High natural gas cost expected to boost heating bills this winter!
Consumers should expect energy price sticker shock to continue well past the summer driving season’s pain at the pump is poised to give way to furnace frustration next winter.
The price of gasoline, above $4 for the past month, is on people’s minds – and it’s visible at nearly every major intersection. But another energy jolt may be coming as the price of natural gas, the primary fuel used to heat Wisconsin homes, is at historic highs for this time of the year.
Now would be the time for residential users to look at weatherization to reduce their natural gas bills-or they could be in for a major sticker shock this winter, “said Valerie Wood, president of Energy Solutions Inc., a Verona consulting firm that advises businesses on energy price trends.
Consultants who advise homeowners on ways to seal air leaks and boost insulation are typically swamped in the late fall and winter months, so now is a good time to move ahead with plans to boost a home’s efficiency, said Kathy Kuntz, director of energy programs at the state Focus on Energy program.
“If you wait until you get that first really high bill, and then it’s November, your options are more limited,” she said. When it’s already cold, most of the heating contractors are busy responding to ‘no-heat’ calls, and you’re going to have fewer options in terms of who’s available to help you.”
Spending time watching a movie or reading a book in the family room on a chilly evening can be even more enjoyable when the room is toasty warm. Now, it’s easier than ever before to obtain that kind of heat without turning up the thermostat on the furnace and heating the whole house unnecessarily. Simply install a hearth product as a zone heater and generate ambiance and penetrating heat while controlling home heating costs.
While some hearth products have the capability of heating an entire house, most are designed to heat a room or cluster of rooms, such as the living room, kitchen and family room. Using a hearth product as a zone heater is all about focusing heat where people spend the most time. After all, there is no point to heating bedrooms, or even a laundry room, to 68 degrees when not in use. You will also loose 10 –20% of your heat as it passes through your duct work. Ducts are not airtight and because of the coolness of the air outside of the ducts it cools the heat coming through them.
By turning down the thermostat on a central furnace and using a hearth product as a supplemental heat source, it’s easy to save money on home heating bills. This savings is a result of a reduction in the amount of fuel needed to heat a home. Zone heating is often most beneficial in homes with older central furnaces that tend to lose heat through inefficient operation and leaky duct-work. As stated by Bill Hussel, owner of “Effecently Yours Fireplace Shoppe”, in Madison. You will also loose 10 –20% of your heat as it passes through your duct work. Ducts are not airtight and because of the coolness of the air outside of the ducts it cools the heat coming through them.
There are many hearth products applicable for zone heating, including fireplaces, freestanding stoves, fireplace inserts and masonry heaters. Within these types there are hearth products that burn firewood, natural gas, propane, pellets, oil, coal, corn and manufactured firelogs. The key to selecting the correct hearth product is determining the zones of the house to heat, the level of desired heat, available fuels, intended use patterns, and the convenience factor, as well as style, design and layout of the home where the hearth product will be installed.
Enhance your home with a gas fireplace insert.
Many homeowners have come to realize their wood- burning fireplace is no longer efficient. Most of the warm air goes up the chimney or they constantly have to stoke it with firewood. The result is a lot of effort for little return. A gas fireplace eliminates these problems.
With a gas fireplace insert you eliminate the drafts from the original fireplace. This means that even when your fireplace isn’t in use, it won’t be allowing a cold draft in.
A direct vent gas fireplace insert has to vents installed within the existing chimney; one for incoming combustion air, the second for out going exhaust. This is a better choice as it is more efficient.
Inserts deliver the unbeatable heating efficiency over wood fires and most offer a blower for improved heat distribution. A gas fireplace insert will add value to your home, not just through it’s heating capabilities, but the ambiance it adds to your room.
Once you have your gas fireplace insert installed you won’t have to carry dirty wood throughout the home. Or maintain a wood pile outside that can become a nesting ground for animals.
Because it is so convenient you’ll find yourself using it more. And when you are ready to leave you can feel comfortable, knowing the fire will maintain its current temperature. Or you can simply shut it off and not have to wait around like you would when you use wood.
Energy efficient heating for your home.
Although wood-burning fireplaces have aesthetic appeal, they may actually remove more heat from a house than they produce. A typical, vertical-back fireplace with and open front is at best 10% efficient in converting wood to energy and delivering it to a room. The rest of your wood dollars escape up the chimney. They also pull cold air into the house from small gaps around the windows and doors. At the beginning and end of the burn, these convective heat losses are larger than the radiant heat provided by the fire. Also, most fireplaces are inappropriately situated on exterior walls. The large mass of masonry that makes up most of the fireplaces are poor thermal insulators and readily conduct room heat to the outdoors in cold weather.
There is also a safety issue with the creosote build up a wood burning fireplace will create. Wood burning fireplaces will need a chimney cleaning on a annual basis, that can become very costly also.
There are several types of accessories that modestly improve the heating efficiency of a traditional wood-burning fireplace. However, a fireplace insert is the only add-on device that makes a significant difference.
All wood-burning fireplaces should have a damper, or flue, located in the throat of the chimney, above the fireplace. A damper has a cast iron frame with a hinged lid that opens or closes to vary the chimney’s throat opening. It is used to manually regulate the amount of air, or draft, going up the chimney, which controls how much air the fire receives, and the rate that it burns. The size of the damper should correspond to the size of the fire; a narrow opening for a small fire, wide for a big one. It is important to close the damper when a fire is not burning. This helps to minimize the loss of warm room air up the chimney. If you use a fireplace often, check the damper annually to be sure it closes tight as possible.
Even brand new dampers may not close tightly. Dampers can become warped after the first hot fire. They may even be installed incorrectly to begin with. There are products commercially available to temporarily seal off the flue and stop air from escaping up the chimney. One product is inflatable stopper that you insert into the flue. Most models are made of heavy plastic with an attached tube for inflating the device. The tube hangs down in to the fireplace to remind you that the stopper is there. The flue must be totally cool before installing the stopper. Stoppers cost $30-$50. Depending on how often you use them and your climate, they may pay for themselves in a few years. A less expensive solution is to use an old foam rubber seat cushion or pillow: place it in a heavy plastic bag, and insert this into the flue. Attach a long red tail to it to remind you that it is there.
Fireplace inserts are wood, pellet, or gas-fueled appliances that fit into a conventional open fireplace. Some models extend onto the hearth, while others stay flush with the front of the fireplace. Many inserts include aesthetic features such as decorative tile, cast iron, or enameled fronts, glass doors, and brass trim and handles.
Fireplace inserts may have a single or double wall. In single wall units, room air is pulled in under the firebox and rises between the back of the unit and the masonry walls of the fireplace. The heated air then moves back in the room at the top of the insert. Double wall units have an air space between exterior and interior walls of the unit. Air circulates and heats in this space. This type is much more common, safer, and more efficient than single wall inserts. Both types have separate combustion air inlets and either vent into the chimney or chimney liner. Some inserts have fans to circulate air around the unit and blow heated air into the room. Fans may improve heat distribution (not combustion efficiency) by 50% to 70%. A fan may not be necessary if the unit is in a small room.
In the past, an insert was often placed in the fireplace without any direct connection between it and the chimney. This method of installation led to an increase in creosote build up, and subsequently fire hazard, because the smoke lingered and cooled in the back of the fireplace instead of being immediately vented up the chimney. To prevent this most building mechanical codes and the National Fire and Protections Association (NFPA), require inserts to have a connector between the appliance outlet and the first section of flue liner.
Studies have shown that proper installation of fireplace inserts is very important. Have a professional installer examine the fireplace and chimney to determine if they are suitable for an insert. Inserts should be as airtight as possible. The more airtight it is, the easier it is to control the fire and the heat output. The installer should use only approved fireplace insulating materials to fill and gaps between the fireplace mouth and insert shield.
Moving an insert to clean the chimney or liner can be very difficult, and is a job best left to a professional chimney sweep. In some situations a cleanout door can be installed above the insert connection so the so the insert does not have to be moved as often. Some models have wheels to simplify installation, cleaning repairs, and other adjustments.
Natural gas-burning fireplaces and inserts are an increasingly popular alternative to wood burning fireplaces. A wide variety of models are available, ranging from gas-logs to stovetop inserts. They may be vented or unvented. Unvented units do not have a chimney or a flue. Unvented gas heaters are gaining in popularity since they are relatively inexpensive and easy to install, and are efficient heaters. However, they can also be a health hazard since the combustion gases are sent into the room. Ventless heaters also deplete the oxygen level of the rooms and may produce some carbon monoxide (CO). they also produce waster vapor, which can cause problems when they operate often and/or for long periods, especially in a “tight” home. Most manufactures recommend that they be operated for no more than 3 hours per day. Always operate ventless heaters when there is an “adequate” air source, such as an open window, nearby. Also, always closely follow the manufactures operating and installation instructions. To avoid any of these problems, a vented unit is better and sealed combustion unit is best.