How to Make Traditional Fireplaces More Efficient

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It is widely known that gas fireplaces are more efficient than traditional fireplaces. Many people buy homes that already have traditional fireplaces, however, or opt for traditional fireplaces because of their beautiful, classic look. The good news is that all types of fireplaces add value to your home and that there are several ways to make traditional fireplaces more efficient. 

Today, we’ll share our pointers on how to make traditional fireplaces more efficient, so that you can enjoy your home’s fireplace without worrying about it wasting your home’s energy. 

 We offer chimney sweeps, chimney inspections and much more. 

Now, we’ll dive into our traditional fireplace efficiency tips. 

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How to Make Traditional Fireplaces More Efficient

Here are some ways that you can ensure that your fireplace is not wasting energy. 

Know When to Close Your Damper

You need to open your chimney damper in order to start a fire. This is an important safety measure that facilitates proper airflow and lets smoke out of your house. When the fire is completely out (with no more embers burning), however, it is best to close the damper to prevent warm air from escaping your home. 

We also recommend having a top sealing damper installed, rather than a conventional damper. Top sealing dampers seal tightly, keeping cold air out during the winter and warm air out during the summer, thus saving you energy. 

Burn the Right Types of Wood

Choosing the correct type of wood to burn will produce more heat and less creosote (a tar-like chemical build-up that needs to be removed from all active chimneys regularly). 

Some woods that we recommend include oak, maple, and birch. All of these are hard woods that burn slowly. Check out our blog about the best woods for firewood for more information! 

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Start Your Fire Correctly

Doing this will create a better, safer fire and prevent energy loss. Here are the steps to starting a fire:

1. Open the damper all of the way so that smoke does not enter your home. 
2. Stuff crumpled newspaper below the grate.
3. Stack your wood in two rows in a criss cross pattern. 
4. Add kindling on top of the stack. 
5. Prime the chimney flue. Light a newspaper and hold it above the damper to do so. This will prevent cold air from flowing down into your house because of negative pressure, saving you energy. 
6. After the draft is reversed, you can light the newspaper to begin the fire. 

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