If you’re considering adding a fireplace to your home, the chance of a change in your energy bill may give you pause. You might wonder how a fireplace addition will affect a home’s energy usage, or if one type is more energy-efficient than another.
The answer is...maybe.
A few different factors influence how a fireplace will affect your current energy usage.
Fireplace Types. All fireplaces aren’t created equal. Each has its own energy efficiency level, determined by how much of the heat produced is lost.
● Wood-burning fireplaces, while cozy and high in nostalgic appeal, are the least energy efficient. The reason for this is that almost all of the heat produced goes up the chimney, not out into the home. Also, the air is pulled into the chimney from inside the home, meaning that heat is lost even as a minimal amount is distributed. A chimney can pose a heat or cool air loss throughout the year, as well, especially if the flue isn’t closed, or the damper isn’t in good repair. Adequate maintenance is always necessary with fireplaces, but with wood-burning models, it’s even more crucial; ensure that the chimney for a wood-burning fireplace is always clean and seals are solid.
● Natural gas fireplaces are attached to a gas line and can be open flame or use a gas “log”. These also lose a lot of heat, although using a gas insert dramatically reduces the amount of heat lost. A gas insert is essentially an enclosed box within the fireplace that has a gas line flowing into it, which increases energy efficiency.
● Electric fireplaces are even more efficient, losing only 1% of the produced heat. There’s no connection to the outside, and no byproducts going into the air, making them the cleanest burning option as well.
Calculating Costs. Your area’s standard energy and heating costs will come into play when researching the potential cost of adding a fireplace to your home. You’ll also need to figure in whether your fireplace is fueled by a different energy source than your furnace. If natural gas is particularly expensive one winter, an electric fireplace could pinch-hit for it, saving you a little money.
Location, Location, Location. The placement of your fireplace has an effect on its efficiency level as well. In order to use a fireplace in conjunction with a furnace or central heating unit, consider “zone heating”; placing a fireplace in an oft-used space (living rooms are popular locations) so that when you’re enjoying the fireplace’s heat, the main heat element can be turned down or off. If this isn’t possible, having the fireplace near the thermostat can influence how often the main heater for the home kicks on, reducing its use. (Sensors in multiple rooms can obviously shortchange this strategy.)
In short, a fireplace’s main purpose is generally to provide ambiance and amp up your home’s cozy quotient. But if you’re able to plan a little, in order to help it work with--not against--your home’s main source of heat, a fireplace can have a positive impact on your energy usage.
If you’d like to learn more about how to build the most energy-efficient fireplace in your home or convert an existing fireplace to a gas or electric option, call us today at 405-447-4200.
