Fireplaces are beautiful and cozy but are actually 5% to -5% efficient. Yes that means your furnace may run MORE with a fire going in the fireplace because it has to replace the warm household air that is going up the chimney with the smoke and heat from the fire. You can increase your fireplace efficiency by investing in a fireplace insert. This is a glass fronted box with a blower. Once your fireplace reaches a certain temperature a blower turns on to circulate air around the hot box of the insert and then blows this heated air into the room. The air is heated by the fire but the air is not from the fireplace. This means almost no smoke unlike a regular fireplace and an efficiency of around 80%. An insert essentially turns your fireplace into a woodburning stove. It is an investment but if you can collect your own wood from people cutting down trees in your neighborhood (allow 6 months for the wood to fully dry and season) it will provide you with heat from a renewable energy source unlike your furnance. Learn more with this Mother Earth News article. We had one installed soon after moving into our house and absolutely love it. When we use it, the furnace does not turn on and the wood burns much more slowly than in a conventional fireplace.
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