DIY Network

Heating Up and Cooling Down, Pt. II: Fireplaces From "Home IQ" episode DHIQ-119

Figure A

On a cold winter's night there's nothing better than the warmth and comfort of a fireplace, and Brad and Lynn Oberg's home is blessed with two unique choices -- two gas fireplaces (figure A).

These particular fireplaces are actually more like wall furnaces, which means they come on and off with a wall switch and are controlled by a remote.

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	Figure B
	Figure C

Why Choose a Gas Fireplace?

• Convenience is one big reason. If you have less and less time to deal with stocking your wood-burning fireplace, gas could be the answer for you. There's nothing easier than flipping a switch and using the remote control.

• The realism of gas fireplaces is another reason. Many gas fireplaces look no different than a wood-burning one, and this aesthetic (figure B) reason is a powerful draw.

• Efficiency is the other big reason to choose a gas fireplace. No matter how much radiant heat you would feel from a conventional fireplace, you still have a huge straw (the chimney) sticking out of your home that draws out the other air in the home that has "already" been heated by the furnace or whatever heating system you have.

• Easy installation is another great reason why a gas fireplace is a good choice. The unit weighs approximately 100 pounds and it can be set on any floor. And the direct vent goes out through the wall -- not straight up like with a chimney.

• Finally, another reason why Brad and Lynn chose their gas fireplace is that it has a heat-zone system that delivers heat from the fireplace into the adjoining room via the only floor supply register in the house, which is positioned under a window. So one fireplace (gas) is heating two rooms at one time!

Brad and Lynn also decided to go with a direct vent fireplace, which pulls all the air for combustion from outside the house and takes all the bi-products from combustion and removes them from the house via a vent (figure C), which means your indoor air quality is maintained.

For more information on gas fireplaces, click on the "Heat-N-Glo Fireplaces (Hearth & Home Technologies)" entry under Resources, below.

In our next episode of Home IQ Lynn Oberg finally gets to turn the kitchen faucet on in her custom-built home. See the planning that was involved in getting to this day and learn about a new plumbing system that is faster to put in and that can keep the water cleaner in your home.

RESOURCES :

For more information on the topics contained within this article please reference The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Building America Program

The Building America program works with members of the home-building industry to produce quality homes that use less energy without costing more to build.

Website: www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/building_america/

Heat-N-Glo Fireplaces (Hearth & Home Technologies)
Hearth & Home Technoligies, Inc.
20802 Kensington Blvd.
Lakeville, MN 55044
Toll-free: 888-427-3973
E-mail: info@heatnglo.com or globalinfo@heatnglo.com
Website: www.heatnglo.com

Heating (White Heating)
White Heating
3467 Babcock Blvd.
Pittsburgh, PA 15237
Toll-free: 800-800-4328
Fax: 412-364-3632
E-mail: white@stargate.net
Website: www.whiteheating.com

Energy Recovery Ventilators and Air Conditioning (Carrier)
Carrier Corp.
7310 W. Morris St.
Indianapolis, IN 46231
Phone: 317-240-5219
Website: www.global.carrier.com

GUESTS :

Brad and Lynn Oberg
Homeowners
Company: IBACOS (Brad)
Title: Co-Founder/Chief Technology Officer
Website: www.ibacos.com

Greg Allen
Site Supervisor
Hendolhurst Homes
955 Markman Park Rd.
Baden, PA 15005
Phone: 724-935-5658
Fax: 724-935-0884
E-mail: gcrbs@adelphia.net

Anthony Grisolia
Building Performance Specialist
IBACOS, Inc.
Website: www.ibacos.com

Eric Newhouse
Systems Integration Designer
IBACOS
Website: www.ibacos.com

John Holton
Senior Architect
Ibacos
Website: www.ibacos.com

Gary Gressang
White Heating, Inc.
3467 Babcock Blvd.
Pittsburgh, PA 15237
Toll-free: 800-800-4328
Phone: 412-364-5003
Fax: 412-364-3632
E-mail: white@stargate.net
Website: www.whiteheating.com

Kevin Waldo
Product Manager
Carrier Corp.
7310 W. Morris St.
Indianapolis, IN 46231
Phone: 317-240-5219
E-mail: Kevin.waldo@carrier.com
Website: www.global.carrier.com

Jeff Thayer
Vice President, Sales
Hearth & Home Technologies™, Inc.
20802 Kensington Blvd.
Lakeville, MN 55044
Phone: 952-985-6577
Fax: 952-985-6777
E-mail: thayerj@hearthnhome.com
Website: www.hearthnhome.com