Fireplace Insert Efficiency
The problem with traditional brick fireplaces is most of the heat goes up the chimney. Have you ever had a roaring fire in the fireplace and wondered why the room is freezing? The fireplace is actually working against you. The heat radiates a few feet into the room, and then gets sucked back into the fireplace.
A fireplace does not control the burn. The only control is based on the wood that is put in the fireplace. Because of this an open fireplace burns harder and faster and Seventy-five percent or more of the heat is lost up the chimney
The beauty of a wood fireplace insert is that it makes an existing fireplace much more efficient.
Installing a wood fireplace insert makes a good investment. Depending on the size and type a fireplace insert can cost from $1,200 for a small basic model to $3,500 for a large, top-of-the-line insert before installation.
A wood fireplace insert is an insulated, closed-door system which gives you more control over the combustion process. Heat is radiated through the glass and stays in the room rather than being sucked up the flue.
A fireplace insert not only increases the efficiency of a fireplace but it also helps protect air quality by reducing emissions and provides multiple fuel options (such as wood, pellet, coal, corn, natural gas and propane) that are cost efficient.
A wood-burning insert, provides a much cleaner and complete burn than an open fireplace. When wood is burned in a regular fireplace, 150 grams or more unburned particulate matter is released into the air, whereas a wood-burning insert releases only 3 or 4 grams per hour.
In a closed-door system the smoke becomes another fuel and is burned in secondary combustion which increases the efficiency. It improves the air quality while increasing the heat in the home.
