YOUR CHIMNEY DIRECTLY AFFECTS YOUR HOMES HEATING EFFICIENCY
The connection between your chimney and your homes heating efficiency
Is your fireplace as the main heating source for your home? Do you rely on it for supplemental heating? Either way, your home’s overall energy efficiency will be largely determined by the efficiency of your chimney. It needs to be clean to operate optimally. If it’s in any other condition, it is not going to do its job. Here are some pointers.
1. KEEP IT CLEAN
The cleanliness of a chimney directly affects the heat and the quality of combustion of logs in the fireplace. Fire needs air to hit its peak combustion. With sluggish air flow, logs won’t burn completely, less heat will be produced, and smoke and toxins can back up into the room.
Over time, soot and creosote begin to build up within a chimney. Slow-moving air exacerbates this build-up. Less air means cooler fire equals poor combustion. In addition, obstructions from outside such as bird nests, small dead animals, leaves, twigs, and other debris can create blockages. Avoid blockages by having cap installed. An annual chimney cleaning is the only way to keep your chimney and fireplace running at high efficiency
2. AIR FLOW PROBLEMS
Another situation to avoid is the lack of interior air to create a draft. This causes fireplaces to operate inefficiently. Chimneys have no motor or exhaust fan. They operate by convection or the rising of warm air. For air in the firebox to rise, there must be a source of air being drawn into it.
If your home is particularly “air-tight,” you might experience drafting issues with your airflow. One way to solve this is to slightly open a window or two to bring a small amount of air into the home. Keep in mind that exhaust fans in kitchens and bathrooms and the exhaust from clothes dryers also can wreak havoc with air pressure inside the home, creating a perfect environment for fireplace backdrafts. You may find it best to limit the use of these and other devices that draw air outside the house when running your fireplace.
3. PERIODS OF NON-USE
When the fireplace isn’t in use, energy efficiency in the home can be compromised. Address this problem by making sure the damper is closed and sealed tightly any time you’re not burning a fire. Another way to prevent interior heat loss is to have your chimney insulated. When the masonry is cold, it transfers that cold to the inside of the flue and, eventually, into your home. Tempered glass fireplace doors also prevent excessive interior heat loss.
Applying these tips will ensure that your chimney and fireplace are getting sufficient and correct airflow and that your home contains enough air to allow the unit to draft properly.
1800 Chimney of long island, NY, can help you! Our certified technicians can perform inspection cleaning and help you maintain your chimney and help your home’s energy efficiency! Call 1-800-640-3583 with questions or to schedule a service visit.