Home Style Decorating

Fireplaces can provide your home a big benefit when it comes to heat efficiency aside from adding an appealing amenity. Through the years, the fireplace has evolved. It used to be that a home would have a fireplace simply for appearance and recreational use like when entertaining guests for a dinner party. Today, fireplaces and stoves still provide these benefits but they are also cost and energy effective. Every design there is has something unique to offer. There are even see-through designs that enables two rooms to share a fireplace. This type of design can fit into any room style, offering something extra special.

Many fireplaces today are factory built and designed specifically to produce more heat than a traditional masonry fireplace. Present day fireplaces are called low clearance fireplace which can be located as close as a half inch from the wall with no fire hazard at all. These fireplaces are extremely lightweight and reasonably priced, aside from being available in do-it-yourself designs.

There are many different types of fireplaces that are available today. The following are some of them:

Direct vent fireplace
Direct vent fireplaces uses gas logs which produces a beautiful yellow flame that looks like a wood burning fire. In order to use a direct vent, you will have to have a wood burning fireplace and then convert it. The reason is that you need a damper that can be opened to allow smoke to escape up the chimney. Vented logs will enhance the direct vent fireplace by providing the best heat. Just be sure to have your chimney inspected by a professional prior to burning your gas logs. You want to ensure there are no hidden obstructions that could create a fire hazard. A vented gas log providing the lowest BTU will offer a great looking fire and cost little to operate. Always make sure the vented logs have been inspected and are certified. Direct vent fireplaces also needs a glass door to act as a damper to keep the heat in your home while the soot and smoke go up to the chimney.

Electric fireplace
This type of fireplace is perfect for those who are living in an apartment, on a tight budget or homes without chimneys. electric fireplaces are attractive and provide a beautiful glowing bed of embers and realistic looking wood. The current designs are designed with rich wood tones, stone, marble, and brick. While some electric fireplaces are designed for appearance only, others are constructed with heaters that can put out as much as 10,000 BTUs. Best of all, since they are heated with electricity, you do not need to worry about fumes.
Electric fireplaces are convenient to use since most designs can be simply plugged in and are ready to use. This type of fireplace are specially designed with automatic shut off features to avoid overheating. In addition to the convenience, ease of operation and overall effect, electric fireplaces are inexpensive. The electric fireplace comes with a thermostat that you can set. Keep in mind that the energy being supplied to the fireplace is converted into heat for the room, which means this type of fireplace is 100% efficient over other types of fireplaces that run on average 80% efficiency.

Gas fireplace
This type of fireplace uses natural gas or propane eleminating the need for cleaning up messy wood chips and ashes. Designs like are now available including various wood styles such as birch, oak, or pine that look realistic. With all the positive aspects such as lower heating bills, a cleaner burn, and better fire control, you really cannot go wrong with a gas fireplace. The only down side of it are you lose the actual smell of the wood burning as well as the crackling sound of the wood.

Rumford fireplace
Rumford fireplaces are tall and shallow that is designed to produce more heat. The throats of the fireplaces are streamlined, which eliminates the turbulence helping to carry the smoke away from the room.

Stone fireplace
The great thing about stone fireplaces is that they never go out of style. Whether your home has a French, Asian, or Italian influence, is decorated with informal country styling, or has a clean line, contemporary look, a stone fireplace create a beautiful enhancement. Stone fireplaces can be made with various stones like limestone, granite, rock, stone, and marble. Most stone fireplaces are hand carved from natural pieces or slabs and designed to match your fireplace perfectly. By working with a qualified mason worker, you can choose from designs and have all of the stone custom made.

Vent-free fireplace
A vent-free fireplace is the type of fireplace that does not require a chimney. With the vent-free option, the heat produced stays in the home. For this reason, this is an excellent choice for those looking for heat and cost efficiency. One consideration is that some states do not allow this type of fireplace, so be sure to check with your local fireplace professional as well as your homeowner’s insurance company. Another name for the vent-free fireplace is the Oxygen Depletion Sensor, otherwise known as ODS. The way this works is that when oxygen levels drop, the ODS goes to work by cutting off the flame. For safety purposes, this is an outstanding feature of the vent-free fireplace. There are vent-free logs designed specifically for this type of fireplace to provide the maximum benefit as well. These logs produce a blue flame that while not as realistic as the yellow-flamed vent log, still provide a nice appearance.

Wood burning fireplace
The wood burning fireplace has long been the fireplace of choice. The smell of burning wood and sound of a good fire are inviting as well as romantic and relaxing. For some people, the act of building a fire is as tranquil as the fire itself. In addition to the ambiance, this type of fireplace is wonderful for lowering heating bills, especially if a blower is installed, which helps push the warm air throughout the house. When using this type of fireplace, you need to clean it periodically,including the chimney, for safety reasons and also monitor the embers especially before retiring at night.

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.