greenliving
Fabulous Fireplace
Keep Heating Dollars from Going Up in Smoke
A
crackling fire in the fireplace (EPA) generate only two to five grams
feels warm and cozy, but tradi- of particulate matter per hour of
tional wood-burning is a major operation, compared with 40 to 60
energy waste. According to the U.S. grams per hour from a conventional
Department of Energy, a blazing hearth fireplace. Current units operate at 80
sends as much as 24,000 cubic feet
generator. Like wood stoves, pellet
percent efficiency—similar to other
of air per hour up the chimney, along
stoves are available as freestanding
home heating sources. They come as
with about 90 percent of the heat pro-
units or fireplace inserts.
either a freestanding model or a unit
duced by the fire and some of the heat that inserts into an existing fireplace;
produced by the home’s furnace. many come with blowers to direct
n Gas fireplace inserts. Natural gas
Fireplaces also generate a lot of heated air into the living space.
or propane-fueled inserts offer the
air pollution. Wood smoke contains
warmth and ambiance of a fire without
carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and
n
the need to load wood or pellets or
Pellet stoves. Instead of wood logs,
fine particulates that can aggravate
dispose of ash. Gas inserts are up to
these stoves burn small pellets made
asthma, allergies and other health con-
80 percent efficient and generate low
from compressed wood and other
ditions.
levels of pollution.
plant waste, and produce so little
Several options are available for
pollution that they do not require EPA
upgrading the family fireplace, both
certification. Pellet stoves do require
Other options also exist for enhanc-
energy- and pollution-wise, without
electricity to feed pellets into the com-
ing the operation of an existing fireplace
sacrificing coziness:
bustion chamber (about 100 kilowatt-
and preventing excessive heat loss:
hours per month under normal usage),
n Wood stoves. Units certified by the so they will not work during a power n Tempered glass doors. Installation
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency outage, unless powered by a separate of airtight hearth doors enables the fam-
ily to keep both the doors and flue shut
when the fireplace is not in use.
n Heat-air exchange system. This
improvement blows warm air back into
the room, minus the smoke.
n Caulking air leaks. Provides a low-
cost barrier to keep air from escaping
from around the fireplace doors, flue
and chimney.
n Lowering the thermostat. A good
rule of thumb is to keep the house
between 50 and 55 degrees when the
fireplace is in use, and shut doors lead-
ing into the room.
n Cracking open a window near the
fireplace. Creates a healthier experi-
ence by increasing fresh air flow and
minimizing smoke inhalation.
Source: Adapted from Union of
Concerned Scientists (ucsusa.org).
16 Rockland & Orange Counties www.naturalawakeningsro.com
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