Fireplace Reliance: When the Furnace Won't Do

With the Right Fireplace and a Good Sweater You Can Endure Anything

According to USA Today, there is now a trend whereby people abstain from using their furnaces, even in severely cold weather. Has anybody out there tried this? Is it a good idea? Or madness?

On the one hand, it makes my bones ache to imagine not running my furnace at all. On the other, it warms my heart to think about the fireplace regaining its rightful place as the family gathering place during those long winter months. I mean, when the mercury dips down below 40 degrees and you don't have any heat pumping up through your ducts, that trusty brick-and-mortar looks so doggone inviting it would bring the most reluctant teenager out of hiding.

Actually, the more I think about it, the more I want to try this at my house. I don't know that I'll make it that far, especially when my wife gets wind of my scheme, but it would be kind of cool (or no, very cool) to at least give it a shot.

I wonder, though, if I'm allowed to use the fireplace blower, or if that constitutes a primitive furnace? Mine certainly kicks out a lot of heat, which does kind of make it seem like cheating. Then again, I'm only competing with the cold weather and myself.