Osburn OB04002 - Manual (Page 11)

Stratford Fireplace Installation and Operation Manual
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2.2 ZONE HEATING AND HOW TO MAKE IT WORK FOR YOU
Your new Stratford wood fireplace is a space heater, which means it is intended to heat the area it
is installed in, as well as spaces that connect to that area, although to a lower temperature. This is
called zone heating and it is an increasingly popular way to heat homes or spaces within homes.
Zone heating can be used to supplement another heating system by heating a particular space
within a home, such as a basement family room or an addition that lacks another heat source.
Houses of moderate size and relatively new construction can be heated with a properly sized and
located wood fireplace. Whole house zone heating works best when the fireplace is located in the
part of the house where the family spends most of its time. This is normally the main living area
where the kitchen, dining and living rooms are located. By locating the fireplace in this area, you
will get the maximum benefit of the heat it produces and will achieve the highest possible heating
efficiency and comfort. The space where you spend most of your time will be warmest, while
bedrooms and basement (if there is one) will stay cooler. In this way, you will burn less wood than
with other forms of heating.
Although the fireplace may be able to heat the main living areas of your house to an adequate
temperature, we strongly recommend that you also have a conventional oil, gas or electric heating
system to provide backup heating.
Your success with zone heating will depend on several factors, including the correct sizing and
location of the fireplace, the size, layout and age of your home and your climate zone. Three-
season vacation homes can usually be heated with smaller fireplaces than houses that are heated
all winter.