This is how you choose the right fireplace as a heating method!
A fireplace's heat storage capacity is often directly proportional to its weight. The heavier the fireplace, the more heat it stores and the longer it retains it, and it also takes longer to heat up. However, in this article, we are not discussing bread ovens or storage fireplaces weighing thousands of kilos, but rather smaller and lighter heating methods. Lightweight storage fireplaces and stoves can be just as energy-efficient – if not even more efficient – when comparing heating methods for modern detached houses and older buildings.
What is a lightweight fireplace?
A lightweight fireplace gets its name from its lighter construction compared to traditional masonry fireplaces and bread ovens. Most lightweight fireplaces are built with a steel or cast iron fireplace core and a separate outer casing. The materials of the outer casing vary depending on the fireplace manufacturer, but stone, tiles, metal, or concrete are most commonly used in lightweight fireplaces. Lightweight fireplaces weigh a few hundred kilos.
Although lightweight fireplaces do not store heat in their casing as well as traditional storage fireplaces, they can still provide a lot of heat as a heating method. Many lightweight fireplaces have a convection function, in which combustion air circulates inside the fireplace core, burning the combustion gases more efficiently (just like LumoX® Ekoair combustion air controllers work). Lightweight fireplaces often have a large glass door, which is not only impressive but also acts as a radiator to the room. Metal-cased lightweight fireplaces also radiate heat.
In convection lightweight fireplaces, the room air circulates between the fireplace casing and the core, feeding the combustion process with room air and blowing the warmed room air back to heat the space. In lightweight fireplaces equipped with a convection feature, the room air heats up very quickly, because at the beginning, heat energy is not spent heating the massive structure of the fireplace, but instead radiates directly into the room with the air.
Some lightweight fireplaces have a so-called heat magazine, which stores the heat released by the lightweight fireplace. Heat magazines are separate from the fireplace, mass pieces installed in the fireplace casing structure. Heat magazines can be stone, concrete, or other heavy materials that store heat well. Stone casings and heat magazines maintain the heat for several hours after the fireplace fire has gone out.
Is a lightweight fireplace right for me?
A lightweight fireplace is a pleasantly fast-acting and usually also a stylish heat source that suits the interior. A lightweight fireplace is well suited for detached houses where the fireplace is not the primary heating solution, but is desired for its atmospheric effect and as an additional heater.
How does a lightweight fireplace differ from a stove?
A stove is a small heating appliance with a steel, metal, or cast iron surface that starts releasing heat immediately after lighting. Stoves do not traditionally store heat, so they are best suited for spaces where heating and wood burning are continuously maintained.
We are usually familiar with stoves from large tents, but modern stoves are also popular heating appliances in summer cottages, and they have gradually started to appear even in detached houses.
A stove is at its best when the space needs to be heated quickly. It is also suitable for spaces where the floor cannot support a heavier fireplace, or for small and narrow rooms.
Stove or lightweight fireplace?
Stove:
- Fast heating
- Also works as a decorative element, often impressive
- Easy to use, requires no preparation
- Simple installation
- Also suitable for unreinforced floors
- Fits in small spaces
Lightweight fireplace:
- Heats up quickly, but more slowly than a stove
- Several surface material options and styles
- Saves on heating costs
- Can be equipped with heat magazines
- Takes up more space than a stove
Lightweight fireplaces and stoves burn wood cleanly and heat quickly
On winter evenings, it is pleasant to watch the cheerfully dancing flames in a fireplace or stove. Modern stoves and lightweight fireplaces are equipped with a fireplace core and construction that burns wood cleanly compared to traditional fireplaces and bread ovens.
In modern fireplaces and stoves, the wood burns from the top, as the combustion air is directed back into the firebox, promoting the burning of the wood. In many fireplaces, the flames appear to dance more slowly, which means less wasted heat and more calm heat radiation into the room air.
The same mechanism is utilized by the air controllers in the LumoX® Ekoair product family. LumoX® Ekoair is an amazing innovation that simultaneously reduces wood consumption and emissions from burning in the fireplace. This patented invention promises up to 80% smaller fine particle emissions and 40% smaller wood consumption.
LumoX® Ekoair air controllers also suit traditional fireplaces in older buildings, which only have metal plates and flues without any special equipment. The Ekoair air controller is easy to install, without the need for external help or professional training. With the Ekoair® air controller, you save on heating costs and enjoy lower emissions.