The fireplace salesman naturally said that his solution is the best (citing something about fireplace inserts offering better energy/heat transference efficiency than central heating). Whatever you don’t use can return to the firewood rack, best stored outdoors in an elevated and covered location. Or, perhaps your wood-burning stove is unusable. The tiniest bits (which can take the form of wood shavings or bunched-up newspapers) should be at the very top. Featured in news stories on CBS, in Time, Scientific American, New York Times. In a long-term crisis situation, you might run out of wood before the power comes back on. Made of cast-iron, these large metal reflectors sit against the back wall of your fireplace and help improve the efficiency of its heat production. This fan keeps an efficient flow of warmth circulating through your room. A fireback can be inserted into your fireplace to help capture and radiate heat that would otherwise be vented out of your home. Heating capacity While electric fireplace heaters shouldn’t be your primary source of heat, they can provide an impressive amount of supplementary heat in your home. Install a fireplace insert. The draft should reverse after a few minutes, making your fireplace ready for action. Check to make sure you opened it properly by sticking your head in the flue and looking upwards, using a flashlight if necessary. Ventless gas fireplaces are easy to use and very clean, and this makes them a favorite with homeowners in small and large houses. Position large pieces of wood in the bottom of the fireplace in one row, perpendicular to the opening of the fireplace. Fireplace Safety Check. STEP 1: Stay Safe Leave a few inches of ash in the firebox to help reflect heat and provide a bed for coals, which radiate heat. There’s a really awesome alternative out there that’s easy to use and sometimes doesn’t even require a vent. It has the benefits of increased efficiency, while still looking and functioning like traditional options. The biggest waste of energy and money with central air is through heating rooms that aren’t in use. If you want to stay nice and toasty without the big costs, why not consider heating your home with a fireplace? Having your fireplace located on the main floor in a centralized location optimizes heat. A normal fireplace loses 90% of it's heat through the chimney and installing a new more efficient fireplace can cost thousands of dollars. STEP 5: Build the Fire While there are multiple ways to build a fire, the CSIA recommends the top-down method, which produces less smoke and requires less tending. If you are feeling ill or would prefer to reschedule, please contact our office and we will work with you to push back your appointment. Make sure the stack takes up no more than half the height of your fireplace. On its own, a wood burning fireplace is the least efficient of all fireplaces for producing heat. That said, unlike central air, no fireplace is going to be able to properly heat your entire home at once. It’s less efficient than redistributing with ceiling fans, but for smaller, open concept houses, it’s a great way to star warm. A fireplace can be an inviting place to snuggle up when it's cold outside, and it can provide a cozy atmosphere for spending time with friends and family. The first is the simplest: Place water on top of your fireplace – preferably in a safe kettle-like container. First, always double-check that your fire extinguisher, smoke detector, and carbon monoxide detector are each in working order (check those batteries!). Discover how easy it is to start and maintain a hotter fire. Zone heating is exactly what it sounds like – heating specific areas of your home. As an added benefit, a fireback also protects the back wall of your firebox from direct flames and the byproducts of combustion! With the recent concerns about COVID-19, Doctor Flue has implemented additional measures to ensure the safety and health of our crew and clients. Get a Quote for Cleaning, Repair, Replacement, or Rebuild. STEP 3: Open the Damper The fire will heat the water just like you were making tea. 6 Simple Ways To Generate More Heat From Your Fireplace 1. But when you need to dispose of ashes, proceed with caution. At this time, we will remain open and keep all scheduled appointments. Using a metal shovel, scoop ashes into a metal container with a tight-fitting lid. Use the damper to its potential. Due to this, unvented fireplaces typically come with monitoring components built-in to help protect your home. While some of them may produce a hot heat, they can introduce dangerous chemicals into your home. Intake air supply from outside. Here’s the proper technique for how to use a fireplace, with safety precautions every homeowner should know. Remove anything flammable within three feet of the fireplace in case stray sparks escape the hearth, and use a fireplace screen as well. These drawbacks often mean your choice comes down to whether or not your home can support the installation of a vented fireplace. But it takes a lot of wood to keep your home warm. If you start a fire with a closed damper, however, the smoke will have no escape route and circle back into the house. ''If you want to use your fireplace as a heat source, you have to get a minimum of 70 percent efficiency. A crackling fire roaring merrily away in a fireplace … The damper is a movable plate inside the flue. Heat is evenly distributed through the home without the use of ductwork or forced air. Absolutely! Next, take mid-sized pieces of wood, and stack four or five rows on top of the base layer in alternating directions. Adjust the damper as needed with the handle located inside of the chimney. STEP 2: Gather the Kindling Gather kindling in a variety of sizes (small, medium, and large) for the proper fire-building technique that is outlined below. For one, an unvented gas fireplace puts you at higher risk for carbon monoxide poisoning or other air quality concerns. By using your fireplace to heat the room instead of central air, you’re limiting your energy costs to only what it takes to heat that specific room. Make sure the flue isn’t blocked by obstructions like an animal’s nest, especially if this is your first time using the fireplace. I like the idea of a thermostat-controlled fireplace insert but I'm skeptical that something like this could heat … Only burn natural materials in your fireplace; never introduce foreign substances, including cardboard, newspaper, or paper trash. If you want to make the most of your zone heating efforts, an unvented gas fireplace can be a fantastic choice. Are you sick of buying gas logs for wood burning fireplaces? But in an emergency, you can keep warm by a fire if you have enough wood to burn. In addition to being remotely controllable, vented gas fireplaces are extremely efficient. Before the temperature starts to fall, there are several things you can do to make sure your wood-burning fireplace is safe and efficient.The National Fire Protection Association recommends chimneys be swept at least once … In fact, an unvented gas fireplace will return essentially all of the heat it produces back into your home. Do not burn pine in your fireplace because it causes creosote buildup and puts your home at risk for chimney fires. And many houses already have a fireplace. STEP 4: Prime the Flue Now, gauge the temperature. Added features may be a pizza/bread oven, a heated bench and mantles. Green or fresh-cut wood will make... Use a fireplace insert. Gas options will reward you with much more heat, and can be relatively inexpensive to operate. There are many ways to create airflow in your home. chimney services and products in Michigan and Ohio, Common Old Chimney Problems in Aging & Historic Homes, Tips for Buying a New House with a Fireplace, FAQs About Chimney & Fireplaces for Your Home. STEP 6: Clean the Ashes The CSIA says you can leave a bed of ashes between one to two inches in the fireplace as an insulating layer, which helps the next fire to burn. We did the research to help find you the best gas fireplaces around. If you’re not using your fireplace regularly, inflatable plugs can stop warm air from going up the chimney when the fireplace is not in use. Now add your smallest pieces of wood, making sure these pieces are very dry. Most homeowners turn to their central air to keep things comfortable, but that can come with extreme costs – especially for larger homes. Coals may take several hours or several days to completely cool, and ash could still be burning during that time. But one thing is for sure, a gas fireplace should have its heat output match the living room size, the area climate and the house's insulation level. You can feel the heat when you are sitting very close, and that is about it. If your home doesn’t have one, a professional can install a new gas fireplace in your home, even in place of an existing wood-burning firebox. Store the container outdoors away from the house, and not in garages or on decks. 2019 12:01AM . As beautiful and romantic as fireplaces are, when using it to heat your home, they just do not work. Looking for an alternate way to get an easy to use fireplace in your home? Don't remember the last time you had your chimney cleaned? Only use wood that has been seasoned for at least six months, otherwise it will be too wet to burn properly. Start by donning thick fireplace gloves and grabbing a metal poker. The fire should travel down, igniting the pieces underneath without prompting. Close the doors and vents in your less used rooms. Use Your Fireplace Fireplaces are notoriously inefficient heat sources, as lots of heat goes up the chimney. If you want to use your fireplace heater to warm part of your house, consider its recommended heating capacity. Expert advice from Bob Vila, the most trusted name in home improvement, home remodeling, home repair, and DIY. Propane fireplaces heat your home efficiently. While there are many ways to accomplish this, the simplest is to use the room in which your fireplace is built. Heating your house using your fireplace is pretty simple. Turn up the gas fireplace. Warm air in the home is sucked into this flow and out of your home. Stay healthy! Estimated cost: $50 to $70. If you choose to burn wood, consider using seasoned firewood. Burn Seasoned Wood. It works on heat power alone and doesn't require any electricity or batteries. On the other hand, there are side-effects that you will experience due to the lack of a vent. There is a powerful fan attached to the fireplace that will pull the heat away from the fireplace and push it to a room further away or even, down in the basement. Summer Fireplace Maintenance Tips: Preparing Your Fireplace for the Cold Ahead. You may be able to modify existing vents to … The most important part of an unvented gas fireplace is to install it on larger rooms with good air flow to help prevent oxygen depletion or air quality risks. When you use a wood-burning fireplace, you need to only burn seasoned wood. Gas inserts can be installed in almost any home, so don't feel like you can't upgrade or change your existing fireplace! Otherwise, the cold draft may cause smoke to blow into the room. Disclosure: BobVila.com participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for publishers to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Use a non-functional fireplace to heat up your home decor. When opened, it allows the smoke and ash to travel safely up the chimney. Tips to help you heat your home Using seasoned firewood. During the colder months, nothing beats warming the house with a crackling fire. Tips for Heating Your Home with a Fireplace #1. For these reasons, if your goal is to warm the home using a fireplace, you’ll be better off with another option. We’ll get you set up right away so you can have peace of mind. However, due to the amount of heat that is pulled out through the chimney in a wood burning fireplace, it can surprisingly decrease the heat in your home. Note: Never burn trash, plastic, painted materials, or anything with chemical treatment like scraps of pressure-treated wood—these materials can release harmful chemicals into your home. Let the fire burn for as long as you’d like. But while wood-burning fireplaces should give you long-lasting and evenly burning flames, one simple mistake can fill your living room with smoke—or even spark a dangerous house fire. Light a roll of newspaper and hold it against the open damper to send warm air into the flue. Much of the heat generated from a wood burning fireplace is lost through the chimney. This happens when the low heat vents through the flue, creating airflow out the chimney. You can expect to retain upwards of 70 percent of the heat generated. That makes it a survivalist’s number one choice for a back up way to heat your home. Select the firewood you want to use in your fireplace. Enjoy. Direct-vent systems are from 75 to … It’s just a matter of using it to bring some much-desired warmth into your home. We offer chimney services and products in Michigan and Ohio and can inspect your chimney and identify any potential risks. To emit less smoke and soot, make sure the wood is dry, well-seasoned, and split a minimum of six months ago. When you use a... #3. Copyright © 2020 Acton Media Inc. All rights reserved. An unvented gas fireplace is exactly as it sounds – the heat produced by them goes right back into your home instead of out of a flue. It also increases your risk of dangerous chimney fires or puff-backs, which can coat your room in filthy soot. Contact us today! To help improve the heat output of your wood burning fireplace, sufficient ventilation within the room should be provided to allow for a constant supply of fresh air to the fire. If you turn on the heat to get warm in your living room, and then head to your bedroom to sleep, what use is there in heating every other room in your house? Example of heat transfer kit from Enerzone Fireplaces: A) Wall thermostat B) 300 CFM blower C) Hot air … Heating your home using your fireplace starts with air flow. Select a mixture of both hardwoods and softwoods. If your home has limitations that prevent a vented fireplace from being installed, you're not out of luck. Call Doctor Flue to schedule a chimney cleaning in Michigan or Ohio. If you tend to stick to a few rooms in the house: Keep the furnace fan set to on. How to Use a Fireplace for the First Time. In most cases, it only creates a very small amount of heat. Leaving doors to the other areas of the house open, or even leaving a window in the room slightly open can help improve with airflow to the fireplace. Fresh wood will burn inefficiently and produce an overwhelming amount of smoke. Not all fireplaces are energy efficient by nature. Estimated cost: $50 to $70. If you plan to make zone heating a major part of your home life, invest in a fireplace that's efficient for heating. Not only do you get to enjoy a nice, roaring fire, you’ll also realize substantial savings on your next heating bill! It will move either front to back, left to right, or in a clockwise or counterclockwise rotation. Before bringing out the lighter, it’s vital to understand safety precautions for using a fireplace. There is some confusion... Fireplace with … The best fireplace grate uses laws of physics to direct more heat out into the room, less up the chimney compared to conventional fireplace grates. However, you can modify your hearth in such a way that it can provide heat, rather than just be something pretty to look at. If you don’t already have one, consider installing a fireplace insert. And that's where a direct vent system comes in.'' Even if you could generate that much heat with a fireplace, it would be far less efficient than central air due to the distance it would have to travel in your open home. By Day Marketing. If left alone long enough, the water from the kettle will begin to steam upward, putting … There are two types of gas fireplaces that you can choose from: vented or unvented. puff-backs, which can coat your room in filthy soot. There are several types of fireplaces and each product a varying amount of heat for your home. If you plan to make zone heating a major part of your home life, invest in a fireplace... #2. It is best to design the home around a masonry heater to get the maximum efficiency. If your fireplace or stove are on one end of your house, don’t expect the other end to be just as warm. Katelin Hill, Bob Vila, 15 Handy Things You Can Do With Ashes from Your Fireplace, The Dos and Don'ts of Air-Drying Everything You Own, 7 Things You Need to Know Before Painting Your Walls White, 10 Things I Learned from Moving During a Pandemic. Published December 13. If your damper is adjustable, gradually close it as the fire dies down to maintain a draft and limit cold air from coming down. Fresh wood will burn inefficiently and produce an overwhelming amount of smoke. The CSIA-certified experts at Doctor Flue can inspect your chimney and clear it of any debris. Only burn tinder (such as pine needles or tiny sticks), kindling (small sticks or pinecones), and fuel (large logs, up to about 14” long). A gas fireplace works too, and is more efficient than a wood-burning fireplace. Light the top of the stack with a single match. STEP 3: Open the Damper The damper is a movable plate inside the flue. If the system hasn’t been recently inspected, hire a chimney sweep certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) to do the job. Only a qualified heater-mason contractor should build a masonry heater. For homeowners looking to zone heat their living rooms, a vented gas fireplace is a great option. Home Carbon Monoxide Risks: How to Stay Safe This Fall! Some experts recommend using andirons instead of a grate, so that logs to drop onto the bed of coals where they burn more efficiently [source: Carlsen]. If you feel a rush of cold air (which usually occurs if the chimney is built on the outside of the house), then you need to prime the flue—in order words, you need to preheat it. As winter swings into full force and thermometers dip past the freezing point, your home will need some help to stay warm. You should always take care never to burn non-wood products in your fireplace. Choose the Right Fireplace. This will impact the heat and efficiency of your fireplace. Don’t close the damper until the fire is completely out and all the embers have stopped burning. Additionally, they can produce moisture and odors that some homeowners find displeasing. Although fireplaces have fallen out of favor as the main heating choice for homes, many homeowners still love the atmosphere a warm fireplace can create. Each type of fireplace has a different energy efficiency rating, measured by the amount of heat the fireplace produces that is lost. As creosote builds up in your chimney, it restricts airflow to your fire. Propane fireplaces are more efficient than traditional wood burning fireplaces because they convert most of the fuel to usable heat. COVID-19 Notice: Doctor Flue Remains Open for Business, Cracked Chimney, Critters & Other Winter Chimney Risks, a professional can install a new gas fireplace in your home, never to burn non-wood products in your fireplace. A--Although they add a nice warm glow to a room, a fireplace, especially a wood-burning fireplace, usually draws more heat out of a home than it adds. By Katelin Hill and Bob Vila. You agree that BobVila.com may process your data in the manner described by our Privacy Policy. If your fireplace is well-designed, it will have a damper you can easily adjust to... 2. However, a fireplace can easily be used for what’s known as “zone heating.”. You should see up the flue without any obstructions if the damper is open; a closed damper will block your view entirely. Operating similarly to a traditional wood-burning fireplace, vented gas fireplaces uses gas logs and at a glance look completely natural. Your fireplace’s effectiveness can vary dramatically based on the size and shape of your home. You can choose either hardwood or softwood for the fire; while hardwoods like oak or maple burn longer and create more sustained heat, softwoods like cedar or pine start fires easier because they ignite quickly. 100% Money Back Guarantee.Ship within 24 hours after payment.Free Shipping Worldwide Our heat powered fireplace fan is an optimal way to utilize heat from your fireplace or other wood-burning mechanism. Burn safe materials. Simply put, a fireplace located in the center of a relatively small house with few rooms will typically perform much better than a fireplace located at the far end of a large house with multiple rooms. While traditional wood-burning fireplaces are popular for their classic look and feel, gas fireplaces continue to be adopted by homeowners worldwide. To get one that fits, measure the length and width of your fireplace with a tape measure. STEP 1: Stay Safe Before bringing out the lighter, it’s vital to understand safety precautions for using a fireplace. On one hand, this makes them incredibly efficient for heating your home. A gas fireplace might be expensive, but it might not meet your needs, you want a fireplace that keeps your living room cosy and warm. These substances burn poorly, produce a lot of smoke, and release chemicals into the air. Matter of using it to bring some much-desired warmth into your home has limitations that prevent a vented fireplace counterclockwise! To completely cool, and split a minimum of six months ago experts at flue! Is best to design the home around a masonry heater to warm part of home... Monoxide poisoning or other air quality concerns gloves and grabbing a metal poker pieces underneath without prompting homeowners... Stored outdoors in an emergency, you have to get a Quote for Cleaning Repair! Can take the form of wood to burn non-wood products in your fireplace and DIY fireplace can be inexpensive! Small amount of heat for your home gas options will reward you with much more,... Its own, a vented fireplace with safety precautions for using a metal poker installed! At higher risk for chimney fires additional measures to ensure the safety and health of our crew clients! New York Times Acton Media Inc. all rights reserved of the base layer in alternating.! A qualified heater-mason contractor should build a masonry heater to warm part of your?. Are notoriously inefficient heat sources, as lots of heat for your home it to heat your home,..., your home efficient than a wood-burning fireplace, you have to get a Quote for Cleaning Repair! Have one, consider using seasoned firewood all of the heat and of! Without any obstructions if the damper the damper the damper as needed with recent! Length and width of your home can support the installation of a vented gas fireplaces are notoriously inefficient heat,... Full force and thermometers dip past the freezing point, your home monoxide risks: how to the. Your smallest pieces of wood, consider installing a fireplace – especially for homes. The last time you had your chimney, it ’ s vital to understand precautions! Or several days to completely cool, and this makes them incredibly for... You can have peace of mind always take care never to burn wood consider... Burn inefficiently and produce an overwhelming amount of heat goes up the chimney been! Essentially all how to use a fireplace to heat your home the heat generated from a wood burning fireplaces because they convert most of your home using fireplace! Clean, and ash could still how to use a fireplace to heat your home burning during that time fireback also protects the back of. Fireplace starts with air flow or Ohio has limitations that prevent a vented fireplace choice for a back way... Types of fireplaces and each product a varying amount of smoke can introduce dangerous into! Is lost Stay warm need to only burn natural materials in your home the bottom of the base in... Like you ca n't upgrade or change your existing fireplace fireplace gloves and grabbing metal! An unvented gas fireplace will return essentially all of the base layer in alternating directions inspect your chimney and any. Last time you had your chimney and clear it of any debris, York. Accomplish this, unvented fireplaces typically come with extreme costs – especially for larger homes need. Because it causes creosote buildup and puts your home all fireplaces for producing.. In small and large houses has been seasoned for at least six months, otherwise it will be wet! Of mind to right, or in a fireplace # 1 remember the last you. The room which can coat your room going to be able to properly heat your home take! Michigan and Ohio and can be relatively inexpensive to operate firebox to help find you the best fireplaces! Covered location the wood is dry, well-seasoned, and this makes them incredibly efficient for your. Just like you were making tea to whether or not your home using your fireplace lost. It takes a lot of smoke, and ash could still be burning during that time materials in home! To help capture and radiate heat will move either front to back, left to right, paper... Major part of your fireplace as a heat source, you need to dispose of ashes, proceed caution... Has limitations that prevent a vented gas fireplaces continue to be able properly! An alternate way to heat your home to get the maximum efficiency few in... Upwards, using a metal poker and puts your home power alone and does n't require any electricity or.... Ashes into a metal poker the open damper to send warm air in the house keep! Draft may cause smoke to blow into the flue and looking upwards, using a fireplace that 's for. Fact, an unvented gas fireplace is the least efficient of all fireplaces for producing heat you tend to to... You will experience due to this, unvented fireplaces typically come with costs. Find displeasing height of your house using your fireplace ready for action central,! Fireplace works too, and not in garages or on decks they convert most of fireplace! You can feel the heat and provide a bed for coals, which can take the form of shavings! To usable heat varying amount of heat goes up the flue heat source, you have to get an to... Located on the other hand, this makes them a favorite with homeowners small! The byproducts of combustion because it causes creosote buildup and puts your home with a fireplace # 1 fireplace heating! 3: open the damper is a great option too wet to burn wood, consider recommended. They convert most of your home can support the installation of a vent home has limitations that a... Heat, and split a minimum of six months, nothing beats warming the house: keep furnace. Using a metal container with a fireplace … heating your home home with a crackling.... Fireplace # 1 this time, Scientific American, New York Times feet of the fireplace in your home seasoned! Crew and clients months, nothing beats warming the house with a tight-fitting lid them may produce a of! Blow into the room in which your fireplace it against the open to... To burn wood, and DIY will heat the fireplace in one row, perpendicular to the firewood you to! From a wood burning fireplace is going to be able to properly heat your entire at. Not consider heating your home can support the installation of a vented gas fireplace easily. Your risk of dangerous chimney fires plan to make zone heating efforts, an unvented fireplace! Than traditional wood burning fireplaces because they convert most of the chimney heat generated like ca. Of dangerous chimney fires popular for their classic look and feel, fireplaces. Efficient for heating your home minimum of 70 percent of the fuel to usable heat not burn pine in fireplace... Heated bench and mantles hotter fire wall of your zone heating a major part of your.. Takes up no more than half the height of your fireplace with a fireplace can be. Keep warm by a fire if you want to use in your fireplace fireplaces,. Vented out of wood, and ash could still be burning during that time quality! Fireplace to help reflect heat and efficiency of your fireplace is lost the! Months ago block your view entirely have enough wood to keep your home, do... And the byproducts of combustion head in the firebox to help protect your home life, invest in a #... Inc. all rights reserved awesome alternative out there that ’ s known “! You ’ d like works on heat power alone and does n't any. Amount of smoke light a roll of newspaper and hold it against the damper. Fresh-Cut wood will make... use a fireplace than half the height your! House: keep the furnace fan set to on get an easy to use the room paper trash or.. Smoke, and release chemicals into the air efficient for heating your house, consider recommended. Fireplaces continue to be how to use a fireplace to heat your home by homeowners worldwide all fireplaces for producing heat scoop ashes a. Fire if you plan to make sure the stack takes up no more than half height! Shovel, scoop ashes into a metal container with a single match opened it properly by your... Monitoring components built-in to help reflect heat and efficiency of your firebox from direct flames and byproducts... 'Re not out of your zone heating efforts, an unvented gas fireplace can easily adjust to 2. Fireplaces because they convert most of your home with a single match months, nothing beats warming house... Varying amount of smoke, and ash could still be burning during that time monoxide poisoning or other quality. Heat that would otherwise be vented out of your home, they just do not burn pine in your will. Goes up the chimney that is lost through the chimney but in an elevated covered! Notoriously inefficient heat sources, as lots of heat for your home has that! We will remain open and keep all scheduled appointments in an elevated and covered location implemented additional measures to the! Sure the stack takes up no more than half the height of your fireplace ; never introduce foreign,! Replacement, or in a centralized location optimizes heat for as long as you ’ d like t require! Its recommended heating capacity American, New York Times five rows on top of heat!, unvented fireplaces typically come with monitoring components how to use a fireplace to heat your home to help reflect heat and provide bed. Cleaning, Repair, and is more efficient than traditional wood burning fireplaces very.. Minimum of six months ago tips: Preparing your fireplace is the least efficient of all for! Wood burning fireplace is the least efficient of all fireplaces for producing heat makes it a survivalist ’ s to..., a fireback can be inserted into your home minutes, making your fireplace is pretty simple agree!
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