Key Points
- Fireplaces increase your home’s value and are an efficient and aesthetic way to warm a cabin, workshop, or zone of your home.
- Common fuel options for fireplaces include wood, pellets, gas, and electricity. Styles of fireplaces are categorized as traditional or modern.
- Electric fireplaces can be wall-mounted, standalone, built-in, or a fireplace insert.
- Gas fireplaces may feature vented or ventless design.
Think back on your childhood: warming up by the fire with a blanket and a steaming cup of cocoa after playing in the snow is probably one of your coziest memories. When you were a kid, you might have been the one tasked with chopping wood for the fireplace when your parents couldn’t find places to buy logs in bulk nearby. Nowadays, indoor fireplaces feature options utilizing alternative fuel sources like gas or electricity, some of them eliminating the need for outdoor ventilation entirely.
As an adult, you may find yourself asking: Will my little ones miss out on valuable life experiences if we don’t have an indoor fire to huddle around after a snow day? If your heat pump or furnace isn't keeping your house warm enough, adding a fireplace will help. Even if your home can maintain toasty temperatures in winter, a fireplace can pull a room together for that cozy ambiance that brings the family together. Fireplaces are worth the investment, but if your home doesn't currently have the infrastructure to safely install a traditional fireplace, don't worry. We've got a fireplace solution to keep your home safe and warm all winter long.
Why Should You Put a Fireplace in Your Home?
Fireplaces are a popular feature to have in any home or living space. From studio apartments and town homes to cabins and workshops, fireplaces are a fixture that will round out any room. If you’re on the fence about whether or not a fireplace would suit your space, consider the many benefits:
- Efficient heating: Have you added on or expanded a room that your HVAC system can’t keep up with? Do you have an open living room with tall ceilings where heat seems to disappear? A fireplace gives you zoned heating in areas that would otherwise make your electric bill skyrocket.
- Higher home value: Are you looking to sell your home sometime in the near or distant future? While gas fireplaces see the largest return on investment, wood-burning and electric options follow close behind.
- Heat that works even in a power outage: No power? No problem! Nothing feels worse than the power going out in bitter winter temperatures, but homes with a wood, pellet, or gas fireplace will keep you warm until the electricity turns back on! Just gather up your loved ones, light a fire, and weather the storm.
- Ambiance and comfort: Everything feels a little more magical in the firelight. From a romantic date with your partner to a family movie night, the soft light and toasty warmth of a fireplace can make any evening special.
- Enhances the interior décor: Deciding on a fireplace for your home isn’t a one size fits all kind of choice. Offering a variety of styles, sizes, shapes, and colors, you can find a fireplace option that provides both the ambiance and aesthetic that you need to round out your home.
What's the Difference Between Traditional and Modern Fireplaces
Once you’re all-in on finding a fireplace, it’s time to pick an option that suits the needs of you and your home. Between traditional and modern fireplace options, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed at the variety. Fireplaces can get broken down into several categories, but let’s start with the easiest way to weed out the non-contenders: choosing a traditional or modern fireplace.
Traditional Fireplaces
Homes that have a solid history and standard architectural design style are often good fits for a traditional fireplace. When you think of a traditional fireplace, you probably imagine a large brick or stone mantel surrounding a firebox. You may picture a glass or metal screen in front of the fire for added safety with an ash scooper and bucket off to the side for clean up. Outside, you’ll have a chimney that vents smoke and gases, adding a striking architectural feature (commonly made of brick) to your exterior design while prioritizing the security of your space.
Traditional fireplaces let you use the oldest natural resource to heat your space: wood. You may think of woods in terms like mahogany and oak, but the division of wood as a fuel source is hardwood and softwood. When it comes to which is the best wood to burn to heat your home, hardwood is the better option for sustained heating results over time with less time refueling the fire. Adding a traditional fireplace to a home can be costly and difficult, but no other option gives you the authentic crackling fire aesthetic you grew up with. Homes that have this addition but don’t want the hassle of cleaning up after real wood have the option to convert to a gas or electric insert for the same warming functionality without the mess.
Modern Fireplaces
For homes with an updated or contemporary design, modern fireplaces will be a better match. Flexibility is one of the biggest draws of modern fireplaces. Options in portability, ventilation, and even aesthetics, like color open a whole new realm of possibilities. Most modern fireplaces run on gas or electricity, giving you a safer alternative to traditional wood. With these gas or electric fireplaces, you enjoy the aesthetic of a wood-burning fireplace without the fuss. Fully contained and easy to operate, you can turn modern fireplace options on and off with the flick of a switch. Many even eliminate the need for a traditional chimney!
Vented or ventless, modern fireplaces shouldn’t leave you worried about smoke or unwanted emissions when properly installed. Artificial logs are a common means of combining the traditional look and modern functionality, though many provide additional options like elegant stones or fire glass in bright, fun colors. Some models even let you swap out the fire stones for special occasions or seasonal flavor. Modern fireplaces are a cost-effective option that frequently wind up more affordable to operate and maintain than traditional wood-burning alternatives.
Types of Electric Fireplaces
Electric fireplaces have gained immense popularity in recent years. These fireplace systems are convenient to install and easy to use while staying cost-efficient and safe. Need a mantel for the TV now that you've moved your man cave into the garage? Or maybe you're looking to make your she-shed feel snug when winter weather rolls in? No matter the space, electric fireplaces bring the heat (in more ways than one).
If you've locked in on an electric fireplace for your home, step one is done! Before you pop open the champagne, be sure you know which category of electric fireplace will work for your needs: wall-mount, built-in, electric insert, and mantel style.
Wall-Mount Electric Fireplaces
Wall-mount fireplaces are designed to hang on a wall in any room that needs a boost of heat and aesthetic. Most wall-mounted fireplaces can be placed wherever you’d prefer on the wall, but remember: they require access to an outlet. You can partially build this style of fireplace into the wall for a more seamless look, sticking out just far enough for the heating elements and vents to operate safely. Whether you want green flames and a little heat for a Halloween bash or powerful heating with standard fire colors for Christmas morning, built-in electric fireplaces add the spice that keeps life fun.
Built-In Electric Fireplaces
A style that’s great for new constructions or home renovations, built-in fireplaces give the look and feel of traditional fireplaces without the hassle of storing or cleaning up after wood. Options like the 35” Remii Extra Slim Built-In Electric Fireplace can transform any room from drab to fab. Providing straightforward installation steps and laying flush against the wall, built-in fireplaces grant the same customizable flame, color, and heating level settings as wall-mounted options.
Electric Fireplace Inserts
For homes that can support a traditional style fireplace but don’t want to deal with real wood, an electric fireplace insert like the Comfort Glow Log Fireplace Insert is the perfect solution. Electric fireplace inserts fit into your existing firebox, granting a seamless look that plugs directly into a standard home outlet. As with other electric styles, you can often adjust heat level and color settings to replace an outdated or unused fireplace for a safer, more convenient option.
TV Stand or Mantel Style Electric Fireplaces
A standalone option that requires no installation, mantel style electric fireplaces like the 4600 BTU Comfort Glow Electric Fireplace function like a piece of furniture that you can shift to suit your design and furniture layout. TV stand fireplaces mimic the look of a built-in but without the inconvenience. Equipped with their own fireplace surround and mantel, these electric fireplaces can be used to hold the TV or serve as a focal point for the room.
Types of Gas Fireplaces
Much like electric fireplaces, gas fireplaces have jumped in popularity. These types of fireplaces use natural gas or liquid propane fuel, boasting options for standalone units as well as inserts for fireplaces that have a functional firebox and chimney. The biggest difference between gas fireplace models is in their venting requirements.
Vented Gas Fireplaces
A vented fireplace will provide the most realistic looking fire of the gas options: Flames lick up the sides of each log for that authentic feel. The trade off of this genuine vibe is that vented gas fireplaces do still emit carbon monoxide, meaning you’ll need a functioning chimney to safely operate one in your home.
Vented fireplaces release both gases and heat through the chimney, keeping your family safe and the temperature regulated. More often than not, vented fireplaces are more affordable than the ventless alternatives upfront, though they will require occasional cleaning and maintenance costs to factor in for upkeep.
Ventless Gas Fireplaces
Unlike vented versions, you do not need to have a functioning chimney to install a ventless gas fireplace in an existing firebox. While ventless fireplaces don't have as realistic of a look, that doesn’t take away from the undeniable charm they bring to any space. What they lack in authentic look and feel, ventless gas fireplaces more than make up for with energy efficiency, sustainability, and savings. You get all of these benefits while enjoying more effective heat dispersal that keeps you and your loved ones feeling snug and content. When it comes to cost, ventless gas fireplaces require a steeper upfront investment. The savings come over time on your monthly electric bill thanks to the high efficiency of these systems.
Since ventless gas fireplaces do use natural or liquid propane gas, they do still create carbon monoxide. This may sound scary, but you don’t have to worry about build up or the release of these gases into your home if proper setup guidelines are followed. Always be sure to have a licensed professional who will follow all federal, state, and local safety protocols. Keep in mind that some areas of the United States do not allow the installation of ventless gas fireplaces. Be sure to check your local and state laws before deciding on one of these units.
How to Choose the Right Fireplace for Your Home
Think about your ideal snowy day. A cup of coffee or cocoa steaming in your hands, a blanket across your lap, and a fire making the whole room cozy. From designing a room around your fireplace to choosing a style that works for your space, there’s a lot to consider when selecting the right heat fixture for your home. Asking yourself a few specific questions can help you quickly determine a path to walk down when looking for a fireplace.
- Does your home already have a working firebox and chimney? If it doesn’t (and you’re not willing to pay the price of installing one), you’ve already removed traditional, electric insert, and vented gas fireplaces from the running!
- Do you need a portable option that can keep you warm as you move around within your home? A TV stand or mantel style electric fireplace is the perfect fit!
- Do you want something striking that uses unique media like this Birch Kit for Electric Fireplaces? Amantii’s Deep Built-In Electric Fireplace gives you exactly that.
Choosing an Energy Efficient Fireplace
If energy efficiency is your top priority, there are a few options to choose from. Efficiency is easy to achieve with newer traditional fireplaces, especially if you burn EPA-certified wood. But are wood-burning fireplaces a great solution to heat your whole house? They are! But facts are facts: gas fireplaces are the indisputable champions when it comes to efficiency. They beat out traditional wood fireplaces in every measurable way, proving that gas is the top-tier energy-efficient fireplace option for your home.
Shop for Modern Fireplaces Online With IWAE
When you can amplify the warmth, coziness, and ambiance of your home with one change, why would you decide against a new fireplace? IWAE has a large selection of indoor fireplaces, with plenty of gas fireplace and electric fireplace options to suit your space. Whether you’re ready to pull the trigger on a built-in electric fireplace for your home’s renovation or you need help choosing between vented and ventless options, the customer service team at IWAE is prepared to help you cross the finish line. With a call or message, we can ensure a perfect fit for you and your family. Stay toasty all winter long, this year and for many more years to come, with a quality fireplace upgrade.
