by Fireplaces are becoming a thing of the past with new construction homes, which is a real shame if you enjoy the comfort and ambiance of a roaring fire in the hearth on a cold winter night. Only 41 percent of new homes built in 2018 had a fireplace, which is trending downward yearly. That doesn’t mean you can’t add a fireplace to your living room for extra comfort.
You’ll find several types of fireplaces that can heat your home and provide more elegance to your home’s interior design. The right fireplace design will help you entertain guests and enjoy nights with your family around the fire.
The good news is that you’ve found the perfect guide to learning more about your fireplace options. Keep reading to add the ideal fireplace for your home’s design today!
Wood Fireplaces
Wood-burning fireplaces are the age-old option that many homeowners prefer. Wood heat offers your home a different level of coziness; you can’t replace the sizzle and pop of burning firewood. Your home will feel like a time machine back to simpler times each time you start a fire.
Open hearth fireplaces are an excellent option if you want a timeless design for your home. They offer a romantic feel with their aesthetic, and you’ll find them in many older homes. They look amazing, but they lack efficiency if you plan on heating your home with your wood fireplace.
Enclosed fireplaces are another option if you’re set on burning wood in your fireplace. They’re more modern in appearance, but they offer many of the same benefits you’ll enjoy with an open-hearth design. They feature glass doors that allow you to close the hearth section and look fancy compared to other fire-burning options.
You can also opt for a wood-burning stove in your home. It’s the most efficient option if you’re using wood as your sole heat source. You’ll add a retro vibe to your home with a wood-burning stove, though you won’t get to watch the logs burn with this fireplace option.
Pros and Cons of Wood Fireplaces
Wood-burning fireplaces are excellent if you want to minimize your carbon footprint since wood is a renewable resource. You’ll also gain reliability since your fireplace will always light, no matter if the power is out. It’s also the most stunning aesthetic for your fireplace design.
The primary drawback of wood-burning fireplaces is their lack of efficiency. They’re not as effective for heating your home, and they require annual inspections. You also need a steady supply of firewood to keep the heat going.
Electric Fireplaces
Electric fireplaces are your best bet if you own a home that doesn’t incorporate a fireplace design. You don’t need a chimney in order to install an electric fireplace in your home. You’ll need an outlet to power the fireplace, but you’ll enjoy instant heat with little maintenance.
You can choose between an electric fireplace installed on your wall or a portable fireplace option. An electric wall fireplace provides that classic aesthetic that many homeowners crave, though you lose portability with this design. Still, it provides a stunning and cozy appearance in a living room or basement area in your home.
A portable electric fireplace TV stand is an excellent option for smaller homes that lack an existing fireplace design. You can get more use from it since it offers space to place a TV, pictures, or other important personal belongings. They’re a fancier version of a large space heater or your home or living room.
Pros and Cons of Electric Fireplaces
Electric fireplaces are a perfect option if you want to enjoy light and heat from your home’s fireplace without installing a chimney. The light looks identical to what you’d see in a wood-burning hearth, simulating the effects of a real fire in your fireplace.
You can also plug your electric fireplace into any electrical outlet in your home and enjoy the benefits of a new fireplace. It’s as simple as visiting the electric fireplace dealers near me for guidance. They’ll set you up with an efficient and eco-friendly electric fireplace in no time.
The primary drawback of an electric fireplace is the lack of a smoky smell as you’d get with a wood-burning fireplace. They’re also a more expensive option than gas fireplaces to operate during winter. You’ll lack heat if the power goes out during snow and ice storms, so keep that in mind if you have inclement weather heading your way.
Gas Fireplaces
Gas fireplaces are another popular option for homeowners in the United States. They’re excellent if you want to avoid the maintenance that comes with a wood-burning fireplace while still enjoying a cozy heat. You’ll enjoy the same classic feeling with a gas fireplace as you’d get with a wood fireplace.
Vented gas fireplaces produce a yellow flame that is quite similar to the flames from burning wood. The flames and exhaust get vented through your home’s chimney to the air outside. Ventless gas fireplaces don’t require a vent, but some experts question if they’re a safe option for home heat.
Pros and Cons of Gas Fireplaces
The biggest benefit of choosing a gas fireplace is the similarity that it has to a wood-burning fireplace. It looks and feels quite similar to a wood-burning hearth, making it perfect for cold winter nights. You can control the flame and level of heat with a button, and you can skip the maintenance of sweeping ashes.
You won’t hear the sound of burning wood, taking away from the ambiance of your fireplace design. You’ll also need to hook up to a gas line to power your new gas fireplace.
Shop for the Different Types of Fireplaces for Your Home Today
Exploring your options for the types of fireplaces in your home is vital, especially if your home lacks a chimney. Wood-burning fireplaces create a nostalgic feeling and enhance the comfort of your home, though they require more maintenance. Electric fireplaces are the most convenient, though they’re susceptible to power outages. Gas fireplaces offer many benefits of both fireplace types in one.
Are you looking for your next home improvement project? Check out the rest of our blog posts to learn more about remodeling your home today!
