Getting Ready for Winter

Article Tools

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

Quick check for your heating system

Fireplace

FIREPLACES A RE V ERY I NEFFICIENT heating systems. To get the most out of yours, you should remem ber several tips:

*An open or missing damper can allow as much heat to escape as an open door does! Close it whenever the fireplace is not in use.
*Carefully close the damper down as far it will go while maintaining sufficient draft. The wood will bum longer.
*Consider adding a hollow-tube grate. This device pick up cold air a baseboard level, warms it as it passes through the firebox, then sends the warmed air back into the room. Some models even sport an electric blower.
*A great amount of heat is lost after an evening fire, when the damper must be left open to let out smoke. If you often bum the midnight wood, try covering the fireplace opening with a sheet of aluminum to cut off the flow of warm air escaping up the chimney. Or consider adding glass doors, which allow you to watch the fire without any heat loss.
*Clean your chimney at least once a year, mom often if soot and creosote build up.

Hot-Water Radiators

*First, dust or vacuum your radiator (and repeat frequently during the season).
*Then, "bleed" any trapped air in your unit. Use the knob at the top of the radiator or a key (available at hardware stores) to open the valve. Keep it open until hot water spurts out. It will be hot and should he caught in a bucket. Then close it securely. Should any of your radiators run cooler than normal during the winter, bleed them and allow the unit to refill completely with water.
*Never put a box over your radiator. Nothing should block the flow of heat.
*Build a radiator reflector to keep heat from escaping through the wall or nearby windows. While these reflectors (made of thin bubble-pack with an aluminum backing) are fairly cheap and available from hardware stores, it's easy to make your own. Cut a piece of cardboard slightly larger than the wall space behind the radiator. Cover with aluminum foil; then fasten behind the radiator. Whether you buy or build your own, take care that the reflector doesn't touch the unit itself or heat will be reflected into the walls instead of the room.

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print