What’s so trendy about electric fireplaces?

What’s so trendy about electric fireplaces?

Fireplaces are increasingly becoming an integral part of the Indian home.  Especially as winter is about to arrive, it is the right time to choose the best fireplace suited to your home.  Fireplaces give the much needed warmth during winter.  The problem is the availability of several competing models using different sources of energy.  We have the wood fireplace (traditional fireplace) the gas fireplace, the ethanol based fireplace and the electric fireplace.  So which one to choose from?  True to our reputation, we are not going to insist on the installation of any particular fireplace, but leave it to the choice of the customer.  However in this blog we will spell out as to why electric fireplaces are preferred by some customers and the obvious advantages of an electric fireplace.

Affordability

Perhaps the primary reason as to why people prefer electric fireplace is its affordability.  Unlike traditional fireplaces, electric fireplaces require no masonry, chimney installation, vent pipe etc.  It is a simple plug and play device.  Even gas fireplaces which are otherwise simple to install do require running of gas lines and fluepipe.  When you factor in the expenses involved in those allied works, they consume more than the actual fireplace itself.

Ease of installation

Fireplaces generally require a chimney for smoke to escape, a fireplace pit and hearth, pipeline for gas supply, permission from apartment owners and other stakeholders, permissions and sanctions etc.,  Since electric fireplace requires no more than a plug point and do not generate actual fire or smoke, all the above are unnecessary.  There is no visual degradation of your home due to the crisscrossing of vent, flue and chimney pipelines.

For the space conscious

As we have seen, an electric fireplace can be installed virtually anywhere or either in the wall or kept hanging.  This way it does not occupy much space.  The only pre-requisite could be a plug point somewhere nearby.  (Or an arrangement to reach out to the nearest point)  Wood and gas fireplaces cannot be installed at will and may require some pre-fabrication work.  Electric fireplace can also be planned from an artistic view point such as under the television unit and other such spaces for optimum utilization of space as well as ambience point of view.

Safety First

Nothing is perfectly safe; and in the same vein, nothing is precariously hazardous.  It depends upon your own precautions, adherence to installation and maintenance guidelines etc.  Even the best maintained wood fireplace installations cannot get rid of smoke, ash etc.,  As wood and gas fireplaces deal with real fire, any haphazard or lackadaisical approach can have a ravaging effect.  Electric fireplaces in that way offer near perfect safety.  Electric fireplaces are completely harmless even with pets and kids around.

Modern day electric fireplaces have remote controlled operations, on-screen LED display and thermostat control to prevent overheating.  The flames are increasingly getting close to real with vibrant colour themes.

Energy efficient and Cost Effective

With electric fireplace you can heat specific areas of your home.  This concept of zone heating eliminates the need to heat the entire house rather than one particular room.  Also compared to other fireplace where about 50% energy is lost, electric fireplaces do not waste energy.  They are also virtually maintenance free and save on the costs associated with routine maintenance.

There is an ongoing debate about the emissions caused due to wood burning.  Though wood burning is considered carbon-neutral, electric fireplaces are completely eco-friendly as there is no smoke to dispense with.  There are no carbon-monoxide emissions either.

Year-round performance

If you are a fan of just the ambience or the glowing fireplace, then electric fireplaces are the ideal ones to use.  The no-heat option enables an electric fireplace to be operated with just the flame, lighting option.  That way, an electric fireplace can be used across seasons and not necessarily confined to winter.  Conversely, you can use the heat-only option at night so that the glowing lights do not cause sleep discomfiture.