The technology behind electric fireplaces has come a long way in recent years. What was once a somewhat tacky device has now become sleek, attractive and luxurious upgrade that can bring the comfort of a traditional fireplace to your home – without the need for a chimney, a constant supply of wood, expensive cleaning costs, and of course the fire hazard. Electric fireplaces also have the advantage of being much more customizable than traditional fireplaces. Here are the key things to keep in mind as you are considering products that fit your home.
Style
One of the beauties of electric fireplaces is that they come in all shapes and sizes. There are many different types of frames available to suit your needs. You can find models that mimic the appearance of traditional fireplaces to give you that quaint sense of comfort, or you can choose something that is a little more modern and has a clean-cut and stunning design. You can also choose different media to go in your electric fireplace. The standard is to use faux logs as the base of the hearth, but you can also find nice stones that will serve the purpose or even glass marbles. Another nice feature of electric models is that you have control of the flame color in many cases. In addition to the obvious natural orange flames you can choose to have blue, purple, or even green flames. If the product you are using offers this feature you can usually switch between the colors with the click of a remote, so that you can choose whichever color best suits your mood.
Design
When it comes to design there are quite a few options, and you’ll have to pick one that best suits your home. The simplest and most accommodating is the free-standing option, which essentially needs only a standard wall outlet and a place for it to be put. The more affordable options are similar to flat-screen televisions, and the more advanced options of this style will look like a traditional fireplace and even come with a mantel. You can also find standalone electric fireplaces that serve as entertainment centers, so you can put your television on top and books on the shelves.
The next type of design worth considering would be an electric fireplace insert. These essentially nest inside the hearth of an existing traditional fireplace, and as such they can be the most realistic electric fireplace design. These however are really only the best option if you have a fireplace already, and you simply want to convert it to electric.
The final design is really the most modern, and they come in the form of wall mount and/or wall recessed. This is where you can find sleek designs. If you’re looking to bring your home to a new level of luxury, this is probably a good bet. Installation can be a bit involved though, and you may need to consult with a professional.
Function
Of course you can’t forget the primary purpose of a fireplace, which is to stay warm. It is important to buy an electric fireplace that will emit the warmth that you need for your room. You should also keep in mind whether or not you want a model that allows some level of control of the heating levels. Most will allow you to control at the very least from high heat, medium heat, low heat to no heat and just the electric fireplace flames.
