Add Warmth to Your Home Energy Efficient Fireplaces
You know you are in an Energy efficient home when you open the door and it sounds like you just broke the seal on a vacuum-packed canister.
That little "whoosh" you hear is the sound of a virtually airtight home – which can save you 30 percent on your energy bill.
Energy efficient homes are those that meet very high standards for insulation, windows, ventilation, heating and cooling and construction techniques. You can also retrofit your existing home with energy-efficient improvements.
By making your home energy efficient you'll not only reduce your energy costs, but also improve the air quality and resale value of your home.
Special mortgages are also available to help you finance energy-conservation home improvements, increase your home-buying power for a fixer-upper and stretch your debt-to-income qualifying ratios on loans for existing energy-efficient homes. Contact your local power supplier or mortgage broker for details.
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Start with an Energy Audit
To learn where your home needs tightening, first obtain an energy audit, which will acquaint you with routine maintenance to keep energy costs down and point out how to upgrade your home's energy efficiency.
Does your home have room for improvement? Here are common energy-robbing areas the audit likely will turn up.
Windows, Doors, Skylights
Old rope and pulley windows are visually appealing, but unless you seek historic register status for your home, consider installing new double- and triple-paned, argon gas-filled and sealed Energy efficient windows, doors and skylights – which reduce heating and cooling costs. They also help block out harmful pollutants and disturbing sound. "New windows and doors give you the biggest bang for your buck."
Air Leaks around Doors and Windows
Cracks and gaps in the framing and exterior include literally hundreds of holes for plumbing, mechanical equipment, electrical wiring, exhausts and venting. Leaks that let air in or out make it difficult to maintain a stable, energy-efficient temperature. Air leakage accounts for between 25 and 40 percent of the energy used for heating and cooling in a typical home.
Examine caulking for deterioration around doors, windows, joints between wood and masonry.
Re-caulk where needed, but first remove the old caulk, clean the surfaces and apply new caulk. Likewise, replace worn weather-stripping around exterior doors to minimize air filtration. Examine roof flashing and other areas where pipes, wires, vents and other elements protrude or make a break in the surfaces of your home.
Ducts
(ARA) - As cold weather settles in over much of the nation, homeowners are remembering the high heating prices of last winter. Of course you want to be comfortable in your home. But does that mean turning up the thermostat and breaking the bank?
Not necessarily. New gas fireplaces and fireplace inserts will provide additional heat to areas of your home where you spend the most time. These fireplaces take a load off your furnace while saving money on monthly gas bills and enhancing your home's comfort and beauty.
Studies show that families spend 80 percent of their time in 20 percent of their homes -- typically the kitchen and family room. It doesn't make sense to keep all of the home's rooms at the same temperature if you're not in them. One way to save money is to use a fireplace to heat the rooms you're in and lower the setting on the furnace for the rest of the home.
New technology has made fireplace installation and heating more effective and energy-efficient. Heat-N-Glo's new 6000TRXI Intensity fireplace offers furnace rated heat and a complete climate control package. Also available are Heat-Zone and Heat-Duct options to increase the efficiency of your heating system. The Heat-Zone option allows homeowners to disperse heat from the fireplace to another room in the home. When this feature is turned on, heat is directed to another location through flexible ducting that is finished off with a standard floor grate. Heat-Zone uses its own fan system to draw the warm air from around the fireplace and push it to an area where more warmth is needed, making it easy to heat more than one room without turning up the furnace. The Heat-Duct option captures heat from around the firebox and directs it into a home's cold air return ducts, allowing the furnace to operate more efficiently. Instead of working at full capacity to heat cold air from outside the home, the furnace can work at a lower level by using air already warmed by the fireplace.
Heat-N-Glo's Intensity series of fireplaces has been awarded the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval based on its innovative design and venting capabilities. Additionally, The 6000TRXI received the highest award for new products at the annual Hearth Products Expo.
Each fireplace in the Intensity series features Heat-N-Glo's patented direct vent system, which features a sealed combustion chamber that takes in all of its combustion air from the outside, making it ideal for today's tightly sealed homes. Direct vent fireplaces provide exceptional thermal efficiency and will not alter air quality, making them suitable for any room -- even a bedroom.
Traditional masonry fireplaces can be prone to downdrafts, which contribute to higher heating bills since the furnace must work harder to maintain a comfortable temperature in the home. Converting to a gas fireplace is easy and can save money, improve your home's air quality and add beauty and warmth.
