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There's absolutely nothing like starting up your fireplace - even those nifty electric ones are pretty neat - on a cold winter day. It makes you want to throw on a blanket, cuddle a warm cup of hot chocolate in one hand, and hold a novel in the other.
Looking for a new fireplace can be hard work. With all the selection out there, from traditional to electric, indoor or outdoor, gel-fuel,stove, fireplace inserts, or wall-mounted fireplaces - where does a consumer even begin?
Read on for an easy step-by-step guide on buying a new fireplace.
The classic fireplace is a good place to start. The traditional fireplace was used as the main heat source for a home during the winter (before modern heating). Many homes still have fireplaces and chimneys that use burning wood to create heat and fire for warmth and enjoyment. The downside to the classic fireplace is that it uses and burns wood, which is wasteful and requires ventilation (via the chimney) to burn. This also means added costs for annual chimney cleaning, and etc.
Electric fireplaces are the most popular alternative to classic ones. The benefit to electric fireplaces is that they still look like and give off heat like a fireplace, but use electricity rather than wood. This means not having to have ventilation and also flexibility in terms of where you install the unit. If you have a classic fireplace, you can opt for an electric fireplace insert to be installed to reap the benefits of an electric fireplace where your traditional fireplace would be.
A popular option for is the corner electric fireplace, especially for small rooms or apartments. Instead of having to take up a large portion of a wall for they are triangular in shape and fit in the corner of a room.
Similarly to the classic fireplace is the country-style stove. If you stepped into a century home, you may see a small square or rectangular-shaped block, which acted as the stove and fireplace for these homes. For a traditional look in your home a fireplace stove is a fun choice and also comes as an electric version.
Gel fireplaces are another alternative to a classic or the electric fireplaces introduced above. Cans of gel-fuel that are made specifically for gel fireplaces can usually burn for up to three hours. The gel-fuel is made of a grain-alcohol that burns off, leaving no ash to clean up or need for ventilation. They are also safe because the burning gel doesn't spark and thus avoids any danger of potential fires.
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