Punxsutawney Phil Predicts an Early Spring


This year America’s primary Groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, predicted an early Spring. As February draws to a close those of us who desperately want to believe in the end of a particularly cold winter start to turn our attention to transitioning our home to a spring configuration. One of the best energy saving activities you can do is to close up the fireplace properly.

Despite popular belief, fireplaces are one of the most inefficient features in a home. If you do not properly close and seal your fireplace, having an open fireplace is worse than leaving a large window wide open all the time. Winter time is actually when fireplaces are the most problematic, but since most of us will not have much opportunity to practice smart use of fireplaces for the next few months, for now we are going to focus on closing them up for warmer weather. Don’t worry, as winter rolls back around, we will post some tips on how to keep your fireplace from being a major drain on your bills.

 

Fireplace Energy Efficiency Tips


So how can you stem the flow of all your air conditioned comfort going up the chimney? Here are a few simple tricks to seal in the cooler air soon to be circulating in your home.


  • Don’t just close the flue, check to make sure there are no gaps or drafts along the sides (check out Saving Energy Tip #8 for tools and methods of sealing gaps to the outside).
  • Add a sealant around the hearth; the chimney is not the only place where air can escape.
  • Prepare for next winter by adding a glass door between the fire and the house. It provides another layer of insulation since you cannot entirely eliminate drafts from the chimney.

 

If You Never Use Your Fireplace, Seal up the Flue Area!


  • If you never use it, permanently seal up the flue area, which can either be done with a plug or a seal. Eventually you may want to sell your home, so do not do anything that cannot be undone, but there are numerous types of safe and effective fireplace plugs and specially designed seals that can be removed later.

 

 

Image by Filomena Scalise