Fireplace
FOR YOUR SAFETY, be sure to read the General Appliance Maintenance Tips for appliance maintenance before attempting to investigate or repair natural gas appliance problems.
Have an Annual Check-up
HAVE A HEATING CONTRACTOR perform a yearly maintenance check-up of your appliances and venting system to ensure efficient, safe operation. Adjustments, cleaning of burners, replacement of parts, repairs, and inspections of venting are jobs for licensed professionals as explained in General Appliance Maintenance Tips who know the equipment and the codes that must be followed.
A STANDARD WOOD-BURNING fireplace may be romantic, but it is not very energy efficient! In fact, it can remove more heated air up the chimney than it provides.
ONE OF THE BEST WAYS to improve the energy efficiency of a wood-burning fireplace is to replace it with a natural gas fireplace. They're energy efficient, convenient to operate - and romantic!
IF YOU CAN'T REPLACE your wood-burning fireplace, here are some tips to minimize your heat loss:
Provide outside air for combustion. It may be as simple as opening a window in the room or installing a fresh air vent for the fireplace. Contact your local fireplace specialty store for further advice and options.
Install tight-fitting glass doors and keep them closed when the fireplace is not in use to prevent the home's warm air from escaping up the chimney.
Close the damper once the fire has completely died out to prevent warm air in the house from escaping up the chimney.
Seal off an unused fireplace with a home-made insulated plug. Simply cut a piece of polystyrene to fit snugly in the front opening and decorate the plug with either wallpaper or paint.
BE AWARE THAT YOUNG CHILDREN are attracted to flames in a fireplace. Glass panels on fireplaces can get very hot yet not appear to be so, posing a burn risk, particularly to toddlers learning to walk. Young children should not be left unsupervised in a room with an operating fireplace. Consider a protective screen for your fireplace which can be secured to hold back determined toddlers.
Wind or Sun Breaks
PLANT EVERGREEN TREES or a dense hedge as a windbreak between the prevailing wind and your home; usually the north-west side.
DECIDUOUS TREES PLANTED on the east and west side of your property near the house will help to block the summer sun, but will also allow the winter sun to warm your home once the leaves have fallen. In fact, research has shown that mature shade trees can have the same cooling effects on a home as an air conditioner, with no operating cost!
