It has long been recognised that the installation of an electric fireplace offers a quick, easy and economical way of heating any living space. Originally heavily built and austere in design electric fireplaces have now evolved into many styles, designs and applications. They can range from buy and simply plug-in electric fireplace space heaters to complete electric fireplace inserts with decorative mantels and surrounds. Whatever your design choice electric fireplace heaters can be picked up from the showrooms of manufacturers such as Sears electric fireplaces and Dimplex electric fireplaces, loaded into the back of your SUV and simply plugged in when back at home.
Once installed you can settle down to the radiant glow of your electric fireplace and should the temperature drop then the heat can be turned on using the handy remote control that accompanies most heaters now. With technology to rival woodburning fireplaces such as log effect, heat can be immediate, and should you desire the crackling sound of an open fire there are CD's available for the stereo system.
Installation of an electric fireplace is further eased by there being no need to have any vent or chimney. This makes an electric fireplace heater ideal for he chimney-less house or a basement apartment. Having no need for a vent has a positive effect in terms of economy in that none of the heat is exhausted up the chimney. Whereas a woodburning fireplace can lose up to 75% of its heat and a gas heater 30% all of the heat from an electric fireplace heater stays in the room for your comfort. Also there is no need to start putting holes in walls for unsightly and damp and draught inducing vents. Indeed an electric heater can be wall mounted or of a corner electric fireplace design thus saving space.
So what are the economical benefits of using an electric fireplace? Needing virtually no maintenance electric fireplace inserts offer heat immediately on demand and can be switched straight off when not needed something that a woodburning fire cannot offer. Using the fan forced electric heater usually consumes somewhere in the range of 1 to 3 Kwh, a matter of pennies. Standard units operate on 100v whilst bigger units do need hard wired 240v connections, a job that should be carried out by a skilled electrician.
Gazing through any catalogue of electric fireplace designs from manufacturers such as Amherst electric fireplaces or Charmglow electric fireplaces it is clear that there are real design opportunities when choosing. There are the more traditional designs of electric fireplace logs or fake electric fireplaces that mimic gas stoves to more modern designs from Europe using frosted glass beads and modern materials such as stainless steel and carbon fibre. There is a growing market in freestanding electric heaters that imitate stand alone wood stoves and are aimed at the cabin market owners who want the look but not the work. Stainless steel modern angular in design freestanding electric fireplaces are now available to create that Florida or Hawaii room feel.
