January brings the coldest temperatures of the year in Michigan, making now the perfect time to look for a new alternative heating appliance. A new fireplace, fireplace inserts or heating stove can help keep your home warmer during winter’s coldest weather and help you save money on your home heating bills.
Benefits of a home heating appliance
A fireplace, fireplace insert or heating stove can keep your home cozy — while keeping your energy costs lower — during cold weather months. In addition to running on cheaper alternative fuels like wood, pellets or gas, heating appliances can help you focus your heating budget on the rooms you use most. When you place a fireplace or stove in the most lived-in rooms of your house, you can turn the thermostat down for the rooms you use less, lowering your overall heating bills.
Today’s EPA-certified fireplaces, fireplace inserts and stoves also can help you lower your carbon footprint and increase your home’s efficiency. Home heating appliances can be up to 99 percent efficient. When you select a wood-burning appliance or a pellet stove, you can rely on a renewable, carbon-neutral heating source to help heat your home.
Selecting a home heating appliance
Options abound when selecting a home heating appliance, and you’ll have several factors to consider when choosing the best option for your home. First, consider location. If you have an existing open-hearth fireplace, you may want to consider a gas, wood-burning or pellet fireplace insert to return more heat to your home and reduce the amount of pollution put out by your fireplace. If you do not have an existing fireplace space, a freestanding stove could be added to your main living space. If you are unable to run a chimney or ventilation pipe to that room, there are vent-free stove options.
You also will need to determine what type of fuel you would to use to help heat your home. For a traditional stove feel, wood-burning is ideal. Pellet stoves, which burn compressed wood pellets or biofuels like corn or wheat hulls, are a popular choice for those looking to reduce their environmental impact while closely resembling the look and feel of a traditional wood-burning fire. Gas stoves offer the most energy efficient option and offer ease of use. Gas fireplaces can be ignited with the flip of a switch or the push of a button, and many can be controlled via thermostat. Once you determine which type of stove or fireplace you would like, you’ll need to determine which size is ideal for the area of your home you’re looking to heat.
If you’re ready to consider an alternative home heating appliance to help heat your home during the coldest winter months, consult the experts at FireSide Hearth and Home. We can walk you through your heating appliance options and help you select the appliance that is right for your home heating needs.
