Great Home Heating Alternative: Electric Fireplaces

The need for a warm shelter is an absolutely critical necessity for most animals, and we are certainly no exception. We have an abundance of methods to heat up our homes when it gets cold outside, from thermostats and gas stoves to fireplaces and space heaters. One of the more useful methods of coping with the cold has really come into its own in recent years: electric fireplaces. Once merely the tacky and superfluous decorations of the 70s, these fireplaces are now highly useful and aesthetically appealing household features. They are designed to look just like traditional wood-burning fireplaces, but they do not require a chimney. All they need is a free outlet.

Usually between 3 and 4 feet wide, free standing electric fireplaces project an illusion of fire but generate plenty of real heat. The false flames, often produced with holograms or back panel screens, look absolutely genuine until you get up close. But at that point, you’ll be too wrapped up in comfort and warmth to notice that those “logs” are actually plastic. The average electric fireplace generates around 10,000 BTUs of heat, but only consumes somewhere in the range of 1400 Watts of energy; not only are they remarkably warm, but they are more energy efficient than many heating alternatives.

Electrical fireplaces also offer control. Unlike real fire, which can be unpredictable and difficult to manage, these fireplaces offer you total control of warmth levels. Electric fireplaces also disperse heat more effectively than traditional fireplaces. And, let’s not forget about safety concerns: because electric fireplaces don’t actually “burn” anything, the possibility of incurring fire damages when you turn the heating element on is minimal if not non-existent. Furthermore, electrical fireplaces do not produce the fumes, vapors, and smoke associated with genuine fire, so you can give your lungs and sinuses a rest this winter. The glass panels and screens surrounding the free standing electric fireplace are often designed to remain cool to the touch as well, so you won’t have to worry about pets or small children accidentally burning themselves.

If you are looking into alternative heating options this year, consider electrical fireplaces; they truly are an improvement over traditional fireplaces in most every way.