fireplace Efficiency
Fortunately, there are several things homeowners can do to maximize fireplace heating efficiency:
Install a Glass Fireplace Door
Installing a fireplace door is an effective and inexpensive solution to get more heat out of your fireplace. These doors are available in a variety of styles to match your existing décor. They are made of clear tempered glass and are designed to help your fireplace burn more efficiently. Not only do glass fireplace doors increase safety, but they save energy too.
Use a Fireback
A fireback is an accessory that attaches to the back of the fireplace. It’s a heavy metal structure, mostly made from stainless steel or cast iron. The fireback serves two main functions: First, it protects the back wall from extreme heat which minimizes brick deterioration. Second, and most importantly, it reflects the heat from the fireplace into your living space.
Upgrade Your Fireplace
Installing a fireplace insert can significantly boost your heating efficiency while minimizing air pollution. A wood-burning fireplace insert is up to 50% more efficient than a traditional fireplace and uses 30% less fuel. They are available in a variety of attractive styles and fit snugly inside an existing fireplace. Visit our showroom to see our fantastic selection of wood, gas, pellet and electric fireplace inserts.
Use the Damper to Turn Up the Heat
A damper is a metal door fitted above the firebox at the throat of the chimney. It can be used to control airflow in and out of the chimney. Make sure to fully open the damper when starting the fire. When you have a great fire going, slightly close the damper to prevent excess heat from escaping. If the room still isn’t warm enough, close the damper a little bit more. This will enhance your heating output. A word of caution: Do not completely close the damper while the fire is burning. This will increase indoor air pollution and expose occupants to carbon monoxide.
For more fireplace efficiency tips, stop by our showroom or call to speak with one of your friendly chimney technicians today!
Chimney Specialists Inc
869 Main Street, Highland, WI 53543
Main (608) 929-4887 / Toll Free (800) 395-6660
Dubuque Fireplace & Patio
925 Century Drive, Dubuque, Iowa 52002
Phone – (563) 582-5156
