How To Use Your Fireplace To Save Money This Winter
Do you have a traditional fireplace? No, no, this has nothing to do with how the fireplace is designed. I’m talking about a traditional fireplace that uses wood or coal to create a proper fire. If you’ve got one of these, then you have access to something that can save a lot of money this coming winter.
Fuel and electricity bills are rising with no end in sight, so everybody is looking for ways to cut down on energy usage. With a traditional fireplace, you have the perfect ace up your sleeve. Here’s how a guest writer tells us you could – and should – use yours to save an absolute fortune in the coming months:
Light a fire instead turning your heating on
Avoid spending money on your heating system by lighting fires in your fireplace. It’s pretty much the reason fireplaces were invented in the first place! Back in the olden days, homes didn’t have these complex central heating systems running through them. To stay warm, people would light a fire and bask in its heat.
You can do the same in your home this winter, and you will be amazed at the difference this makes. Honestly, a fireplace can warm up your entire home if you keep all of the doors to every room wide open. At the very least, it can heat up the lower level of your house while everyone is downstairs. When you go to bed, you can set your heating system on a timer for a couple of hours, ensuring it only heats up the upper levels. So, even if you do need to turn your heating on, it won’t be for anywhere near as long or cost as much money.
Cook in your fireplace
That’s right, you can cook in your fireplace this winter. Well, you don’t have to do this all the time, and certain foods will still need your oven or other kitchen appliances. Still, there are plenty of things you can cook over an open flame with some extra accessories. Anything in a pot or pan can be cooked in your fireplace, so think about using it now and then to save fuel or electricity – depending on what your oven/stove runs on.
Naturally, you have to be aware of the dangers when cooking like this. Be sure that you keep the flame as low as possible and well-contained, and try to use long utensils to stir or move things around to avoid a serious burn injury. Overall, it’s quite enjoyable to cook like this – it makes you feel like you’re sitting around a campfire!
You can try one of these ideas or give them both a go to save lots of money this winter. As mentioned in the introduction, this only works with traditional fireplaces that burn wood or coal. If you have an electric or gas fireplace, you’re not going to save money by using them all the time as you’re still using electricity and fuel. A lot of people do have proper fireplaces at home, but they never use them. If yours has been out of action for a while, get it checked by a professional and kickstart the fire this winter.