If you want to boost your winter enjoyment while cutting utility costs, a fireplace is the perfect investment. There aren’t as many fireplace options as there are unique snowflakes, but you definitely have a wide range of choices. From the type of fuel your fireplace burns to the level of convenience it provides to the style and how it matches your décor, the various available features can help you select the right fireplace for a cozier winter than ever in your home.
Gas Fireplace
Gas fireplaces are highly popular. Almost 70% of the hearth products in use today are fueled by natural gas or propane, according to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association. The convenience of a gas fireplace is its most winning feature. Enjoying the flickering flames of a fire in your home does not need to involve chopping, splitting, and stacking logs or taking the time to build a fire. A gas fireplace starts up with the touch of a button or flip of a switch, and significant warmth is immediately provided.
You can get a gas fireplace in a huge range of styles. Burn faux logs that look very realistic or choose to have flames over glass or rocks. There are rustic styles and very contemporary styles, with everything in between, as well.
You can even choose from various mounting options, including free-standing fireplaces, wall-mounted gas fireplaces, and a built-in gas fireplace insert, which converts a traditional fireplace to a viable source of supplemental heat. No matter which style you choose, the BTU output can provide a lot of warmth to your home. Some gas fireplaces generate up to 55,000 BTUs.
Compared to wood-burning fireplaces, maintenance is much easier with gas. An annual inspection and annual maintenance are still important, to ensure the safety of your gas fireplace.
The most significant cost-saving benefit that a homeowner can get from gas fireplaces is to use the appliances for zone heating. Gas fireplaces can be installed in just about any room or space in your home. To zone heat, cut off central air conditioning and only use the gas fireplace for warmth in whatever room you’re in.
Wood Fireplace
A wood-burning fireplace has the least expensive type of fuel and the most outstanding ambiance. Other types of fireplaces can only hope to mimic all the pleasures wood fires provide. The wood can emit a pleasant aroma. The flames on a wood fire are the most enjoyable to watch. The primitive act of starting a wood-burning fire is a unique pleasure that many appreciate. If you have a fireplace insert installed in your traditional fireplace, the efficiency level can be as high as 80%.
Safety is always an important consideration. Annual chimney inspections are important, to ensure that there are no cracks in the flue or other dangerous conditions that could lead to a dangerous house fire. Routine chimney cleaning is also very important, to prevent chimney fires and chimney obstruction.
