Category Archives: Fireplace Types

The Electric Fireplace: Introduction and General Overview

Posted by Mark on May 31, 2011 Comments Off

Electric fireplaces have undergone an impressive development in recent years. Gone are the early days when their obviously fake flames and unreal looks failed to capture anyone’s imagination. Today, practically all electric fireplaces on the market feature a very realistic and professional design that will surprise many when they see an actual electric fireplace for the first time: often, prospective buyers cannot spot an electric fireplace among its gas counterparts during a store visit. Still, an electric fireplace is not a fireplace in the true sense of the word: there is nothing burning at all. This, however, has not kept sales of these units from rising tremendously in recent years. To understand better what electric fireplaces have to offer, take a look at their features, the available types, their installation, prices and costs, and finally, their advantages and disadvantages.

All electric fireplaces produce visual effects designed to closely resemble an actual wood-burning fireplace: “flames” made from fabric are moved by the air from a small blower, while glowing lights and even simulated burning embers add to the overall impression. Additionally, many units contain an electric fireplace heater which generates heat for distribution into the surrounding room by a fan. To control operations, most electric fireplaces come equipped with devices found usually also in gas fireplaces: an instant on/off switch with optional timer settings and a remote control.

There are three main types of electric fireplaces available: electric fireplace logs, electric fireplace inserts, and free-standing electric stoves. Electric logs are simple and cheap and can be easily installed into a real fireplace as an add-on for the summer months. Electric fireplace inserts consist of an entire self-contained housing also designed for installation into an existing fireplace cavity. They are designed tp generate more heat than logs and are typically built for permanent installation, requiring significant effort to remove. Finally, free-standing electric stoves are available in many varieties, for example simulating old-fashioned wood ovens or more modern designs.

The installation of an electric fireplace is far simpler than that of any other fireplace, in fact, for someone with experience in home improvement, do-it-yourself installation is definitely possible. Most units simply need a regular 100-120 Volt power plug-in, while large electric fireplace inserts may require a 240 Volt connection.

The prices for electric fireplaces start around $200-$500 for electric logs and $500-$2000 for free-standing stoves. A simple corner electric fireplace costs between $500 and $1000, while more elaborate inserts can be found from $1000 up to more than $2000. Still, compared to gas or wood fireplaces, electric models are by far the cheapest solution.

There are numerous advantages associated with an electric fireplace: first, only a power connection is required – no venting and no fuel is needed. Nothing is burning, there are no fumes and no soot. The appliance is plugged into a standard outlet and uses only minimal electricity: on average equivalent to 2-3 light bulbs for visual flame effects. However, an electric fireplace heater will use 10 to 20 times more electric power than that. It can be switched on and off conveniently, can be tuned to an exact heating level, and requires minimum maintenance effort: no fireplace-specific cleaning needs to be done and no firewood or gas must be supplied. Many free-standing units are small, even movable. Electric fireplaces are “zero clearance” devices, installable anywhere in the house. Realizing a small corner electric fireplace is as easily possible as installing a free-standing unit in the middle of the room.

By far their biggest advantage is however the separation of the visual “flames” effect from the heating function. Both can be turned on and off independently, for example to use only the visual aspects during hot summer months or to ward off a chill in a dark bedroom with the electric fireplace heater.

With all these advantages, it must be remembered that an electric fireplace is, in fact, not a real burning fireplace. Being dependent on electricity, it cannot be used during a power outage. Also, the heater alone is -like all electric heaters- less efficient than a comparable unit running on gas or wood.

In summary, electric fireplaces have become more and more attractive over the last years. While they cannot replace a real gas— oder wood-burning fireplace, they have many interesting features to offer, especially for buyers on a tight budget or for those whose housing situation does not allow for a fireplace using real flames. In any case, the information provided above should help prospective buyers to make an informed decision and get the most out of their new fireplace.

The Portable Outdoor Fireplace – Types and Characteristics

Posted by Mark on May 10, 2009 Comments Off

As described in the introductory article on the outdoor fireplace, a portable outdoor fireplace falls into one of three main categories: the chiminea, the portable fire pit and the simple fire ring. The main advantage of portable outdoor fireplaces compared with built-in ones is the increased flexibility in moving them to whatever location you want in your garden as well as their significantly lower price.

The chiminea is the most common type of portable outdoor fireplace in the U.S., while in Europe the portable fire pit is more prevalent. Chimineas are traditional Mexican ovens which were already in use centuries ago to provide heat and a place for cooking to their owners. They consist of a bowl-shaped firebox with an opening to one side and a long, narrow chimney on top. The bowl shape ensures a good air circulation within the firebox, while the long chimney helps to keep the smoke away from the people sitting around the outdoor fireplace. The construction results in heat being radiated out of the opening in the side in one direction only, which makes it ideal for warming up during cold nights. The main decision to make when selecting a chiminea is the material used for its construction. Chimineas are made either out of metal, mostly cast iron and aluminum or out of clay, often also described as ceramic or terracotta.

Both kinds of chimineas have their own distinctive advantages and disadvantages. A clay chiminea typically comes fully assembled and therefore requires no further work before startup. It is fairly heavy and somewhat difficult to move. Its main characteristic however is the brittleness of the clay, which causes it to break much more easily than its metal counterpart. The weak point is the bottom part of the firebox, which can develop cracks and even fall out after heavy use. Also, clay fireplaces must never be used while still wet, for example after being exposed to rain. Models offered on the market should therefore be carefully checked for manufacturing quality and durability. Due to their fragility, they are also fairly maintenance-intensive, as they should be protected from humidity and cleaned regularly. On the other hand, their main advantage compared with metal-made models is their ability to store heat better as well as keep the temperature on the outside much lower.

The cast iron and aluminum chiminea usually does need some simple assembly after delivery, however it is much more durable than clay models and requires less maintenance, apart from the necessary rust protection for iron ones. There are large variations in weight, with iron models being very heavy, while aluminum ones are easily transportable. Both types get very hot during operation.

The price tags for a chiminea starts at about $170 for clay models and $380 for cast metal-made ones.

A portable fire pit is most often made from iron or aluminum, however some clay models are also available. They most closely resemble traditional campfires and radiate their heat in all directions. While most models are built as solid units, some are a real collapsible, portable outdoor fireplace which can be folded up when not in use. Fire pits can be found starting from about $100 upwards.

Fire rings usually are used only to contain a fire which burns on an existing fire-proof surface. A large variety of models is available, however, most are unlikely to be used in a residential garden.

Built-in Outdoor Fireplace Designs

Posted by Mark on May 10, 2009 Comments Off

If you are looking for an outdoor fireplace which is closely integrated with the design and layout of your patio and garden while giving you the full flexibility of designing an individual solution, then a built-in outdoor fireplace design is likely to be the right solution.

The simplest option is a version of the fire pit which is integrated into the ground. These models are available in several varieties based on metal and stone-made bowls and can be purchased starting from about $500.

Most people looking for built-in outdoor fireplace designs are however thinking of an individual model designed to look very much like the more common indoor fireplace. These fireplaces need to be built on-site, which can be done in two ways: either as a completely individual do-it-yourself project or with the help of a pre-configured fireplace kit. These kits are available from several manufacturers and can be installed by yourself or by a local professional fireplace builder. Often, the manufacturers are happy to point you to available help in your area.

A large variety of options exists for a built-in outdoor fireplace. First of all, it can be either a freestanding construction or it can be attached to a wall or the house itself. Also, the choice of building materials is correspondingly large: The majority of these fireplaces is made from bricks and/or concrete, while the smoke chamber and the flue can be manufactured from metal, often aluminum or copper. Given the available options, the price range for these fireplaces is open-ended. A reasonable lower limit can be set at about $5,000. Fundamentally different from these options are the possible outdoor gas fireplace designs, which are very similar to the options for indoor gas fireplace inserts.

However, the outdoor fireplace designs not only concern location and material, the style of the fireplace is also very important, as it should reflect the style of the surrounding garden and house. Many outdoor brick fireplace designs such as English or Eastern brick are available. Outdoor stone fireplace designs like Old World Traditional are also very common. Yet, far more options are available, for example Southwestern Adobe, and are shown in many books on the subject. Common to all built-in fireplaces is their basic setup, which consists of a firebox, a smoke chamber and a flue. The only significant difference to indoor fireplaces is the missing damper, which is not needed for an outdoor construction.

One word of caution: if you decide to build an outdoor fireplace yourself, you should be aware of the fact that safety is of critical importance to avoid serious injuries or damage from fire during operation. This is especially true for any outdoor gas fireplace designs. It is also important to check for local regulations before starting such a project, as the rules for outside fireplaces vary significantly between different towns and regions. While an official permit is required only in some places, it is generally advisable to contact your local authorities beforehand.

In summary, make sure you have a clear understanding of the following topics before starting: location, material, style, fuel, use (grill or heating only), maximum costs and legal regulations. This will help you get the most out of your individual fireplace.