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Show Currently fft Speakingly NS5CA By Moon Lake Electric Asso., Inc. THE FIREPLACE AS A HEAT LOSER Most people think of a fireplace as being warm and cozy. Maybe not. In a negative way, a fireplace can be among the top points in the house where important im-portant energy loss occurs. Don't expect ex-pect crackling flames in a fireplace to heat your house, warns the Energy Department. The conventional fireplace wastes more heat than it produces. The reason -is that 90 percent or more of the fuel goes right up the chimney and the balance is inefficiently radiated in the immediate vicinity of the fire and is at best limited to the one room. While producing the minimal benefit, the fireplace draws off a large amount of furnace heated air, not only from the immediate room but from the entire house, to provide the oxygen necessary for combustion of the wood or coal. Unless proper procedures are followed in using the fireplace, the result will be a net loss of as much as 8 percent of the energy used to provide this "glowing" comfort. The fireplace, however, can be converted to a positive contributor of .comfort throughout the house, with a few modifications. For example, metal lined heat exchangers are available on the market that draw in air from the room, and using convection principles, circulate it rapidly around metal plates enclosing the fire box and then exhaust it into the room. This eliminates the need for an outside air source. The following basic points are helpful in making fireplaces more efficient, with a favorable effect on fuel bills: Before starting a fire, turn room thermostat down to 50-55 degrees, since heat from the primary system will be lost up the chimney. About one inch of ashes in the hearth provides insulation for easier starting and better burining. Glass fireplace doors can effectively conserve energy. The doors significantly reduce the amount of heated room air that is drawn through the fireplace. They also can be closed as the fire dies so the damper can remain open, thus minimizing the amount of heat loss up the chimney. Install a vent for obtaining outside air if at all feasible or an air inlet grill in the hearth at the front of the fireplace to obtain combustian air from basement, crawl space or outside. If this isn't possible and if getting a proper draft is a problem, especially while starting the fire, slighly open the window nearest the fireplace. Closing off the room where the fireplace is in use will reduce heated air from other rooms being drawn up the chimney. With forethought and basic knowledge, the homeowner can choose a fireplace that will enhance thehome, and more importantly, serve as a supplement to the primary heating system. For the homeowner who already has a fireplace, a careful look at it may well point out methods of increasing heat output, with the added benefit of saving energy dollars. Wise use and expert construction of the fireplace is fast becoming another significant aspect of our changing lifestyles. |