Choosing A Fireplace

Copyright © 2006, Emerson Lockwood

A fireplace is an added bonus to your home and in some areas a necessity, especially if you live in colder northern areas. Perhaps you do not have a fireplace, but one sounds like it would be an addition you would like to have to your home. If this is the care for you then the first thing you need to decide is kind of fireplace would be best for your home.

Natural gas inserts and freestanding stoves help to not only keep your home warm, but also burn cleaner and help maintain indoor air quality. Despite today’s high natural gas prices, they sell better than wood burning fireplaces and create less outdoor pollution problems.

Gas fireplaces, gas inserts, and pellet stoves are popular among today’s consumers in providing efficient zone heating. When you think about these types of fireplaces as a supplemental heat source, you will see utility bills drop due to the fact you do not have to keep the thermostat set as high as they would without it. A natural gas fireplace can efficiently heat up to 1,000 square feet of living space in your home.

Before settling on the purchase of a fireplace and the type that would be best for you, keep in mind some of the following points:

Masonry wood burning fireplaces can lose up to 85% of their heat through the chimney. They are also considered to be high polluters of the outside air and create problems with air quality and cleanliness in the home. Gas fireplace inserts can be installed in almost any existing masonry fireplace. Masonry fireplaces also come in a wide variety of styles and designs.

Other factors that should be considered are the climate you live in, the location of your home, and the age of your home. Also consider the construction of the home as well as the amount of heat that is required to keep it warm.

If you are thinking of purchasing a fireplace for zone heating, consider gas fireplaces, gas inserts and pellet appliances. It is recommended to purchase gas fireplace units with an A.F.U.E. (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rate.

Direct vent gas fireplaces are required to be kept close to an outside wall. They require air from the outside to feed the flame while relatively cool gases are exhausted through a wall mounted or roof vent.

Vent free fireplaces do not require outside venting. These are not recommended in newer homes because they can produce condensation within the home over time. These are also open fireplaces that do not have doors on them.

Class B vents are required for conventional gas fireplaces . The Class B roof vent flue helps carry away hot combustible gases and most have operable doors.

Pellet appliances are free standing stoves or fireplace inserts that burn wood based pellets made mostly from compressed sawdust. These are mostly used for zone heating and were designed to use waste wood produced by manufacturing companies. They are a highly efficient way to burn these waste wood products that can be purchased in 40 lb. bags. These pellet appliances can be designed to burn alternative fuels including corn and grains. One benefit of pellet fuel is the ability to lock in fuel costs at the beginning of the fall and winter seasons.

So if a fireplace sounds good to you and you are looking to save money on high energy costs, look into the fireplace that would best suit your needs. Remember to take into consideration your location, preference and lifestyle.

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