Ahhh…the sheer pleasure and warmth a fire brings to a home. But did you know that lovely fireplace may also cause significant heat loss in your home?
According to information in a document entitled “Fireplaces: Energy Dollars Up in Smoke,” on the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources website, homeowners can lose more heat than they realize through their fireplace.
“At best, a traditional masonry fireplace is a poor heater,” it states. “The energy efficiency level fluctuates during operation. While the fire is maintained at a high temperature, maximum efficiency will range between 20 and 30 percent (with an indoor/outdoor temperature difference of 40 degrees and moderate winds). But once the fire starts to die down, the efficiency drops to 10 percent or less. That means of all the heat produced by a fire during that cool-down time, only about 10 percent actually helps to heat the room. The rest goes up the chimney.”
Although there are various options available for improving a fireplace’s energy efficiency, one of the best is to install a fireplace insert.
A fireplace insert is like a stove that fits into the existing fireplace and vents through the existing chimney. Units come in varying sizes with glass or metal doors.
The technology behind inserts is fairly straightforward: there is an inner firebox surrounded by a layer of air and a second metal layer that is designed to hold the air warmed by the inner firebox. When a fire is lit the unit works like a combustion chamber, drawing in the cold air and warming it between the two boxes before it goes back out to heat the room. Most models have a recirculating fan that gently blows the heated air into the room.
The insert can be made to look like the masonry of the existing fireplace.
Options for fireplace inserts include wood, gas, electric or pellet. Which type is best for you depends on your needs. Many homeowners opt for gas or electric because of the convenience those models provide.
Quadra-Fire has recently come out with a new gas fireplace insert — called the Expression 40 — that offers what the company calls “a more authentic woodburning experience” than regular gas inserts.
Obtaining a realistic woodburning fireplace experience without sacrificing heating efficiency and flame appearance is the aim of many homeowners," says Mike Derosier, Quadra-Fire Brand Manager. "The new Expression 40 gas fireplace insert boasts a large view and a traditional wood fire-looking interior that instills the feeling of a woodburning fireplace. Homeowners can enjoy convenient and efficient operation while also using the Expression 40's heat management technology to maintain a cozy setting."
