How a Fireplace Insert Can Boost Home Heating Efficiency

Fireplace heating is right at home here in Utah thanks to the rustic environment and our love for the great outdoors. Homes equipped with both fireplaces and traditional furnaces enjoy the benefit of dual heat sources. Needless to say, there are a lot of good things we could discuss about fireplaces. But let us go one step further and talk about the fireplace insert.

A fireplace insert makes a standard fireplace even better. So much so that a properly installed insert can actually boost home heating efficiency. Is your home equipped with a fireplace? If so, do you use it as a heat source? We can turn your traditional fireplace into a more efficient heating solution with a state-of-the-art insert installed by professionals who know their craft.

A Replacement… But Not Really

We have seen descriptions of fireplace inserts as replacements for traditional fireplaces. We understand the reasoning. With an insert installed, you are no longer burning wood or pellets in the original space. So in a sense, the insert is a replacement. But since it is installed within an existing fireplace, nothing has really been replaced.

The simplest way to understand a fireplace insert is to imagine a box with airtight doors that sits inside your existing fireplace. Once a fire is lit and the doors are closed, the only source of air fueling the fire is a small air intake system that tightly controls airflow. The result is a highly efficient system that burns more slowly and thoroughly. You get more heat with less waste.

Waste is a big thing with traditional fireplaces. A traditional fireplace has an efficiency rating of 5-15%. Even at the high end, 85% of the warm air you want to remain in your home is escaping through the chimney. A fireplace insert flips the script. Efficiency ratings are as high as 80% depending on the fuel you are burning.

More Heat for Less Money

A fireplace insert works as a fantastic supplement to your furnace. It is the perfect HVAC companion in a state like Utah. A fireplace insert translates into more heat for less money. Let us unpack that.

We have already talked about efficiency. Fireplace inserts burn wood, pellets, or gas. Some are even electric. But let’s assume your new insert is a wood or pellet burner. Because it burns the fuel more efficiently, you need less fuel to generate the same amount of heat. You spend less on wood or pellets.

Here are some other things to consider:

Consistent Heating

One of the complaints of traditional fireplaces is that their heating potential is inconsistent. So much warm air escapes up the chimney that you need to keep a roaring fire going to get good heat in the space. But the rest of the house is cold by comparison. The efficiency of a fireplace insert changes that. You get more consistent heat because you are not losing warm air up the chimney.

Zone Heating

A fireplace insert affords the opportunity to practice zone heating. Partially close the vents in the fireplace space to direct more air from the furnace to other parts of the home. That’s a better use of your heating dollars.

Better All the Way Around

As local experts in both fireplace inserts and HVAC systems, we are sold on inserts as better than traditional fireplaces all the way around. If you are still working a traditional fireplace in your house, consider making it better with an insert. We’re guessing you will not regret it. If you want to learn more, feel free to contact us at Comfort Solutions.