Spending time watching a movie or reading a book in the family room on a chilly evening can be even more enjoyable when the room is toasty warm. Now, its easier than ever before to obtain that kind of heat without turning up the thermostat on the furnace and heating the whole house unnecessarily. Simply install a hearth product as a zone heater and generate ambiance and penetrating heat while controlling home heating costs.
Zone Heating is Room Heat
While some hearth products have the
capability of heating an entire house, most are designed to heat a room or a
cluster of rooms, such as the living room, kitchen and family room. Using a
hearth product as a zone heater is all about focusing heat where people spend
the most time. After all, there is no point to heating bedrooms, or even a
laundry room, to 68 degrees when not in use.
Save Money on Home Heat
By turning down the thermostat on a
central furnace and using a hearth product as a supplemental heat source, its
easy to save money on home heating bills. This savings is a result of a
reduction in the amount of fuel needed to heat a home. Zone heating is often
most beneficial in homes with older central furnaces that tend to lose heat
through inefficient operation and leaky duct-work.
Many Options for Zone Heaters
There are many hearth products
applicable for zone heating, including fireplaces, freestanding stoves,
fireplace inserts and masonry heaters. Within these types, there are hearth
products that burn firewood, natural gas, propane, pellets, oil, coal, corn and
manufactured firelogs. The key to selecting the correct hearth product is
determining the zones of the house to heat, the level of desired heat, available
fuels, intended use patterns, and the convenience factor, as well as the style,
design and layout of the home where the hearth product will be
installed.
Zone Heating Decisions
Much like any other appliance, it is
important to spend the time to choose the hearth product that fits your zone
heating needs. Before making your final decision, visit a specialty retailer for
experienced advice. A specialty retailer is knowledgeable about zone heating. He
or she can arrange for the safe and reliable installation of a fireplace, stove,
fireplace insert or masonry heater by a certified professional installer.
Specialty retailers are the best source of information about how to correctly
operate a hearth product, proper maintenance requirements, and details about
available fuel types
