Today’s homeowners are quite specific about what work needs to be done during home renovations. One upgrade needing to be done during a remodel is upgrading from an obsolete wood-burning fireplace to an electric one with a goal to solely offset energy consumption. Besides heating up a room, electric fireplaces spruce up the ambiance of any space they are added to, thus making the area more cozy and warm.
Those who are still skeptical about how efficient these modern electric fireplaces are, or how real they look, let’s ease their mind by looking into the following benefits of electric fireplaces.
Environmentally-friendly solution
As everyone is looking for ways to dodge the winter’s dreaded energy bills, an electric fireplace can help you do just that. How so? Electric fireplaces use metal coils to raise the room’s temperature by heating the incoming cool air. Inside the unit, there is a fan which emits the heated air out of the unit and let it enter the room. The beauty of this fireplace is that it’s the solely heating coil that gets heated up whereas rest of the unit remains comparatively cool to touch.
Unlike traditional fireplaces, they don’t require gas or tons of wood to produce energy. Electric fireplace assures the safety of the environment by refusing to burn natural resources like wood. Since there’s no ignition and combustion process involved, the electric fireplaces have zero emissions (don’t release harmful gases). Rather than using regular incandescent bulbs, electric fireplaces use LED technology to mimic the flame effects of a wood-burning fireplace ensuring less energy or watts consumption. LED bulbs also have a longer rated life on average and don’t contain mercury. Therefore electric fireplaces help in reducing greenhouse gas emissions with a less operating cost.
Minimal installation required
While many electric fireplaces need simple electrical modification, there are some units that require proper installation for the sake of safety. Nonetheless, the process to install is still simpler and easier than it is for a traditional fireplace.
The best part about electric fireplaces is that they can be installed anywhere provided it has access to power. Electric fireplace easily plugs into a standard 120v wall outlet. To ensure optimal comfort, the unit comes with heat settings. The remote control brings convenience for homeowners as it allows them to adjust the heat and flame effect. Just as much the electric fireplaces are easy to set up, they are simplistic to remove as well. In case, a homeowner wants to relocate to another new home, they would just unplug it and can easily move it wherever necessary.
Energy efficient
Homes that have been previously equipped with a traditional burning fireplace should consider including an energy-efficient fireplace. Energy-efficient appliances are better for the environment, help save money, and utilizes less energy. Continuous use of your home’s heating system in winter months can drastically increase your electricity bills due to it warming up your entire house. Using electric fireplaces are a productive way for zone heating which is mainly confined to a room rather than to the entire house. This strategy of staying cozy and comfortable is called supplemental heating. Besides an electric fireplace, there are two other options that follow a supplemental heating strategy which are portable space heaters and infrared heaters.
In addition, an electric fireplace doesn’t use the chimney and disperses the heat without it. Thanks to this feature, all heat is adequately dispersed in a room and ensures no energy is lost. Similarly, the appliance is equipped with a thermostat which allows users to set the temperature they want in the room.
Low maintenance
When it comes to the cleaning and maintenance of electric fireplaces, the process is less extensive than the cleaning of traditional chimney fireplaces as the unit requires no wood or chimney.
For general cleaning, just wipe off the dust with a cloth and you’re all good to enjoy the warmth and appeal of the electric fireplace. Unlike wood-burning or gas fireplaces, there is no set maintenance schedule for electric fireplaces. Since there is no chimney installation, it saves homeowners monies in the future. When it comes to the retail cost of electric fireplaces, it is relatively low as compared to traditional ones.
Myriad of design options
If you want to include a wall mount electric fireplace or a freestanding model, there are electric fireplaces available in a variety of attractive and modern designs to suit different individual’s needs.
Electric fireplaces are safe to use
Are electric fireplaces safe for children? Do they emit toxic fumes? For many, safety is an important concern. Compared to a traditional fireplace, electric ones don’t produce real flames. In fact, it features a realistic flame effect. Electric fireplaces are designed with materials that don’t transmit the heat. Wondering how does it resemble real flickering flames? As soon as the appliance gets connected to electricity, the metal coils present inside are heated up automatically. There’s no actual fire so there’s no risk regarding children laying a hand on fire or inhaling dangerous fumes. The technology involved in electric fireplaces has offered the automatic shut off option to obstruct any doubtful incident when you’re not at home. Electric fireplaces are known to heat up the room but in actual they are cool to touch. Thus, it makes them a safer option with pets and small children.
Year-round usage
An electric fireplace is a great solution to enjoy the dancing flames year-round. A homeowner can increase their home’s value with fireplace presence by up to 12%. Whether it’s a warmer spring or colder climate, homeowners will have all the convenience to control the temperature or even turn off the heat. Hence, set the mood and continue to relax with the calming effects of a sparkling fire regardless of the outside temperature.
Add appeal to any home or business
Among the various benefits of having an electric fireplace, the appeal the equipment adds to any room is worth considering. The availability of electric fireplaces in various attractive designs and styles makes it a perfect addition to your home or office. Not only electric fireplaces are aesthetically designed, but they are quite functional as well which is why you should incorporate them during your home renovations.
Longevity of Electric fireplaces
Another feature that makes electric fireplaces stand out from the traditional ones is their durability. Unlike gas fireplaces, they are less likely to experience undesirable processes like corrosion and rusting. Why so? This is because they don’t require any wood or gas as fuel. Chances are, the texture of the\ir body will look like brand new, even after years of use. There are many electric fireplaces that are constructed with anti-corrosive paints and are subjected to different procedures to ensure enhanced durability. This guarantees homeowners that they are investing their money on a long-lasting fireplace.
Final Words
There are many benefits to an electric fireplace, particularly when compared to traditional fireplaces. Enrich the beauty of your home interior even more by using electric fireplaces.
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