If you want to easily add a fireplace to your home, your best option is to install an electric fireplace. Electric fireplaces are also a great way to make your old wood-burning masonry fireplace more environmentally friendly and cost-effective. While many of our customers love the experience of a wood-burning fire, plenty of people do not like the manual labor of bringing in firewood and cleaning up ash residue that is involved with a wood-burning flame. If your home is not equipped with a gas line, an electric fireplace is the perfect option. Electric fireplaces produce a realistic-looking flame and can even have mantles just like a traditional fireplace. Additionally, you have no need for an electrician to set up special wiring because these fireplaces simply plug into a normal outlet. Bart Fireside both sells and installs electric fireplaces, and we would like to tell you more about these cool alternatives to a traditional wood-burning fireplace.

How do electric fireplaces give off heat?

According to How Stuff Works, metal coils inside an electric fireplace begin to heat up as soon as the appliance is plugged into an outlet. A fan inside an electric fireplace blows this heat into your room. Fortunately, this fan makes little noise and wastes no heat as it blows out 100% of the heat produced by the coils. Producing approximately 5,000 BTUs of heat, an electric fireplace makes an excellent supplemental heating appliance for your home.

How does an electric fireplace provide such realistic, flickering flames?

An ordinary light bulb and refracted light allow an electric fireplace to look like a traditional wood-burning appliance. The flames look so realistic due to the light refracting in a random three-dimensional pattern.

What are the benefits of using an electric fireplace?

There are many reasons to use an electric fireplace, including:

• No dangerous fumes or emissions – Unlike gas and wood-burning fireplaces, an electric fireplace produces zero fumes or emissions that can harm the environment and endanger your family.
• Low maintenance – Since electric fireplaces do not release byproducts of combustion, there is not the need to clean them as extensively or as frequently as a wood-burning or a gas fireplace. All you need to do to clean an electric appliance is to wipe off dust from the enclosure with a cloth.
• Lowered energy costs – An electric fireplace uses less electricity than an HVAC unit, so you can lower your thermostat with this supplemental heating appliance.
• A variety of design options – Electric fireplaces come in different designs, which allows you to choose between a traditional mantle fireplace or a free-standing model that can be moved to any room in your home.
• Cool to the touch – Heat is only conducted through the coils, which makes electric fireplaces a safe option for families with curious kids. However, be aware that any nearby fabrics like curtains can become fire hazards if heated too much by the air output.

Have questions about electric fireplaces? Contact Bart Fireside to find out more about this fireplace alternative.