So another thread has kind of clued me in better but I'm hoping for some more information. We do have a fireplace but it doesn't provide any heat at all. Ideally I wanted to put in a free standing, wood burning stove and take down a divider wall that would prevent the heat from traveling through the house. That's a big financial undertaking though so it will have to wait. So I've been wondering, with the fireplace inserts and such, how do you heat the rooms when you're sleeping??? I think I saw mention of putting the furnace on fan. Is that how it works? So how does the furnace fan function work then? Does it draw air through vents or through the air place in the furnance? Because our furnace isn't anywhere close to the fireplace but by the exit door and wouldn't get quite the amount of heat I think it would need to heat the bedrooms. Did this make any sense? lol
Help explain fireplace heat to me
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Hi, I'm not an expert and I'm not quite sure if this is what you're asking but here goes...
Regular fireplaces (wood burning) are very much not efficient. Most of the heat goes up the chimney when it's lit, and when it's not, the cold are coming in can make things worse.
We have a "high efficiency" wood burning fireplace, which is a fireplace that is designed in a way where a majority of the heat is redirected back into the house. Our fireplace comfortably heats about 700 square feet most of the time. It's not hooked up to any of our heat ducts, although that is another option we could have had--our house is not very big, so we didn't need that. You can also have a fan installed to circulate the heat through the ductwork. Our whole setup cost us about $4000.00 about 10 years ago. It wasn't the most expensive setup, but it wasn't the cheapest either.
If we get a good fire going, the house can get so warm in the winter that the dogs won't be anywhere near it! This fireplace was hugely expensive for us, but it has turned out to be such a money-saver....and it helps with the peace of mind, too, because I know that even if, like last year, there is some kind of propane shortage, or other issue with heat/fuel, we will still be plenty warm.
I hope this helps you, maybe you don't need to make major renovations to your house, maybe you just need to get someone out to recommend a higher efficiency fireplace.
Regular fireplaces (wood burning) are very much not efficient. Most of the heat goes up the chimney when it's lit, and when it's not, the cold are coming in can make things worse.
We have a "high efficiency" wood burning fireplace, which is a fireplace that is designed in a way where a majority of the heat is redirected back into the house. Our fireplace comfortably heats about 700 square feet most of the time. It's not hooked up to any of our heat ducts, although that is another option we could have had--our house is not very big, so we didn't need that. You can also have a fan installed to circulate the heat through the ductwork. Our whole setup cost us about $4000.00 about 10 years ago. It wasn't the most expensive setup, but it wasn't the cheapest either.
If we get a good fire going, the house can get so warm in the winter that the dogs won't be anywhere near it! This fireplace was hugely expensive for us, but it has turned out to be such a money-saver....and it helps with the peace of mind, too, because I know that even if, like last year, there is some kind of propane shortage, or other issue with heat/fuel, we will still be plenty warm.
I hope this helps you, maybe you don't need to make major renovations to your house, maybe you just need to get someone out to recommend a higher efficiency fireplace.
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Ok with our Insert once the Flue gets to certain temperature we have two Fans close to the Floor draws cold air in blows warm air out above the Insert.
We have insulated Metal Flue Liner. Learning Inserts are more like a Wood Heater than Normal Fireplace. From what I understand we have one of the most expensive and Safest Units a person can have. Can heat 3500 sq. ft.
big rockpile
We have insulated Metal Flue Liner. Learning Inserts are more like a Wood Heater than Normal Fireplace. From what I understand we have one of the most expensive and Safest Units a person can have. Can heat 3500 sq. ft.
big rockpile
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Some those old style fireplaces you had to rotate according to the temperature :shrug: Stand facing fireplace when your backside freezes and your fount side starts to smoke just rotate :thumb: Repeat as necessary :facepalm:
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You might look into a "Fireback". It's a heavy cast iron piece sized for the back your firebox, heating up and reflecting heat out into the room. Some are very decorative, others just utilitarian.
We run our furnace fan with our insert setup. The cold air return draws in the warm air and circulates it to the rest of the house through the ductwork. Turn the thermostat to off, and the fan to on.
We run our furnace fan with our insert setup. The cold air return draws in the warm air and circulates it to the rest of the house through the ductwork. Turn the thermostat to off, and the fan to on.
I agree that fireplaces are not very efficient.
We have looked at fireplace inserts, wood stoves and other things.
I think when we can afford it we will get an outside furnace. You can burn just about anything in it. I like the idea that you can burn large pieces of wood, which would mean less splitting wood, less stoking the fire. Less chance of fire b/c the furnace is outside. Less mess in the house.
The one thing I don't like is that you wouldn't be able use as a cook stove.
We have looked at fireplace inserts, wood stoves and other things.
I think when we can afford it we will get an outside furnace. You can burn just about anything in it. I like the idea that you can burn large pieces of wood, which would mean less splitting wood, less stoking the fire. Less chance of fire b/c the furnace is outside. Less mess in the house.
The one thing I don't like is that you wouldn't be able use as a cook stove.
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