Who doesn’t like to sit by a warm fire on a cold autumn or winter night and watch the flames dance? After all, it is one of the cosiest sensations imaginable and thoughts of home and hearth often conjure up the vision of a cheerfully crackling fire in your fireplace. However, what most of us don’t realize during these cosy interludes is that our fireplaces don’t burn fuel very efficiently. You’re wasting a lot of fuel and losing a lot of the heat because your fireplace performance isn’t efficient. Here are some steps you can take to change this situation.
The Right Type of Wood
The type of wood you burn in a fireplace is one of the biggest factors that determine how efficient your fireplace really is. The wood you use for fuel should be dry and it should be well-seasoned. Wet wood doesn’t burn as hot and it contributes to the build-up of creosote in your chimney at which point only a chimney sweep in Forest Row, East Sussex, RH18 will be able to help you out. Ensure that the firewood you use as fuel has been seasoned for over six months. You can identify such wood thanks to its cracked and grey appearance. The weight of the wood is lighter than its size would suggest and the bark doesn’t stick to the wood. When it burns it makes a pleasant crackle and lights easily.
Open Damper
This is a mistake a lot of us make when burning a fire in our fireplace; we leave the damper only partly open. Your fireplace will be able to properly draught only when the damper is open completely. The fire needs air to fuel it properly and promote a more efficient burn. You might be under the impression that if the damper is partly closed, the heat stays in but doing this is actually counterproductive since the fire won’t burn very well and won’t generate sufficient heat. This will happen because it won’t have access to the air it needs.
Clean Chimney
This is actually analogous to the damper situation. A clean chimney allows more air through ensuring that the fire burns properly and releases enough heat. This means that if the chimney is blocked by a build-up of creosote, birds’ nests or some other type of debris or if it isn’t clean, enough air will not be able to get through, which will give you a fire that smokes too much and may not generate enough heat. Have a chimney sweep in Forest Row, East Sussex, RH18 come in and sweep the chimney at least once every year.
Tempered Glass Doors
If you have a fireplace that has glass doors, understand that the point of the doors is to block any draught from blowing into the room when you’re not using the fireplace. These doors are not meant to be closed when you are using it. Keeping them closed creates another hazard because such doors can crack and even explode thanks to the heat of the fireplace. To improve the efficiency of the fireplace you can instead install tempered glass doors. These doors can regulate the flow of air into your fireplace and thereby improve its efficacy. In fact, your fireplace efficiency could improve by up to 20 percent if you decide to install these doors.
Fireplace Insert
A fireplace insert is a great way to improve the efficiency of an open-hearth fireplace. You need to ensure that the insert fits properly so measure the width and length of your fireplace before you get the insert. It is best if the insert has a stainless steel liner, one that goes completely to the top of the chimney.
You can enjoy cosy evenings in front of the fireplace even more if you go ahead and follow one or more of these steps. Your fireplace efficiency will improve and your room will be warmer.
Latest posts by Adrice White (see all)
- Best Ways a Chimney Sweep Can Help You - June 13, 2017
- Choosing the Best Kind of Wood for a Chimney - April 28, 2017
- How to Improve Your Fireplace Performance: 5 Ways - April 2, 2017
