Ways to Increase Energy Efficiency at Home

As soon as we mention energy efficiency to our customers around Southern Maryland, their ears perk up. After all, dialing up the efficiency of your heating appliance is a win-win. Not only will it save you money, but it will win you brownie points with Mother Nature. At Magic Broom Chimney Sweeps, much of what we do is with an eye trained toward improved efficiency. We like to save our customers money, and we also like to get their stoves, fireplaces, and chimneys up and running as efficiently as possible—simply because it means they’ll enjoy their fires more.

When your heating system is clean and working at optimal efficiency, you are saving money.

When your heating system is clean and working at optimal efficiency, you are saving money.

How Can a Chimney Sweep Improve My Energy Efficiency?

There are numerous ways we’re able to help our customers save on energy costs. Here are four we tackle most often:

Chimney Inspection and Sweeping. A dirty chimney (one that’s clogged with birds’ nests, debris, or creosote) is an inefficient chimney. It’s not going to draft properly and will not burn the way it’s meant to. The first step toward improving chimney performance is to have a professional inspect your chimney for blockages or other problems and then sweep it if necessary. A clean chimney is naturally more efficient.

Chimney Insulation. If it’s time to have your chimney relined, you may want to look into having an insulated liner installed. This will improve your chimney’s draft ability, discourage creosote build-up, and reduce condensation in your chimney.

Top-Sealing Damper Installation. The single best way you can improve the efficiency of your existing appliance is to have a top-sealing damper installed on your chimney. This will give your chimney an airtight seal when you’re not burning a fire. The average homeowner saves hundreds of dollars each year thanks to his top-sealing damper.

Heating Appliance Replacement. There are usually many ways we can make your existing fireplace or stove more efficient. Nevertheless, in some cases, you may simply have an inefficient appliance, and you may determine that it’s not worth the cost to make it more efficient. If that’s the case, we can look at installation of a new appliance for you. If you are in the market for a new fireplace or stove, the time has never been better to buy an energy-efficient unit. Gas inserts especially offer added efficiency and heat-retention and can be used if your current fireplace is drafty or damaged.

Contact Magic Broom Chimney today to schedule your chimney inspection.