Warm up for winter with more efficient designs that also look good.
Much as we love our fireplaces, though, the common masonry box and chimney design is dirty and only 10 percent to 15 percent efficient — 85 percent or more of the heat goes up in smoke.
Technological advances to manufactured fireboxes and inserts over the past few decades have improved that efficiency rate to as much as 90 percent, but as the efficiency increased, the beauty of wood-burning open flames was sacrificed. The stylistic options of the fireplaces themselves were also limited, often not fitting in with every decor and sometimes just plain ugly.
Today, as efficiency continues to improve, wood- and gas-burning fireplaces are also becoming more stylish and eco-friendly than ever. As an added bonus, these modern systems require less continuing maintenance than their masonry ancestors, which means that that special-occasion fire just might be on the verge of becoming an everyday event.
With installed costs starting at a couple of thousand dollars and up, upgrading an existing fireplace or adding a new one won’t likely jump to the top of the average home improvement “to do” list, but as energy costs continue to rise and super-efficient fireplaces and stoves become viable alternative heat sources, the long-term dividends might well be worth the investment.
Some of my favorite new designs for style and efficiency include models from Avalon Firestyles, Napoleon, Morso and Regency. Here are a few fireplaces that might suit, depending on your home.