by admin on August 19, 2010
How to Update Your Ugly Fireplace
Take a look at the fireplace in your home. Somehow it doesn’t look right. Perhaps the design is out of date. Or perhaps you have gotten tired of the existing look, and you yearn for a new fireplace design. If so, maybe it’s time to take a look at how to update your ugly fireplace. Here are some issues that you may wish to consider.
Design and style of the fireplace.
Early in the planning process, now is the time to browse through as many designs as you can to get a better grip on what you like. These may be designs that look traditional and classic, or they may be designs that look modern. Also consider the overall design of your home while you are browsing.
You can look for fireplace designs in lots of different places. Take a walk to your local bookstore or library and pick up the latest home improvement magazine. Home heating magazines may also provide tons of interesting designs for you to choose from. You can also switch on your computer and go online. There are literally thousands and thousands of websites with beautiful pictures of fireplaces. If you see something you like, remember to bookmark the web page or print it out for future reference. You may need to show it to your contractor.
Many contractors also offer fireplace catalogs for browsing. These may or may not be available on their websites. So you may need to call them up to request for a free catalog. Most will be happy to send you one.
Choice of materials for your fireplace.
A fireplace can be made from many different types of materials. Stone fireplaces seem to be back in style these days. There are many types of stone you can choose from – granite, limestone, and even marble. Of course, the type of material you choose will affect the cost of the fireplace. But fireplaces are meant to last for a very long time, so perhaps it’s a good idea to choose something that you really like.
The fireplace mantel.
Don’t overlook the fireplace mantel when installing your new fireplace. Unlike the actual fireplace, which needs to be made from fire resistant materials, you can choose to have a wooden mantel mounted on top of the fireplace. The benefit of having a wooden mantel is that you can replace it easily whenever you want to. A beautifully crafted fireplace mantel can make all the difference to the final appearance of your new fireplace.
Classic or modern fireplaces.
Traditional fireplaces use actual burning to generate heat. However, this leads to several problems. First, there is the smoke problem. Secondly, the burning leaves an unsightly mess in the fireplace.
Modern fireplaces are much cleaner because they actually generate heat from electricity. All you need to do is to flip a switch and the fireplace starts working. For such fireplaces, there is no real fire. A fake fire may even be simulated to help achieve the illusion of having a real fire burning in your home!
For more information on Fireplace Designs and Fireplace Remodel, please visit our website.
by admin on August 19, 2010
Why Everyone Will Want an Electric Fireplace in Their Home
Don’t get me wrong: I really do enjoy the warmth and comfort of a roaring fire. So I absolutely enjoy a good fireplace, especially if it has an elegant or stylish fireplace mantel surrounding it. And fireplaces have a tendency (with me, anyway) to conjure up happy memories of good times. Still, I think that electric fireplaces are superior for a number of reasons, and will oneday replace traditional fireplaces on account of their practicality and convenience.
I would like to mention now that artificial fireplaces are not to be confused (though they often are) with the notoriously corny video fireplaces of the past. Unlike video fireplaces, these modern appliances actually emit real warmth. An electrically powered fire scene serves as a secondary heater, or even a primary heater in average sized rooms. When it comes down to it, artificial fire scenes are just as capable of proliferating warmth as a real, traditional fire. It may not look absolutely “real” from directly nearby, but from a reasonable distance, say five yards or so, the artificial fire scene looks quite real enough.
Artifical fireplaces, unlike their traditional smoke-spewing counterparts, are quite friendly towards the environment. Because an artificial firebox runs solely on electric power, it releases absolutely no carbon emissions, as opposed to the substantial carbon imprint of real fireplaces. It does not smoke, so you won’t have to inhale those burning fumes, and your electric firebox won’t release smoke into the atmosphere via a chimney. Artificial fireplaces also help preserve natural resources: because they do not rely on wood or coal as fuel, they do not need to consume resources that could be used to achieve other, more practical ends.
These fireplaces are also significantly more convenient than their traditional wood-burning predecessors. They require a very simple installation, and after that, you have very little to worry about. You don’t need to clean it, though of course it is recommended that you wipe the screen for dust every now and then, just as you would clean a television or computer monitor. Additionally, with an electric fire scene, you don’t need to worry about the prior preparation a normal fireplace entails. Imagine coming home one evening, sitting down on the couch, perhaps sipping a soothing beverage, and enjoying the warmth and visual stimulation of a roaring fire after a simple flip of the switch. And the best part is, you won’t have to concern yourself with cleaning up the debris and ash the morning after!
An electrically powered fireplace is also remarkably convenient for people who live in apartments or homes that don’t have chimneys. With this innovation it is possible to enjoy the comfort and visual drama of a good fire, without needing to think about whether your home is properly ventilated, or has a chimney to vent out the smoke and fumes. And these fireplaces save you money in the long run: if you buy an artificial fireplace, you won’t ever have to concern yourself with purchasing expensive and fast-burning fuels like firewood and coal. Once your artificial fireplace is properly installed, the only fee you need to worry about is your electric bill. You don’t even have to worry about paying for the gas that normal fireplaces require. And once again, because you don’t need to clean an electric fire scene, you won’t have to fork over the cash to pay for cleaning supplies.
In all likelihood, however, the best and most important feature of artificial fireplaces is their safety value. Because there is no “real” fire, there is no real danger. You won’t have to watch your fireplace to ensure the fire doesn’t get out of control. You won’t even have to worry about furniture, decorations and other items that you wish to place near your artificial fireplace: at worst, anything you decide to put near the fire scene will get especially warm. No fire, no burning, no problem!
In short: simply put, there is a veritable treasure trove of benefits to electric fire scenes that real fireplaces simply do not provide, but an electric fireplace can do everything that a traditional fireplace can do, only better.
Few freelance writers have as much experience in the fireplace mantel industry as Wyatt Frisk, a self-proclaimed expert. He is a freelance writer for PortableFireplace.com, and has written articles for several online companies. For all your electric fireplace questions, just ask Wyatt!
