Improve the Fireplace in your home with Simple Tips

Do you have a fireplace that just doesn't fit the room? Before you make a rash decision and seal it up, consider what it is in the room that is wrong. Does the mantel piece design clash with the room's motif? Does the fireplace mantel need renovating or updating? Earlier fireplaces were the main source of heat during cold winters and large homes had a fireplace in each room. These fireplaces took time to maintain, and created a mess. 

The fireplace, however, served as a natural focal point, drawing families together, and stood as an important decorative feature. Wealthier homeowners hired tradesmen to build elaborately carved mantels out of wood, stone or marble. Today's homeowners enjoy the practicality of central heat and the drawing power of a cozy fire on a cold winter's night.

Things you should know about fireplace mantels and surrounds are as below:

It's still possible today to buy a vintage salvaged fireplace in nearly any period. This can be restored and used to replace an outdated fireplace which is completely out of step with the period of the home.

There are many reasons to replace or add to what you have. Your mantel shelf may be too shallow, or non-existent. You may have only a lonely insert. You may abhor the old-style brick surrounds.

The choices are numerous; hardwood mantelpieces can be simple or carved. It can be painted or stained. It must meet fire safety codes, and use a fire-safe material for the surrounds, like tile, stone, or metal. Stone fireplace mantels can be elegant or rustic, using materials like limestone, travertine, slate, and marble.

Stone can also be used for the surrounds. Faux stone offers a realistic look of carved stone at a more reasonable price. Metal fireplace mantels also come in vintage reproductions or sleek modern styles.

Replacing the fireplace surrounds may just be the right thing to freshen up your fireplace. Tile and stone offer many choices, and are more easily replaced than an entire mantel.

When shopping for a fireplace, you have many choices. Most of the old fireplaces seen in people's homes are either fake or totally inefficient. The reason is because they are designed with an open front that completely sucks newly-heated air up and out the chimney rather than radiating the heat back into the house. These fireplaces are often a nuisance and purely decorative at best.

A company specializing in fireplaces claims that there are three fireplaces that can contribute real heat into the home without sucking it away; they come in a variety of styles and a price range to suit your need - EcoSmart Fire, Blomus Pure Life, and Planika. These vent-free, ethanol burning fireplaces have been steadily gaining momentum for their minimal looks, 'clean' burn, and mobile abilities. 

This type of fireplace burns on denatured ethanol, meaning no utility hookup is required, and no smoke or ashes are left to clean up once the fire is out. Best of all, the fireplace is vent-free, meaning the heat doesn't escape through a chimney; it stays in the room - Marc Willis.

Read More

3 Things One Has to Know About Ventless Gas Fireplaces

Few things out there can be associated with that "at home" feeling only fireplace can provide people with. Most of us out there associate fireplaces with a state of complete comfort, with time spent together with the loved ones and with carefree hours of chit-chatting and storytelling. Although there may be other more efficient ways of heating up a room nowadays, the truth is that a fireplace has a timeless kind of appeal to it that will be truly appreciated by many home owners out there.

If you are planning to have a fireplace built in your home, then you should first check out with the option of a ventless gas fireplace. Many of the people in the same situation of you have picked this option over the other ones out there and the truth is that it may be more suitable for you as well. Read on and find out 3 of the things you will absolutely have to know about a ventless gas fireplace before you run into the store and buy one.

The very first thing you will have to know about this kind of fireplace is what it is in broad terms. Basically, a ventless gas fireplace is a fireplace that does not need a chimney to function. Basically, they can be installed anywhere where they can be fueled by gas, which is usually somewhere against a wall of some sort. This can provide some home owners out there with many benefits, as there will be no need to actually have a fireplace built and this will also be much less expensive than that. In a matter of hours, you can have a professional install your ventless gas fireplace in your home and you can use it.

The second thing you should bear in mind is related to the fact that these fireplaces can be easier to maintain than a normal fireplace which would require regular sweeping and cleaning in order to stay properly function and, even more importantly, in order for it to stay actually safe. These fireplaces do need proper maintenance though and they do require that you call for a professional to inspect it at least once every year. Even more, some of their parts do require cleaning, but it will be less messy than in the case of a normal fireplace. Also, you should make sure that the fireplace comes with a carbon monoxide detector and that, for more safety, you install one such detector in the room where this fireplace is set as well.

Last, but not least, do make sure that you select the right size for your ventless fireplace. If you want this new addition to your home to be efficient in providing the room with heat as well, do make sure that its size is according to the size of the room. For instance, a bedroom will most likely go well with a fireplace that has about 5,000 BTUs, but larger rooms will need much more than that - Kyla Nelson

Read More