Review of 4 Types of Fireplaces

A fireplace is a great addition to every home. Not only does it provide you with warmth during the cold winters, but also adds style to your home. Owing to the various types of fireplaces available, it’s important to put into consideration the amount of heat you need and your home’s design in order to purchase and install the right fire for your home. Let’s delve into a discussion of the types of fireplaces as well as the pros and cons of each.

  1. Wood-burning fireplaces

For ages since the invention of fire, people have been using wood to generate warmth. Common wood-burning fireplaces are constructed using stone or bricks with an addition of a chimney to release fumes to the outside. Consequently, they are expensive to construct.

Pros

> It has aesthetic value

> They can be used to teach fire safety to kids

> They can be used for cooking when gas or electric oven are cut off

Cons

> They release dangerous fumes such as carbon monoxide into the air, which can bring complications to your respiratory system

> They are expensive to install

> They have high maintenance costs, since they require a steady supply of wood, which may not be readily available

> They are less efficient

  1. Gas fireplaces

Gas-burning fireplaces have gained popularity in modern times. You can choose to install a vented or non-vented gas fireplace. The vented version requires you to install a chimney to release its pollutants to the exterior. Moreover, the free-standing versions are the best to use since they can be easily installed in any room.

Pros

> They produce fewer emissions than wood fireplaces

> They are easy and cheap to install

> They provide more heat at a low cost

Cons

> They produce by-products which can trigger allergic reactions in a person

> The position of the ceramic logs is set by the manufacturer and can’t be changed

> They burn in a small, blue flame which may not be attractive to some people

  1. Electric fireplaces

They incorporate the use of metallic coils which get heated when the element is powered on. However, the electric fireplace does not produce a real fire flame. It uses an LED bulb system and reflective mirrors to create an illusion of a flame. You can opt to switch off the heating component independently leaving you to enjoy the amazing view of the orange flames.

Pros

> They have zero gas emissions and hence are eco-friendly options

> They are cost effective due to cheap installation and maintenance

> They don’t require venting since they don’t produce real flames

> You can turn the heating element on and off without affecting the flame

Cons

> They don’t provide the real feel of a fire flame

> Th heating component uses a lot of energy and hence brings in a toll on your electricity bill

> They don’t add value to the selling price of a home since they are temporary additions

  1. Bioethanol fireplaces

Recently, bioethanol has found a place in fuelling fireplaces. A bioethanol fireplace consists of a burner which is filled with a biofuel: bioethanol. In addition, they are vent-free, since they produce clean flames and are among the best soot-free alternatives for fireplaces.

Pros

> They are environmental-friendly since they produce clean flames

> They are portable and can be installed anywhere in a room

> They are easy to use

> There is no ash or soot

> No smoke and no chimney required

> Available in many styles, from traditional to ultra-modern

Cons

> They produce a low amount of heat energy compared to other fireplace options

> Refilling the burner regularly can be expensive

> It takes some time for the burner to cool down for you to safely refill it

Conclusion

The major types of fireplaces are wood, gas, electric and bioethanol. Though wood-burning fireplaces are common in homes, they are not as efficient and clean like the electric and gas options. A recent addition is the attractive alcohol-burning fireplace that uses a burner filled with a biofuel.

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