Choosing an electric fireplace for a house or apartment

Fireplace is a real luxury in the house. Its presence adds chic and wealth. And most importantly, it is the creation of a cozy homely atmosphere. But, not everyone has the opportunity to equip your home with such an attribute of the interior. Firstly, even where there is a possibility of arranging a natural fireplace, this is a rather painstaking and expensive pleasure. Secondly, in a normal apartment the possibility of its installation is limited.

However, do not deprive yourself of pleasure. Now there is a great alternative - electric fireplaces. In addition to aesthetic pleasure, it usually serves to heat the room. In order to understand how to choose electric fire, it is worth more to consider their types and characteristics.

Types of electrofireplaces

Electrofireplaces have long and successfully been in demand, so there is a wide choice depending on the manufacturer, mechanism of work, design, and the like, and choosing the very one is not so easy. If the task arose to buy a modern artificial fireplace, then you should know how they differ from each other.

According to the principle of

, in addition to decorating the room, the electric fireplace also functions as a heater. According to the principle of this function, they are divided:

• Spiral - heat comes from a heated spiral. However, the level of its heating can be critically high and this causes the air to dry out and reduce the level of moisture in the room.
• Infrared - heating in this way has a soft effect. This type does not affect the state of the microclimate, does not burn oxygen. It is therefore considered predominant.

By way of installation

• Electric furnace. Separate fireplace. In style, perhaps a different performance. However, the main advantage is its mobility. It moves easily in the room without any extra effort. Usually it has a stove body and looks quite impressive in the home interior.
• Outbreak. This is a boxless type of electric heater. Such a device is easy and convenient to build in any place. Usually such a place for him is a portal, niche, wall. Very good type for any design decision. It can be framed for each style.
• Wall mounted electric fireplace. This is a very simple and concise solution for a home fireplace. It is compact, installed by mounting on the wall, like a plasma TV.If you prefer this type of fireplace, you can easily install it yourself.
• Built-in fireplace. This electric fireplace is difficult to distinguish from the living. This effect it produces through a visual recess in a niche or portal. That is, this electrical device needs to be framed. A good enough option, because it can be used in any style. Interesting design solutions are mounting it into furniture or wall.

Versions of

All types of fireplaces, except for electric furnaces, require good framing( portal, niche).In stores, you can choose the case specifically for the type of electric fire. In this regard, there are many options that will satisfy every taste.

You can also make a portal yourself. This is not very difficult and costs are low. However, if you have your own view on the arrangement of the fireplace, then with the help of available tools( drywall, decor) and fantasy, you will make the original fireplace of your dreams.

According to the effect of the living flame,

Electric fireplaces for a house or apartment should be chosen considering how realistic they are to reproduce the living flame. Manufacturers in this sense are progressing. In particular, it is possible to buy a fireplace equipped with different mechanisms:

• The effect of "flame" - is reproduced by the oscillation of red stripes and foil.
• Flame - reproduced by the image on the screen and the crackling sound of firewood.
• Built-in flavoring that adds naturalness due to the smell of burnt wood.
• Steam Electric Fire. Such a mechanism is most realistically reproduces the glare of the flame. This is due to halogens - the backlight is yellow and red in combination with steam. In addition, it does not dry at all, but rather humidifies the air.

Advantages and disadvantages of electric fireplaces

Like a real fireplace, electric fire has its pros and cons.

Pros

1. A great way to improve the design, make the room stylish. In addition, they are fairly safe and do not require additional care as a natural fireplace. For example, the owners are deprived of soot cleaning after each ignition.
2. Easy installation. In most cases, it just needs to be plugged in. Does not require excessive preparation of the place under the fireplace: base, stove, hood.
3. Safe. Do not heat nearby interior items and do not heat themselves.
4. Price. It is much cheaper to buy a decorative fireplace than to install a natural version.
5. New electric fireplaces are able to convey the effect of fire very naturally, which is difficult to distinguish from the present.
6. This type of unpretentious care, unlike the wood option.
7. Does not require additional funds. Powered by the mains, while the real fireplace needs constant logging of firewood.
8. Not only decorates the interior, but is also a means for heating.

Disadvantages

1. Reproduction of the flame, although as close as possible to the real one, is not natural fire.
2. The fireplace itself consumes little power, but when the heating function is connected, the consumption increases significantly.

How to choose

When choosing an electric fireplace, it matters for what purposes you purchase it. If only for interior decoration, then you will be interested only in its design and quality of reproduction. But if you are interested in its practical aspects, then it is worthwhile to carefully approach the choice. In any case, in order for this attribute in the house to bring aesthetic pleasure and be practical, pay attention to the following points.

• Power. Not all artificial fireplaces have the function of heating. Therefore, if you need it, find out whether it is provided for in the electric fireplace chosen by you and what power of power( what area is able to heat).
• Parameters. Pick electrofireplace according to the dimensions of the room. Do not choose a giant fireplace in a small square room. So you only emphasize her modest space.
• Style. The main thing is that it harmoniously merges into the existing interior: emphasizes and complements.
• Find out the ability to separate the functions of simulating a flame of fire and heat. And also, the ability to control the heating power.
• Illumination. There are models providing for the possibility of its regulation: brighter, dimmer.
• Sound. May be built into the fireplace or absent. Ask about the presence of this function in the selected model or about the possibility of embedding it additionally.
• The best option with a humidifier. Such a fireplace very realistically reproduces the flame, and at the same time is a humidifier.
• Framing. For this there are various materials, both natural and artificial options. True, marble and wood will be more expensive, and plastic is cheaper. Choose an affordable option, but make sure it is safe.

The choice for the interior style

Style is the main question when choosing a fireplace. After all, with its help you want to make your home elegant, with a beautiful design. To do this, use the general recommendations.

• If the design of the room is classic, choose the same frame for the electric fireplace. Better to make it rectangular. As the material for the frame is best suited for modeling, marble.
• The gold effect is good for baroque.
• For a living room or office, arrange English style successfully. In this case, the portal for the fireplace can be decorated with wood-based panels.
• Stone( natural or artificial) can be successfully used for arranging a fireplace in a country style.
• If this is a loft style, then the brick is simply irreplaceable.
• Ceramic framing successfully underlines the epic.

Electrofireplace is certainly not a real fireplace and the effort required for its installation is incomparably less. But you should still carefully choose your choice so that his presence in the house seems integral and creates a positive atmosphere.