Can You Heat Your Home with a Fireplace?
Possibly. But you will need to make informed choices in terms of the fireplace itself, the type of fuel it uses, and your methods of moving warmed air around your home.
Open fireplaces can be as little as 10% efficient; most of the heat is lost up the chimney. An open fireplace alone cannot warm a whole house (unless it is one very small room), and in some situation may make a house colder!
Sealed doors with gaskets make your fireplace, insert or stove more practical as a heat source. The doors lengthen burn times, because air cannot slip around and between the panes of glass. Air is provided by a primary air controller. With the help of a fan, the majority of the heat is delivered back into the room.
Efficiency ratings
This is one of the main differences between an EPA-certified appliance and one that does not carry the EPA tag. An insert, stove or fireplace must meet or exceed the emission limits set by the New Source Pollution Standards (NSPS), promulgated by the EPA in 2020.
Most certified equipment will operate in the +70% efficiency range. This means more than 70% of the heat generated will be delivered to your home.
The EPA does not have efficiency ratings for open-burning or masonry fireplaces. In fact, as stated above, some of this equipment operates at a negative efficiency (takes more heat from the house than it contributes).
Fuel Choices
If you’re looking to install a fireplace, you’ve got three main fuel choices:
- Wood
- Gas
- Pellet
While you’ll want to consider aesthetics and installation costs, you don’t want to write off efficiency. The more efficient your fireplace, the lower your fuel costs and the smaller your environmental footprint. Here’s a comparison of the three types listed above.
Wood
Wood-burning fireplaces tend to provide the most welcoming atmosphere. However, they aren’t as efficient as the other options.
You don’t need to be on the grid to burn wood in a fireplace. You will need large stacks of dry wood that have been seasoned for at least a year to enjoy clean heat.
Wood-burning fireplace can be an advantage if the power goes out and you need to warm up. However, wood-burners tend to lose more heat than they generate, making them the least efficient option. They also produce the most air pollution (smoke and creosote) out of the three fuels.
Gas
A gas fireplace can be run without electricity, and doesn’t require a chimney.
Gas is a clean fuel, and easy and more economical than wood and pellet fireplaces. It can be controlled by a remote or a thermostat, allowing the fireplace to be turned on and off immediately. The use of gas also makes fireplaces much more efficient, and gas emits less particulate matter air pollution.
Pellet
Pellets are made of compressed sawdust and burn clean and hot. Pellet fireplaces are tempered via thermostat and contain blowers to move the heat. Pellets burn more efficiently than wood; some stoves run on pellets burn up to 98% efficiency. They need electricity to run, however.
The last word
The use of gas is much more efficient than burning wood or pellets, and a gas fireplace doesn’t require electricity. Gas fireplaces are also greener, since you aren’t making smoke or consuming wood.
But for most homes, a fireplace is the most expensive heating method. A Cincinnati HVAC contractor like Jansen Heating & Cooling can help you choose a much more cost- and energy-efficient home heating option. And we can steer you to a great fireplace resource for recreation. Everyone loves cozying up to a fire now and then!