How To Make Old Fireplace More Efficient

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.

How to make old fireplace more efficient.

Others are portable metal dishes about 3 feet 1 meter wide. Specific fireplace heaters can be installed with fireplace glass doors saving you even more money. Depending on which kind you purchase these heaters can make a significant difference in your home s temperature even heating a full room on its own. Drywall want to reface your old brick or stone fireplace with drywall.

Fireplace makeover trend 6. Make your fireplace more efficient reconsider your old fireplace which could be costing you more money than you know. Gas fireplaces and fireplace inserts allow less air to be lost outside of the house and are made to operate more simply and cleanly than wood fireplaces. 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.

To improve efficiency and reduce standby losses this is the only option i recommend. Fireplaces are a great way to relax on a winter evening but they aren t the most efficient way to heat your home. Pay attention to building and fire codes before you install one. A standard fireplace uses amasonry chimney to send smoke away from you and your guests.

These heaters are closed systems so no smoke from the fireplace is invading the home. With more emphasis on energy efficiency enhancements have been made to the design of traditional fireplaces. Our expert glen mandold from sonshine chi. Windows get a lot of scrutiny in the hand wringing over energy efficiency and while a single pane window alone is not the thermal barrier that a new double pane window can be studies show that old.

These features can be added to your fireplace to improve its operating efficiency. At mother earth news they put together a list of ways you can cut down on heat loss and increase the heat. Fireplaces also are major air passages that when not in use should be blocked with a closed damper and even a solid screen across the hearth. A fire pit is a fireplace without a chimney some are made of stone or brick.

Tweaking a fireplace to be more efficient involves combating both of those problems. Make sure the chimney is high enough to establish a good draft. Within the last 15 years fireplace inserts have become much more energy efficient. A gas burning fireplace insert is a more efficient option that.