A fireplace has the ability to transform the atmosphere of any home, creating a level of comfort and coziness that other heating systems just can’t achieve. Still, most homeowners don’t rely on their fireplace as their primary source of heat as it can be inefficient and costly. What you might not know, however, is whether or not you should use a fireplace and central heating together. If you’ve always wondered about this, read on to find out.
Fireplaces for Supplemental Heating
In most cases, a fireplace is used as a supplemental form of heat. For many, it’s more about the ambiance than the heat a fireplace produces. So, should you turn off your central heating when the fireplace is roaring?
When you do use your fireplace, don’t turn off the central heating.
You might be surprised to learn that you should leave your central heat running when you’re using your fireplace. There are a few reasons why you should not turn off your central heat when the fireplace is on.
It’s a waste of energy.
First of all, if you turn off your HVAC unit when using your fireplace, you’re just going to need to turn it back on later. However, by this point, a good portion of your house will probably have cooled down quite a bit. This means your heating system will have to work extra hard for longer to get back up to temperature.
As you can imagine, that would take a lot of energy and put strain on your HVAC system.
It’s not safe.
If you think you can just turn off your central heating and use your fireplace as the main heat source all day or night, think again. It’s not safe to leave a fireplace unattended, whether it’s gas or wood burning.
It’s not enough heat.
On those winter days when it’s extremely cold, it’s nice to have a fireplace to add some extra warmth. But you shouldn’t rely on a fireplace to be your primary source of heat for your home. This is because fireplaces do not heat efficiently. They don’t produce enough heat to heat your entire home nor are they capable of circulating the warmth throughout your house.
Fireplace + Central Heating
In conclusion, running your fireplace and central heating at the same time might not save you money. However, you shouldn’t turn off your main heat source when you’re using your fireplace. The heat of your fireplace is not sufficient for a whole house – it’s really meant for one room. If you do turn off your central heating when your fireplace is on, your furnace will just have to work harder to get your house back up to temperature afterward. So, it’s not recommended.
Therefore, yes, you should use your fireplace and central heating together.
Make sure your fireplace and furnace are functioning at their best.
Call Team Harding for maintenance or repairs.
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram!
Team Harding has been Ottawa’s leading home comfort specialist since 1994. We are a family-owned and operated local business and all of our installers and technicians are fully licensed.
