There are plenty of benefits to having an indoor fireplace installed, whatever type of heating source you choose for the fireplace.
There is nothing quite like the hiss and crackle of a wood-burning fireplace on a cold evening, relaxing as it heats the entire home and creates a cosy environment. Just the mood alone is worth the investment value and that is without even factoring in the increased value of your property and the peace of mind that you and your family will stay warm during the colder months of the year.
A well-maintained fireplace is a great addition to any home and there are plenty of options for providing heat for the home, all depending on what you are ideally looking for. The traditional wood-burning fireplace has always been a favourite but it is no longer considered a sustainable or effective heating source and has been replaced by more effective methods.
Home-Dzine shares a few popular heating options that can be utilised in conjunction with a fireplace:
Wood-burning fireplace
A wood-burning fireplace is what most of us dream of when we think of spending a cosy evening at home. The crackle of burning logs, the warm ambiance and the scent of wood smoke are romantic and calming. But a wood-burning fireplace, while great to look at, has shown to be an inefficient heating source
If you already have a fireplace hearth and chimney in place and want to make more use of it, having the fireplace cleaned and maintained would be in your best interest to ensure that everything is functioning efficiently when the colder months make an appearance.
Maintaining a wood-burning fireplace is easier than you might think. Other than cleaning and annual maintenance, an installed fireplace requires little else to be done. If you prefer a more maintenance-free solution then perhaps consider a closed-combustion fireplace.
Gas insert fireplace
Apart from convenience, a gas fireplace insert is clean and energy efficient and a cost-effective heating solution compared to an electric fireplace insert or heating. A gas fire offers an instant heat source and you can lower or increase the heat setting depending on the size of a room. The one downside to a gas fireplace insert if there is no gas line supply is that gas is at the mercy of supply and demand. The price of gas fluctuates and there are times when pre-filled gas containers are in limited supply - something to think about when having a gas fireplace installed so that you have to allow for a larger gas cylinder to be fitted.
Closed-combustion fireplace
The most popular option for heating a home is the closed-combustion fireplace. The only downside to this type of fireplace is the cost as many designs are imported and out of the price range of the average homeowner. However, closed-combustion is an investment and one that earns returns over time since it burns slower for longer thereby using less fuel to operate. This type of heating is clean, and efficient and is the ideal heating solution for winter when load shedding hits hard.
At the end of the day, the decision is yours to make. A wood-burning fireplace installed from scratch could end up costing just as much as a closed-combustion system while a gas fireplace insert is more affordable but at the mercy of gas price fluctuations and supply. Consider how much you have to spend, the size of a room to be heated and the amount of time and money you can afford monthly before you make the final decision.
Fireplace safety tips from TheSpruce
- Wear protective gear, such as eye protection and a face mask when cleaning your fireplace.
- Keep an eye on how close you place rugs, chairs, curtains, and toys from the fireplace. These items are not fireproof and need to be kept a safe distance away from the hearth. Non-flammable hearth rugs are sold at fireplace supply retailers.
- Always test how your fireplace functions after it is cleaned or repaired. Do so by lighting a small log to see if the smoke is directed up the flue. Smoke should never come into the room.
- Stop dangerous embers from escaping by installing a blower with a fireplace-rated glass door, which will also aid with heat circulation.
- Never leave your home, go to sleep, or otherwise leave a fire or any embers in the fireplace unattended. It is critical to always put active fires out responsibly.
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