Four Things to Know About Electric Fireplaces Before Winter
A CONTEMPORARY DIRECT-VENT FIREPLACE BY EMPIRE. PHOTO PROVIDED.
A fireplace can create a warm aesthetic and add an additional heat source to any room, but feelings on traditional masonry vs. newer electric units can be divisive, with the benefits of each often misunderstood.
Here, Suzanne Brady of Hearth & Home, where a new showroom features electric units in multiple designs and price points, shares what you may not know about electric fireplaces:
1. They can work in small spaces.
“Electric fireplaces can be hung on the wall. We carry two brands (Dimplex and Modern Flames) that can be installed directly into drywall. They only need a standard 120-volt circuit. You don’t have to do much other than running electricity to that spot. They range in size from something that’s simply 30 by 30 to 24 by 84 inches long.”
2. They can be safe for children.
“One of the nice things about the electric fireplaces is that they don’t feel hot to the touch, so they’re safer for children. In outdoor fire-pits, units with beads have less of a flame and are also safer for kids.”
3. They could improve your energy efficiency to 95 percent.
“On a traditional masonry fireplace, you lose about 75 percent of the heat when it goes out of the flue. When you move to an insert, gas-log, or retrofitted fireplace your efficiency goes up dramatically. With an electric fireplace, 95 percent of the heat goes out into the room.”
4. They require very little maintenance.
“People are concerned about air quality and the feeling of their homes. Here, there is no smell and it’s much cleaner. An electric fireplace is actually zero maintenance. Anything converted with a vented flue should be cleaned once a year by a professional contractor, but it’s nowhere near the cost of a traditional cleaning because electric units have a clean burn.”
For information, visit Frank Webb’s Hearth & Home in Haverhill: 270 Neck Road, Ward Hill Business Park; or in South Boston: 307 Dorchester Ave., or online at frankwebb.com.
THIS TAHOE DELUXE MODEL FIREPLACE FROM EMPIRE UTILIZES LIQUID PROPANE. PHOTO PROVIDED.
A TAHOE LUXURY DIRECT-VENT FIREPLACE WITH CUSTOM MANTEL AND SLATE TILE SURROUND. PHOTO PROVIDED.
