How to Choose the Perfect Fireplace for Your Home
A fireplace, when chosen correctly, can really elevate a room. It can also serve as a good alternative source of heat. But there’s a lot that goes into choosing a unit, and if it’s your first time buying one, you might be confused at first. Once you know the basics, you’ll be able to make a better decision and know exactly which type of model would be the best for any given space. Let’s take a look at when you should consider when buying a fireplace.
What Do You Want to Use it for?
This is the very first question that you’ll need to answer. Some people will want a fireplace that will be mainly ornamental, while others might want something more functional. Some units will be better if you want to supplement your current heat supply. Knowing exactly how you intend to use the unit will help you narrow down your choices.
Where Will it be Located?
The next thing you’ll have to do is check the layout of the room you’re thinking of installing the fireplace in. If this is for a home that’s being built, you’ll have much more leeway. This is especially true if you wanted to go for a traditional fireplace as it would require that you have a chimney installed.
Know that you can also add a fireplace as a remodelling project, but it will require more planning. You’ll need to take a look at the room and see which would be the best configuration for the ambiance you’re trying to achieve or for the fireplace to serve its function.
Wood Burning, Gas, or Electric?
This is another very important question that will have a lot of implications. The classic option is wood, and it’s easy to understand why. It’s the most rustic one and would be the perfect choice for any period home. You just can’t reproduce the sound of real wood crackling or the smell of a wood fire with any other type of fireplace. The big issue here is installation. Like we mentioned earlier, these will require that you have a chimney installed, which will drive up the cost significantly. They also require a lot more maintenance and you have to make sure that you always have firewood on hand.
Electric fireplaces are a great option if you need something that will heat a room. They might not look as authentic as wood-burning fireplaces, but they’re also much less of a hassle to clean, install, and use.
Gas burning fireplaces are the happy medium between the two. They do a great job at replicating the ambiance of a traditional fireplace. They are also very energy efficient and versatile. Some use natural gas while others use propane. You even have suppliers like stonewoods.co.uk selling ethanol-fuelled models. You can also place them in virtually any room, whether it’s on a mantle or high up on a wall.
Adding a fireplace could be a great investment for your home and spruce up any room. So, take the time to choose wisely, and don’t hesitate to speak with an expert that will be able to help you make your choice.
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