For many homeowners, the perfect cherry on top to redecorating their home is to include a fireplace. Whether the house already had a fireplace originally attached to it or you are looking to install one for the first time, you have a few choices ahead of you. For example, for those who already possess a fireplace in the home, you may be considering closing it up and turning instead to modern fireplaces that run on electricity. For those who don’t own a fireplace, you may be confused about which offers the best experience–an original fireplace or an electric one? To help you determine if an electric fireplace is right for you, this article will cover things you should keep in mind when considering installing an electric fireplace.
How Does It Operate?
Does an electric fireplace really run on electricity? Yes. Whereas standard fireplaces only require a chimney and then wood to run, electric fireplaces require electricity in order to function. This is because the flames inside are artificial. While they most certainly are capable of heating a room, you don’t have to keep running out to acquire more firewood in order to keep your fireplace running. With electric fireplaces, all you have to do to get your fire started–or extinguished–is press a button.
Electric fireplaces plug into a wall socket and can be installed quite easily. In fact, at most, you only need to two people to install an electric fireplace. They’re relatively lightweight and can be placed anywhere so long as they have access to a wall socket. Many people call them portable fireplaces since you can quite easily move them to a different location if you so choose.
Size
Perhaps one of the best aspects of the electric fireplace is that they come in varying sizes. For those who own a smaller space but still want to enjoy a fireplace, this is excellent news. You don’t have to have a grand space in order to fit the fireplace. You also don’t need to include masonry or anything else to fit around your fireplace once you’ve installed it. Essentially, your electric fireplace can be as extravagant or as simple as you desire.
They also come in varying sizes. So, if you want a big fireplace that is the focal point of your room, then you can easily find that model available. For those who are looking for an electric fireplace, keep in mind the size of the space that you want to use it in to determine what fireplace is best for you. If you feel the fireplace is too small, you can always think about including a masonry exterior to fit around your fireplace and give it further character.
Clean-Up
As with traditional fireplaces, you typically have to clean them at least once a year. Though if you’re using them a lot, you should definitely clean them more often than that amount. A chimney sweep is usually required to clean out your chimney, so you don’t end up burning your house down. With an electric fireplace, you don’t have to worry about that. Because the flames are artificial, there isn’t smoke that’s being generated that needs to be carried away outside of your home. This makes electric fireplaces clean, efficient, and safe for children. Perhaps one of the best features is that you don’t have to carry in wood from the outdoors–which is a mess all in itself.
Lifespan
You may be wondering just how long you can enjoy an electric fireplace before it inevitably dies on you. True that a traditional fireplace can last forever provided you keep up with the upkeep. However, electric fireplaces have a pretty long lifespan, too. The more expensive models can typically last for around twenty years, whereas the cheaper models tend to operate well for around ten years.
A Fireplace For Everyone
Because of its relatively low-costs, practically anyone can own an electric fireplace. For those who want the benefits of a fireplace without having to worry about the clean-up and maintenance, the electric fireplace is the best option for you and your family to enjoy.