This winter here on Long Island has been the coldest in recent memory. For years, we have gotten away with having fairly mild winters, but this year has seen weeks on end where the temperature hasn’t risen above freezing. Snow and ice have lingered on our roads and sidewalks as we try our best to keep our time outdoors to a minimum.
The excessive cold weather has many Long Islanders working harder to keep their homes warm and cozy for themselves and their families. For the many homes across Long Island that have a fireplace, they may be finding themselves getting renewed use. But how does using a fireplace affect our standard home heating through our furnace?
Is A Fireplace A Good Way To Heat A Home?
A fireplace can potentially be an efficient way to heat a home under very particular circumstances. Older homes that were designed with a fireplace as the main heating source in mind have the fireplace in a central location with a brick chimney going up through the roof, which allows the heat to disperse through the home as the hot air rises and the heat can permeate through the bricks. That said, modern HVAC systems are more efficient, and most fireplaces that are in homes today are there for aesthetic purposes and are not ideal for practical home heating.
Can You Run The Heater And Fireplace At The Same Time?
Yes, you can run a heater and a fireplace at the same time. A traditional wood-burning fireplace isn’t going to use the same source of energy as your furnace to heat your home. For occasions when you have guests over during the winter, using your fireplace while having your heating running is a way to keep your guests comfortable while enjoying the experience of spending time around the fireplace playing games, having hot cocoa, or just enjoying pleasant conversation.
With that in mind, you may use more energy with your home heating if you’re using your fireplace at the same time, as heat will escape through the chimney. This is especially true of more modern fireplaces that are not designed with heating your home in mind. If you have zoned heating, you might want to slightly turn down the thermostat in the zone with the fireplace since the fireplace will be doing some of the heating work—so long as that won’t make other rooms in that same zone too cold.
How Do You Prevent Heat Loss from a Fireplace?
The best way to prevent heat loss from a fireplace is to properly maintain it throughout the year. Making sure that the flue (whether it be inside the chimney or through a pipe) is closed and sealed tight when not in use to prevent heat from escaping. And be especially sure that the flue is clearly open with no obstructions when the fireplace is in use to prevent smoke and harmful gases from leaving your chimney and circulating in your home. If you like the aesthetic of a fireplace, you may want to consider a number of space heaters that have been designed to look like a fireplace with graphics to mimic the look and sound of a cozy fire.
Express COD Is Here To Service Long Island During Its Harshest Winter In Years
Many Long Islanders who may use a fireplace here and there this winter still rely on their furnace to keep warm. That’s why we take pride in providing heating oil at highly competitive prices to Long Islanders with unbeatable customer service, so you can rest easy placing orders 24/7 knowing your heating oil will be delivered promptly. Contact us today to find out more about our competitive pricing and how to schedule regular deliveries.