Fireplace Inserts
Do you own a typical masonry fireplace? Are you aware that an average masonry fireplace is about minus 15% efficient, drawing out more heat than it can produce, creating a source of heat loss for your home? According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), a masonry fireplace can lose up to 24,000 cubic feet of heated air per hour to the outside, then in turn draw in cold air from the outside through the home’s doors and windows. The DOE classifies such fireplaces as one of the most inefficient heating sources a homeowner can utilized.
If you are looking to improve the efficiency of your fireplace, then an insert is what you will need. The fact that fuel cost is constantly rising accelerates the need to install a highly efficient gas, pellet or wood burning fireplace insert. This home improvement project not only enhances the aesthetics look of your overall living space, but also provides great energy savings. A fireplace insert could improve your fireplace efficiency by up to 85%.
Simply explained, a fireplace insert is like a wood stove, airtight and worked with the door closed. Your room will no longer lose mass amount of warm heated air through your chimney.? Also, inserts come with an air draft control.? ? Hence, you will get a more controlled burn, while energy and money will be saved and with much less emissions.? Warm heated air will not keep escaping through the chimney because you can now control the amount of combustion air your fireplace is receiving. A noteworthy feature is the powerful fan system that comes with the fireplace insert. Such systems consisting of one or more blowers, while top of the line systems are thermostatically controlled and heat activated.
Fireplace inserts come in many shapes and styles to match the décor of your home. You can select an insert that burns either gas, wood or pellet fuel. Determining the right fuel type requires careful assessment of fuel cost and accessibility, the needed efficiency and heat production, level of usage and maintenance needed, as well as the as the aesthetics presentation of the fire.