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What is an electric fireplace?
An electric fireplace is a low-cost, energy-efficient alternative to gas and wood fireplaces, that has many advantages over the other fireplace styles. Over the past ten years electric fireplaces have evolved to the point where some are nearly indistinguishable from actual hearth fires.
Most electric fireplaces use a fan forced heater to spread warmth throughout a room, dispersing it in an even pattern that radiates outwards from the fireplace. Heat is generated inside the fireplace by passing an electric current through a series of metal coils known as the heating element. As these get hotter the air inside the fireplace is expelled through a fan, normally mounted on top of or below the fireplace, and directed into an even dispersal pattern by a grille. This allows the fan to distribute a significant amount of heat over a wide area, and makes it possible for the fireplace to heat an entire room almost instantly. An intake fan or induction vent elsewhere in the fireplace ensures a steady flow of cool, unheated air into the main firebox, where it in turn gets heated by the heating element, and cycled out through the vents. The greatest advantage of these heating elements is that they take little to no time to warm up, allowing them to be switched on and generating heat almost straight away. The fans are normally utterly silent, designed to run quietly for years before needing replacement. Most fireplace log beds are made from real wood, helping to create the illusion of a crackling log fire without the cheap, blocky plastic look of electric fires from a few decades ago. The crackling sound is normally created by an audio unit hidden inside the log bed itself, programmed to make the distinctive crackling sound associated with an open fire. Most units that incorporate this feature also have an audio-off setting – not available in real open hearths! Electric fireplaces are easy to install, and do not require any major modifications to the property. They produce no waste, no fumes, soot or smoke, and do not require a chimney or any other form of ventilation—another factor that gives them a significant edge over gas or wood-based fireplaces. They often cost significantly less that their counterparts, and can be installed with a minimum of fuss and hassle by someone with a basic knowledge of DIY and electronics. As a result, they are fast becoming one of the most popular forms of interior heating, particularly in apartment buildings! |