10 — Say you saw it in The Real Estate Browser of Lynchburg — Volume 8 Number 1 www . LynchburgRealEstateBrowser . com
Warm Advice Straight From the Hearth
By Drew Howard , President , HomePro , Inc .
A fireplace means a roaring fire with bright , licking flames to some people . For others , it ’ s the muted crackle and soft warmth from a bed of glowing embers . While small “ warming ” fires are significantly more energy-efficient than the larger variety , the home fires that burn in your fireplace can be either big and bold or small and mellow , depending on how you build them .
The size and position of logs in a fireplace , plus the placement of embers and ashes , are key factors in determining the character of a fire- as well as the amount of heat it delivers . Large , rapidly burning fires produce heat quickly and in quantity , but only make use of a small percentage of the total heat available from the wood . For better – in terms of energy use and conservation – are smaller , more controlled fires that produce less heat , but do so longer and deliver a much larger percentage of available heat .
The difference in the warmth or energy delivered by the two types of fires is the amount of heat that escapes up the chimney . The bulk of the energy from larger , quickly burning fires goes up the chimney via a wide open damper plate . These fires require a lot of air within the house ; this warm air is replaced by drawing cold , outside air into the house .
Unless the thermostat is turned down , the furnace will operate frequently to compensate for the influx of cold air . In addition , as the house air moves into the fireplace , it will produce uncomfortable drafts . And hot , fast fires usually use larger logs than small fires that require frequent trips to the wood pile , as well . The large flames are pretty but are a sign of very inefficient burning .
Small warming fires consume logs more slowly , require less air and therefore , a small damper opening and burn in such a way that most of the available heat is radiated into a room . Small fires rely on glowing coals and often will display little or no flame .
Most people build fires using three logs – two equally sized ones on a grate several inches apart , plus a third one set atop the first two . Once the fire catches , the logs radiate heat between each other until the facing surfaces – the tops of the lower logs and the underside of the top one – become glowing coals . Few of the radiant energy waves from these surfaces will leave the fireplace . The air supply from underneath tends to carry off most of the energy in a hot air current straight past the open damper and up the chimney . Large licking flames are evidence of this energy waste .
By strategic log placement and intelligent use of ashes to block air routes under the fire , however , you can obtain a more effective radiating coal bed .
If you feel you can ’ t get through the winter without the charm and excitement generated by crackling and flaring logs , remember that you can start big- then cut back on additional fuel to reduce the size of the fire . An equally effective and far more efficient way to add flair to your fire , however , is to place a few pieces of fruitwood on the bed -cherry and apple give off wonderful aromas .
As always if you have any questions or information on your home please give me a call . Drew Howard ( 434 ) 660-3449 http :// www . lynchburgrealestatebrowser . com / index . php ?/ properties / price _ reduced http :// www . lynchburgrealestatebrowser . com / index . php ?/ properties / price _ reduced for the latest REDUCED properties . for the NEWEST LISTINGS .
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