Connecticut does have its warm and sunny days, but no one’s going to fault you if they don’t remember them often. Winters in the Constitution State can be brutal and long. Pile-high frost is not uncommon, and it can even extend during spring.
It’s not a coincidence living in Connecticut means having a fireplace where you can sit and relax during the colder months. Perhaps you can do that with a blanket, a cup of coffee or tea, and your favorite reading.
The problem is using fireplaces can increase your electricity bill. Worse, it can contribute to poor air quality, increasing your risks for respiratory diseases.
High Energy Costs
Two seasons can ruin your utility bills: summer and winter. During these months, your need for something cold or hot is high. It then means one thing, which is the excessive consumption of energy.
Due to the high demand, prices tend to go up. For people in Connecticut, it can be a significant problem. The residents paid the highest amount in 2017. The gas bill alone during this period was $39, which placed the state in the upper-20 rank. Connecticut residents pay high energy costs for many reasons. One of these is the inefficiency of fireplaces and woodstoves.
To generate heat, they need to pull warm air in the room. But they don’t trap this heat effectively. Much of it only goes out of the chimney. In other words, you might be paying more for gas or electricity, but you’re not getting the best value from your fireplace or woodstove.
Fortunately, you have options to avoid this problem. One of these is to install wood stove inserts in Connecticut. What is a wood stove insert? Sometimes referred to as a fireplace insert, it is a box made from metal such as steel. At the front of it is glass. The entire system, meanwhile, is fireproof.
What it does is to trap as much heat as it can. It also “returns” the heat it collects back into the room. The bottom line is it makes fireplaces even more efficient.
A Warning for You
Inserts these days come in different sizes. You can even find one for various kinds of fireplaces such as gas, wood, or even electric. Regardless of which type of insert you’re planning to use, don’t forget two things. One, make sure only professionals install it. Second, make it a habit to maintain it, which means you need to have it cleaned.
Smoke and dust that can accumulate in the insert and the fireplace can lead to health conditions. These can include asthma, allergic reactions, and other respiratory illnesses. They are particularly dangerous for people with existing lung conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Some days, the state might declare no-burn days. It usually happens when the levels of particulates in the atmosphere are high. You might want to observe that, too.
When you’re living in Connecticut, you have to battle the winter. The good thing is you can do that with a professionally done fireplace or woodstove, as well as properly installed inserts. But you need to do your part as well. See to it these are in running condition, and you can do yourself and the environment a favor.