wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. There are two main configurations of gas logs: Vented and ventless. Is Your Chimney Welcoming Unwanted Visitors? What Gas & Wood Burning Chimneys Have in Common. Do All Chimney Flues Need Cleaning and Inspection? Maybe just have a towel or cloth under it while you iron it. Wood-burning appliances are much better for the environment, not to mention that they are more enjoyable than central heating units. At the same time, if the fireplace is in a closed room like a den, you can close the doors to the rest of the house, making the room a closed system. Top sealing dampers, however, are more efficient because they seal the chimney at the very top, which prevents unwanted debris or small animals from entering the flue. Why Is Firebox Cleaning an Important Part of Chimney Service? Methinks those who would make the argument that unvented gas fireplaces are more efficient than a furnace are simply grasping at straws to rationalize a dumb product. These features can be added to your fireplace to improve its operating efficiency. Why It’s Important to Close Your Damper in The Summer, Why the Lowest-Price Chimney Sweep May Be the Most Dangerous, Why You Should Inspect Your Chimney Flashing, Why You Shouldn’t Call a Roofer for Chimney Leaks, Why You Shouldn’t Neglect Chimney Maintenance, Why Your Chimney Is Leaning and What to Do About It. All good points, David. Propane is currently hovering around $3.00/gallon. reply; Allison Bailes. Conversely a wood burner takes longer to reach the required temperature and it’s much more difficult to regulate heat output. When preparing to build a fire, start with some dry clumps of wood shavings or twigs to serve as tinder. The amount of energy a gas fireplace consumes in one hour is known as its input rating. Gas fireplaces and inserts make attractive upgrades to any home. How to Clean and Maintain Your Log Burner, How to Deal with Multiple Estimates for Chimney Services, How to Increase the Life of Your Fire Pit, How to Keep Away Chimney Enemy #1: Moisture, How to Know if Your Chimney Chase Cover Needs Replacing, How to Prevent these 5 Common Chimney Dangers, How to Use a Fireplace for the First Time, Increase Chimney and Fireplace Efficiency This Winter. Similar to shown: Adorn 21½-inch B-vent, 7,320-Btu output, $1,900; Victorian Fireplace Shop. Can I Use My Existing Chimney With a New Wood Stove? How much Power You Need. 6. At the high end you can place a fireplace insert inside your firebox or replace your fireplace with a zero clearance, pre-fabricated metal fireplace. Is Your Money Going Up the Chimney? Fireback. Burn dry wood: Oak, for example, burns hot and slowly, which will reduce smoke and ash, as well as the amount of residue … In the middle of winter, fireplaces are a popular topic. Often a certified technician will find things that are causing lowered efficiency and can get them repaired quickly. The fireback improves the fireplace's efficiency by absorbing the heat from the fire and radiating the heat back into the room. If you want to block the escape route even more effectively, you can buy an inflatable insert, called a chimney balloon or fireplace plug, for somewhere between $50 and $65. Fuel Efficiency Rating Most fireplaces have a fuel efficiency rating. Not all fireplaces are created equal, and not all uses of a fireplace produce the same results. If not properly maintained and used, they can literally suck the heat out of a room when not in use. Convenience and cost Fireplaces are a great way to relax on a winter evening, but they aren’t the most efficient way to heat your home. What Does a Chimney Sweep Service Provide? Install a metal firebox with blower to circulate warm air. This article has been viewed 92,150 times. Bailes. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Do Your Walls have Ghosting aka Soot Stains? 3 The amount of heat supplied to the room is known as output ratings. A gas insert is a metal box which installed into your masonry fireplace. Even though both systems look similar, both are installed in the corners of the floors and have the same size. Vent-free gas fireplaces: Even more energy-efficient because they don’t send exhaust outside. More expensive up front, but a better investment in the long run. Retailers usually provide an efficiency rating, as a percentage, in the information about the appliances, as well as an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating. A built-in fan distributes heat into the … 7 Benefits of Heating with a Fireplace or Wood Stove, Ten Benefits of a Zero Clearance Fireplace, Why and How to Reduce Creosote in your Chimney Lining, Reasons Annual Chimney Inspections Should be a Priority, Fabulous Fireplaces- Celebrities, Movies, & the Titanic, Build a Fire that Has Your Favorite Characteristics, Child Chimney Sweeps: Dark Chapter in Sweep History, Understanding CSIA Certification & NCSG Membership, Why it’s Important to Choose Local Firewood, U.S. Household Fires Provide Lessons In Safety, How To Have a More Eco-Friendly FirePlace, National Fire Prevention Week is Oct 6 – 12, Don’t Cut Out Chimney Maintenance to Save Money, 8 Clues that Your Chimney May Need Repairs, 5 Benefits of Switching to a Fireplace Insert, Differences Between Masonry & Factory-Built Fireplaces, Burning Wood Is an Eco-Friendly Way to Heat your Home, Spring Cleaning Should Include the Chimney & Fireplace, 10 Things to Know Before Hiring a Chimney Sweep. Pictured: Regency HRI6E gas fireplace insert Trend 5: Heat You Can Turn Down (and up) In fact, when we picked this fire up, the man who sold it to us second hand said he has had to upgrade to a new more fuel efficient and smokeless log burner and added he worked in the UK Environment Department. Masonry Fireplaces. Chimney Dampers and How they Can Save You Money, Chimney Evolution – Elimination of Smoky Fireplaces, Chimney Inspections Are Similar to Medical Check-ups, Chimney Restoration: Time to Reevaluate Your Heat Source, Common Causes of Fireplace-Related Home Fires, Common Off-Season Chimney Repairs Made by Homeowners, Creosote & Chimney Fires: What You Must Know, Creosote in Your Chimney: Types, Causes, and Remedies, Crumbly Chimney Masonry and How to Prevent Spalling, Custom Fireplace Designs for Your Interior Fireplace. Natural gas is a fairly inexpensive form of energy, so a gas fireplace is inexpensive to run. The more heat that goes into making a room warmer, the more efficient a fire is. Even worse, a neglected chimney is a safety hazard. 8 Reasons to Choose Gas. Gas fireplaces or inserts don’t require as much maintenance as wood fireplaces, but they still need to be checked regularly by someone trained in fireplace service. The challenges of effectively burning natural gas date back much further than one might think. What is Causing my Chimney Discoloration? But release a lot of moisture into inside indoor air. Gas fireplaces come in three types: inserts, for folks who want to retrofit a wood-burning firebox with something more convenient and efficient; built-ins, for those who want a fireplace where there isn't one now; and log sets, basic burners that sit in existing, open fireplaces. % of people told us that this article helped them. Another way to make more efficiency in the heating is by creating a nice passage of air where the heat can disperse easily, try not to block the passage of air by making obstructions with objects near to the baseboard heater. Generally speaking, gas fireplaces are listed and tested to an ANSI standard and cannot be modified, even if that modification might mean better efficiency. Now, with the cost of modern heating rising at a steady rate, the highly efficient and environmentally friendly fireplaces and wood stoves are making a strong comeback. By David Gustadson In both cases, these fireplaces are easier to install and more efficient burners all- around. This burden on the home, foundation, and ground beneath make them prone to settling. posted by holgate at 7:20 PM on January 6, 2014 . The beauty of fireplace inserts is they can be seamlessly retrofitted to most existing wood-burning fireplaces. Very energy efficient: electric fires are 100% efficient, meaning all the heat is emitted into your room as none is lost in a chimney or flue. The last way you can make your fireplace more efficient is by only burning quality, well-seasoned firewood. If you haven’t had a fireplace and chimney inspection within the last year, give Chimney Solutions of Alpharetta, Ga., a call and find out what we can do to help your gas or wood fireplace operate at peak efficiency this winter. Northeastern Chimney, Inc. But be aware that while fireplaces can be a great source of warmth during the winter, if they are not properly maintained, they can contribute to quite a bit of heat loss in your living space. Fireplace Safety for Your Home (video) Direct Vent Gas Fireplace Inserts. Have Winter Conditions Affected Your Chimney? In this article, we’re going to take a look at which gas fires are the most efficient, so you can choose the style that’s right for you… Open Front Gas fires. Women Chimney Sweeps Fine with the Dirty Work, Wood-Burning Fireplace versus Wood-Burning Stove, You Shouldn’t Use a Regular Vacuum to Clean A Fireplace, Flashing: A Leading Cause of Chimney Leaks. It's possible to build a high efficiency fireplace using cast clay for the firebox and sheet metal for the stovepipe. Fuel Efficiency Rating Most fireplaces have a fuel efficiency rating. Direct-vent fireplaces comprise the majority of gas fireplace sales. You can schedule an appointment or get your questions answered at (770) 691-6707. Gas fireplaces cost 17-19 cents an hour to run, or about $60 annually, Electric Fireplaces Direct says. This type of appliance typically uses anywhere from 70,0000 – 90,000 BTU/Hour when running on high and the efficiency tends to be lower than 25%. The Importance of Maintaining Masonry Chimneys, The Purpose and Function of a Chimney Cap, The Winter Holiday Season and Fireplace Safety, There is No Better Time than Spring to add a new Gas Fireplace, Gas Logs, Fireplace Insert, or Stove, Time for Your Annual Chimney Cleaning and Inspection, Tips for a Clean, Safe, & Well-Maintained Fireplace This Winter, Tips for Adding a Fireplace to a Small Space, Tips for Fireplace Safety – Wood, Gas, & Electric Fires, Today’s Wood Stove Designs are Fashionable and Trendy, Top 5 Reasons to Install Glass Doors on your Fireplace, Turn Your Firebox Repair into a Fireplace Renewal, Two Hidden Causes of House Fires: Pyrolysis and Batteries, Unlined Chimneys: A Problem Found in Many Older Homes, Upgrade The Wood Fireplace with To Gas Fireplace Insert, Use the Summertime to Remodel Your Fireplace Surround, Warning Sign It’s Time to Replace or Repair a Wood Stove, Water & the Misunderstood Masonry Chimney, Ways a Chimney Sweep Can Help You Reduce Your Energy Bill, What a Routine Inspection of Your Chimney Might Turn Up. Higher efficiency = blue fire. What is a Direct Vent Fireplace & How Does it Work? How Often Does a Chimney Need to Be Cleaned? Don’t Trust Your Home to Just Any Chimney Sweep, Enjoy the Vibe of a Fire All Year with an Electric Fireplace, Essential Areas Examined in Level 1 Chimney Inspections, Facts About Chimney Cracks & How To Repair Them, Fall is the Time of Year to Make Sure Your Chimney is Clean & Safe, Fire Prep To-Do List Before the Season’s First Fire. Advancements in gas stove technology have paved the way to a more efficient, instant and controllable heat source, available at the push of a button or even remote control. By doing so, they lose the pleasures of an open fire but gain energy efficiency. Because energy costs are a major factor for many industrial processes, it makes sense to carefully analyze how the natural gas is being used and whether the system is running at peak efficiency. Both are expressed in Btu (British thermal units). If this sounds like a good option for you, talk with a chimney and fireplace professional and get the details. Most fireplaces convert only 15% of wood’s energy into useful heat, but inserts can increase the efficiency of a fireplace by a factor of five. A Wall of Fire grate is a high efficiency wood burning fireplace grate which features a unique, vertical design. Alternative fuels include grain and corn; some appliances are specially made to burn these commodities. But if the heat produced by the fireplace is the whole point, converting with a gas insert is a good way to keep money from going up the chimney and make your fireplace more efficient. With more emphasis on energy efficiency, enhancements have been made to the design of traditional fireplaces. October 12, 2020; By admin Filed Under Fireplace; No Comments Make your gas or wood fireplace more efficient with these tips vs burning fireplaces electric sudbury boston ma is an unvented than a condensing furnace energy vanguard choosing for home diy network blog made remade the value of heatilator offer heating choices stoves burners studio {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f6\/Make-a-Fireplace-More-Energy-Efficient-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Make-a-Fireplace-More-Energy-Efficient-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/f6\/Make-a-Fireplace-More-Energy-Efficient-Step-1.jpg\/aid40388-v4-728px-Make-a-Fireplace-More-Energy-Efficient-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"