Tis The Season To Warm By The Fire

Pros

Nothing beats a wood burning fireplace – it creates a cozy atmosphere with its crackling fire and woody smell, creates family moments of nostalgia, creates a focal point in any room and doesn’t require a gas line and adds value to a home (by as much as $12,000!).

Cons

A wood burning fireplace is not without its drawbacks however. It’s more time-consuming to light, requires maintenance of sweeping embers and annual flue inspections/cleaning, is a less efficient heat source, can produce unwanted smoke, is harder to install, is more expensive and requires the purchase and storage of wood as its fuel.

An electric fireplace is an electric heater that mimics a traditional wood or gas burning fireplace. It is often placed on a wall or inside conventional fireplaces which are no longer used for conventional fires.

How it Functions

Electric fireplaces create flame imitation by projecting LED lights onto a screen in a randomized pattern. Some models only have one line of LED lights at the bottom while others have two or more LED strips for added flame color options, depth, and realism. Most electric fireplaces have a built-in heater that works independently from the flame so you can turn the heat off and enjoy the flames of electric fireplaces year-round. 

Pros

Electric fireplaces are generally more affordable than any other kind of fireplaces. They are also easy to install. In fact, a lot of them are ready to go right out of the box. Just plug them in.

Electric fireplaces create an ambiance of a fireplace without any of the mess that comes with a traditional wood fireplace. Therefore, they don’t pollute the air inside your home since there is no actual burning. This is a very big benefit, especially for people with asthma, other breathing problems, or are just conscious about their health.

Electric fireplaces are great sources of supplemental heat. They are 99% efficient, meaning that there’s no loss of energy as all of it is converted into heat. Electric fireplaces can be placed in any room to add warmth thus helping you save on your heating bill. Electric fireplaces stay cool to the touch which makes them safe to have around small children and pets.

Your electric fireplace will bring you joy for years with its long-lasting LED lights. Once installed, there is nothing else you need to do. Just dust it off occasionally.

Cons

Despite the ease of installation and use, there are drawbacks to the electric fireplace. They do notproduce real flames and therefore lack the real fire sounds and smells. They also can’t work without electricity (therefore, it must be installed near an electrical outlet and won’t work in a power outage).

Additionally, electric fireplaces can’t heat the whole house, have non-serviceable parts and have a shorter lifespan.

Probably the biggest drawback from an interior design perspective, is that they can look tacky.

A gas fireplace is what most people think about when they think of a fireplace. They are built into the wall typically as part of a major renovation or new construction. Using natural gas or propane, gas inserts burn a real flame that emulates the look of a traditional fireplace without the hassle of burning wood.

How it Functions

Just flip the switch, and voila! You have fire!

Keep in mind, you will need venting for a gas fireplace. There are three types of vent systems, which one needed will be determined by the type of gas fireplace and the best vent option for your home. These are Direct, Ventless or Natural (B-Vent). Direct Vent fireplaces are the most popular option, while Ventless fireplaces give you flexibility with installation and don’t require a chimney. B-Vent is the least popular, but has the most realistic flame appearance.

Pros

Gas fireplaces are easy to enjoy -No more hauling dirty firewood or dealing with smoke and byproducts every time you want to enjoy a soothing fire. Just flip the switch or tap your remote and let the relaxation begin!

They can also reduce your yearly heating costs.Heat the area of the home where you spend the most time (often the great room or basement) with a gas fireplace by turning the thermostat down and the fireplace up. This keeps those rooms warm and comfortable and reduces the amount of money spent heating rooms that aren’t in use. When equipped with an Intellifire ignition system, a gas fireplace will provide an ignition flame only when needed and has a battery backup system that supplies power to spark the ignition flame in the event of a power outage. This means even more energy and cost savings. Gas fireplaces are low maintenance and convenient to use. No sweeping or chimney sweeps or need to purchase and store wood. All that’s needed to turn on and off a gas fireplace is a switch. Yes, that’s it!

Cons

Gas fireplaces have sealed glass. While this part is a necessary component to a safe fireplace, it is inconvenient for people who truly enjoy the feel of heat on their skin.

They have a smaller flame. Again, if you really love sitting in front of the fire to keep warm, a gas fireplace’s flame is smaller than that of a wood burning one or even an electric one, depending on its size.

Gas fireplaces are less picturesque. This con is based mostly on personal preference, but it is a big one for some, so that’s why we’re including it. The advantage of a wood-burning fireplace is that it really gives off the sounds, smells, and heat we’ve all come to expect from fire, which can make us feel cozy and warm. A gas fireplace’s flames tend to be blue (the hottest type of flame), but it doesn’t leave you with that homey or even nostalgic experience quite the same way a wood fire does.

The logs’ position can’t be changed. Some people prefer the ability to change the position of the ceramic logs in a fireplace, but this is a bad idea especially if your gas fireplace is a direct vent one. If the logs’ position and look is changed, incomplete combustion can and will occur.

Professional maintenance is required. While not entirely a downside, a gas fireplace does need professional maintenance more so than a wood-burning one. Wood-burning fireplaces are easier to clean, while gas ones require annual service in order to ensure top performance.

A bio fireplace (also known as bio-ethanol fireplace, ethanol fireplace) is a type of fireplace or furnace with combined zones for generation of heat and technological process – combustion of fuel (denatured alcohol). This fireplace does not require a chimney and gives off a real flame, not imitation. Installation is possible at any place in the room. 

How it Functions

Ethanol fireplaces work similarly to a candle. They burn alcohol-based ethanol fuel. You put fuel into the burner container and light it up with a long lighter. In many models, the size of the flame can be controlled by reducing the burner opening. You can turn it off anytime by closing the burner completely.

Pros

Bio-ethanol fuel is a superior, environmentally-friendly, biodegradable, and renewable fuel source made by fermenting sugars from sugar cane, beets, potatoes, and other plants.

Ethanol fireplaces are vent-free and offer easy installation. And, there’s no cleanup required after igniting a bio-ethanol fireplace either.

While traditional fireplaces such as natural gas fireplaces release toxins into the air, bio-ethanol fireplace fuel burns cleanly, with the only byproducts being small amounts of water vapor and carbon dioxide.

Ethanol fireplaces produce a real fire that provides ample light and heat for an entire room. The dancing flames are bright, and you’ll be surprised by how much heat they can produce while lighting up your space. Ethanol fireplaces produce a real fire that provides ample light and heat for an entire room.

Cons

Ethanol fireplaces do not generate a lot of heat so they can’t supplement your home’s heating system. 

But’s here’s some terrible news. Companies that make these decorative appliances claim they’re eco-friendly and safe to use. However, a recent study revealed that ethanol fireplaces pollute indoor air and are highly combustible. Yikes!

Here’s more: Since ethanol fireplaces are ventless, they will use the room they are in as a flue. As the fire sucks in oxygen, it emits carbon dioxide and trace amounts of combustible particles. When these pollutants are inhaled, they can penetrate deep into the lungs. Repeated exposure to these pollutants can cause severe health issues according to a study by Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research.

A freestanding, or stand-alone, fireplace is essentially what it sounds like. It’s free-standing, so it doesn’t have to be built into a home the way a traditional fireplace does. Some freestanding stoves are on legs, others on pedestals, but all sit at least a few inches above the floor.

How it functions

Freestanding stoves can be wood-burning, gas or electric and are decorative and functional, bringing stateliness, warm vibes, and real heat into a home.

Pros

Freestanding fireplaces can be an attractive option for homeowners who want a fireplace but don’t have the budget to install one in their home, as free-standing fireplaces generally cost less overall and don’t require a big project.

You have alternatives when it comes to your fireplace location if you go with a freestanding one too. You can optimize your fireplace’s heat output by placing it somewhere central so the heat can radiate in all directions.

Cons

Here’s where a built-in fireplace pulls ahead. There’s just no comparison between a classic, built-in fireplace and a free-standing model when it comes to the aesthetic value they bring to a home. If you’re dead set on having the traditional fireplace look or are hoping to increase your home’s value, you’ll likely have to bite the bullet and incur the costs of a built-in fireplace installation.

An outdoor fireplace is just that – a place for building fires outside of the home. Similar in construction to an indoor fireplace, an outdoor fireplace is usually added to a stone, brick, or concrete patio. It often consists of a firebox and a chimney. The firebox is typically constructed with a smoke shelve incorporated although straight firebox designs are not uncommon since chimney draft is not always a concern for an outdoor fireplace.

While indoor fireplaces are traditionally designed for heating, an outdoor fireplace is usually used for cooking. Many are designed to double as wood-fired ovens that allow homeowners to create mealssuch as pizzas. An outdoor fireplace can simply be a decorative element also, which allows homeowners to enjoy a crackling fire while entertaining in the backyard.

Pros

Outdoor fireplaces are among the trendiest and most sought-after outdoor features. The addition of an outdoor fireplace will add both character and value to your home.  It will provide a warm gathering place where family and friends can make lasting memories together.

Depending on the fuel, model, and other factors outdoor fireplaces generally have BTU outputs between 30,000 and 100,000. That’s nothing to take lightly. While we wouldn’t expect anyone to be having any mid-January backyard pajama parties thanks to their fireplace, they’re perfect for making a chilly evening on the patio cozy and comfortable.

Cons

As with indoor fireplaces, an outdoor fireplace requires cleaning and maintenance to keep it looking and working at its best. While an outdoor fireplace may not need to be cleaned as often, it will need to be cleaned regularly in order to keep it reasonably tidy and maintained and to remove ash build.