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Ice_Queen
I've tried those single logs that burn for 2 hours and then I've also tried regular burning wood, but it's a messy job early in the morning when I have to sweep all the ashes, and I suffer from terrible allergies.
I am a conservationist and my family and I are trying are best to search for other possible alternatives to cutting our heating, gas, and electric bills over the winter months. Does anyone have any good suggestions?
Answer
Since you are a conservationalist there is really only a few options for you to effectively use your open fireplace in a "green" way. First lets get the bad news out of the way...
The first thing you must understand is that open fireplaces always waste more heat than they generate. Think of them as a wood toilet. I know it sounds counter-intuitive since obviously a fire generates heat. But, the air movement that a fireplace creates in your home is referred to as the "stack effect" and it literally sucks heat out of your home. The fire in the fireplace is grabbing your interior air that your furnace already worked hard to heat and is using it for combustion and tossing it up the chimney along with most of the heat the fire is creating. Meanwhile, your home cannot remain a vacuum after loosing all this air mass, so it starts sucking in cold outside air from other weak points in the home envelope (like windows and doors). In return for this massive waste the fireplace casts a paltry 10% of its available heat forward as radiant heat.
The US Department of Energy has put some statistics to the use of fireplaces. They estimate that a homeowner will consume 10% - 20% more furnace fuel if a fireplace is used regularly in that home.
Now for the good news...If your main goal is to get usable heat from this fireplace an upgrade is in order. An efficient fireplace insert is the only way you can control the heat and air access to your fireplace. plus they are usually equipped with a fan that helps you harvest all that usable radiant heat coming from the insert. An upgrade like this will cost you a few thousand dollars for an efficient model. Unfortunately, the quality manufacturers of these are backordered for about 4-5 months this winter.
Here is the cost effective option: If you donât have a couple of grand to drop on an insert, and you are looking to just get a little ambiance from your fireplace, you can go this route. First, get that fireplace damper plugged up nice and tight with a chimney balloon damper. Inflate it in the fireplace flue to stop the heat seepage and cold draft through your old damper. Then get a candelabra with some soy candles and put it in the hearth. The soy candles are not petroleum based so they will not push out soot into your interior air. Beanpod makes a pretty good product, but there are others as well. If you have 5 or 6 candles burning in the fireplace you will get a nice flickery glow to the room that is every bit as pleasant as a flickery wood fire, but not as wasteful.
Some people swear by the electric style fireplace inserts, and you can go that route too. They are inexpensive compared to wood inserts, but my opinion is they look a little cheesy.
Since you are a conservationalist there is really only a few options for you to effectively use your open fireplace in a "green" way. First lets get the bad news out of the way...
The first thing you must understand is that open fireplaces always waste more heat than they generate. Think of them as a wood toilet. I know it sounds counter-intuitive since obviously a fire generates heat. But, the air movement that a fireplace creates in your home is referred to as the "stack effect" and it literally sucks heat out of your home. The fire in the fireplace is grabbing your interior air that your furnace already worked hard to heat and is using it for combustion and tossing it up the chimney along with most of the heat the fire is creating. Meanwhile, your home cannot remain a vacuum after loosing all this air mass, so it starts sucking in cold outside air from other weak points in the home envelope (like windows and doors). In return for this massive waste the fireplace casts a paltry 10% of its available heat forward as radiant heat.
The US Department of Energy has put some statistics to the use of fireplaces. They estimate that a homeowner will consume 10% - 20% more furnace fuel if a fireplace is used regularly in that home.
Now for the good news...If your main goal is to get usable heat from this fireplace an upgrade is in order. An efficient fireplace insert is the only way you can control the heat and air access to your fireplace. plus they are usually equipped with a fan that helps you harvest all that usable radiant heat coming from the insert. An upgrade like this will cost you a few thousand dollars for an efficient model. Unfortunately, the quality manufacturers of these are backordered for about 4-5 months this winter.
Here is the cost effective option: If you donât have a couple of grand to drop on an insert, and you are looking to just get a little ambiance from your fireplace, you can go this route. First, get that fireplace damper plugged up nice and tight with a chimney balloon damper. Inflate it in the fireplace flue to stop the heat seepage and cold draft through your old damper. Then get a candelabra with some soy candles and put it in the hearth. The soy candles are not petroleum based so they will not push out soot into your interior air. Beanpod makes a pretty good product, but there are others as well. If you have 5 or 6 candles burning in the fireplace you will get a nice flickery glow to the room that is every bit as pleasant as a flickery wood fire, but not as wasteful.
Some people swear by the electric style fireplace inserts, and you can go that route too. They are inexpensive compared to wood inserts, but my opinion is they look a little cheesy.
Does the advertised Amish Heat surge really heat a room well without running up the electric bill?
WonderWoma
In every Sunday issue of our paper, there's an advertisement for the Amish fireplace mantle with the so called 'free' heater, Heat Surge that prmises to be so cost efficient. Has anyone bought it and realized a difference? Especially in the gas heating bill, and electic bill and efficient heating of a room? We bought the Eden Pure, it doesn't heat a large room, and we're waiting for the electric bill to see if it cost us more!
Answer
Wonder Woman: If you want to save on heating costs, the best way is through âzone heatingâ. This is where you turn down the thermostat on your main heating system by several degrees, then selectively heat just the space you are living in or using. According to the US Department of Energy, zone heating can reduce your overall heating costs by 20% or more. Now, with respect to which heater to use for selective heat, it is true that you can buy many heaters at low cost. What you get with a Heat Surge is the warmth and ambiance of a terrific looking fireplace in conjunction with a great heating unit. Youâll find comparable electric fireplaces at most big-box retail outlets, most for much more than a Heat Surge. Yet none of these competitive products come with the real wood authentic Amish mantle thatâs made us famous. Please learn more about our products and hear from a few of our million happy customers at www.heatsurgetoday.com. Hope this helps!!
Chris Pugh
Heat Surge
Wonder Woman: If you want to save on heating costs, the best way is through âzone heatingâ. This is where you turn down the thermostat on your main heating system by several degrees, then selectively heat just the space you are living in or using. According to the US Department of Energy, zone heating can reduce your overall heating costs by 20% or more. Now, with respect to which heater to use for selective heat, it is true that you can buy many heaters at low cost. What you get with a Heat Surge is the warmth and ambiance of a terrific looking fireplace in conjunction with a great heating unit. Youâll find comparable electric fireplaces at most big-box retail outlets, most for much more than a Heat Surge. Yet none of these competitive products come with the real wood authentic Amish mantle thatâs made us famous. Please learn more about our products and hear from a few of our million happy customers at www.heatsurgetoday.com. Hope this helps!!
Chris Pugh
Heat Surge
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Title Post: Alternatives to burning wood or coals in your fireplace during the upcoming winter months?
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Rating: 100% based on 99998 ratings. 5 user reviews.
Author: Unknown
Thank FOr Coming TO My Blog
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