How to Choose a Home Fireplace

Spring and summer are the best time of year to install or replace a fireplace. Why? Because there is time to put the fireplace in before the temperature drops. So, if you are going to install or replace a fireplace, you need to know how to choose a home fireplace. Remember, a fireplace will be the focal point of any room. With that in mind, here are some tips to point you in the right direction.

Types of Fireplaces

It is crucial that you understand your wants and needs and what type of fireplace best suits them.

Wood Fireplace

A wood fireplace is best for ambiance because of things such as the gentle cracking and popping of wood as it burns, embers floating from the fire, and the smell of burning wood. It can be used in a power outage to keep a room warm and will reduce your electric bill by about 15%.

Gas Fireplace

A gas fireplace is clean and efficient and gives you the ease of starting a fire with the push of a button. With a gas fireplace, there is no need to gather wood to burn or clean chard wood shards afterward. It is also 70 to 80% more efficient than a wood fireplace. Some inserts can go directly into your old fireplace if you are replacing an existing wood fireplace. There, of course, are stand-alone gas fireplaces as well. You can use gas logs that look real to give the impression of a wood-burning fireplace, although the gas logs will have to be replaced periodically. A LED accent light can be added to provide the realistic appearance of a burning, shimmering ember bed.

Electric Fireplace

An electric fireplace is an excellent option for existing and new homes. It allows you to put a fireplace anywhere in the house without venting it through a chimney, giving instant light and heat when turned on. An electric fireplace only requires an outlet, with no need for gas lines or cordwood. They can fit in spaces where traditional fireplaces won’t work, such as under a picture window or a dividing wall. The only real drawback to an electric fireplace is a power outage; there isn’t any downside other than that.

Where Should You Put Your Fireplace?

Once you have decided on what type of fireplace to use, you need to be sure what room it will be placed in. Be sure that it is a room that needs to be heated, don’t put it in a low-traffic room where no one gathers. If you are installing a fireplace insert as an enhancement to your home, you need to choose a space where people can gather, sit and talk or simply relax in front of the fireplace.

The space where you plan to put your fireplace must be carefully measured before installation, and you need to be aware of where plumbing and wiring run. Starting to make a space in a wall and later finding out your new fireplace is too big to fit on the wall or an insert into an existing fireplace can be a costly mistake.

Design

When choosing a fireplace, you want to ensure it compliments your home. Fireplaces come in various styles and sizes, so you can choose one that is an ideal enhancement to your home.

Let Burlington Fireplace and Solar be Your Guide to a New Fireplace

Call now or fill out our easy contact form. One of our fireplace experts will be happy to discuss choosing and installing a new fireplace in your home. We have a vast selection of styles and sizes to choose from. Don’t wait until winter arrives to put in a fireplace; get in touch today.