Fireplaces are wonderful additions to your home. They are not only useful and convenient, but also accentuate the beauty of a house. Modern fireplaces have evolved drastically from the traditional wood-burning ones into suave and more progressive units with blowers, thermostats and other practical additions.
Even though wood-burning fireplaces still command their majestic value, they require a lot of tending to. Chopping and stacking wood appropriately, building the fire, cleaning out the ash and so on could be quite painstaking. This is where gas fireplaces come in.
Gas fireplaces are easy to use and have scores of advantages over the tradition wood-burning ones. Let’s take a look at a few of these benefits.
Ease of Use
Gas fireplaces can be turned on and off with the push of a button. Some of these come with a remote control to operate it from anywhere in the room. With a gas fireplace, you do not need to worry about fuel once the gas line is set. So, you do not have to face the troubles of cutting, stacking, drying and hauling logs every time your fireplace runs out of fuel.
Some gas fireplaces have an additional feature of timers that can switch the fireplace off for you in case you fall asleep. Other features like fans to circulate the heat, thermostat to keep the heat consistent make gas fireplaces convenient.
Trouble-Free Maintenance
Gas fireplaces require very little maintenance. There is no issue of creosote build-up or ash accumulation with gas fireplaces. All you need to do is ensure that the fuel connection is up and running. You would also need to check in on the valves to make sure that they are clean. An annual inspection is enough to keep a gas fireplace in a properly running condition.
A gas fireplace works as a part of your home’s heating system. As a result, it hardly generates any by-products. No doubt, a gas fireplace is a clean option for heating your home.
Constant Source of Heat
Unlike wood-burning fireplaces in which the fire goes out as soon as the logs are used up, gas fireplaces provide consistent heat. Gas fireplaces keep heating the room constantly until you turn off the switch. So, you can enjoy the comfort of the heat without having to worry about replenishing the fuel.
Energy Efficient
With a gas fireplace, you can resort to zone heating. You can cut off the central heating of your home and switch to zone heating to keep the area you are in, warm. Since the flames do not take much time to start working, a gas fireplace produces instant warmth. The good news is that it reduces electricity bills considerably.
Additionally, gas fireplaces produce far fewer emissions than the wood-burning ones. Therefore, they are environment-friendly and work quite efficiently to heat your home.
Versatile Installation Options
Gas fireplaces do not take up a lot of space. So, they can be installed easily and almost anywhere. You can choose between the options of vented and vent-free ones. These can be added to existing fireplaces without any hassle. These can also be mounted on a wall with ease. Vent-free gas fireplaces do not require a chimney. Gas fireplaces can be vented directly through the wall.
You can install gas fireplaces just about anywhere in your home, be it your bedroom, living room or even the bathroom. So, these can be installed without any major change to your house’s design layout. Additionally, the cost of installation is quite less as well.
Safe Heating Option
A gas fireplace has no open flame. It is far more controlled that wood-burning ones. Therefore, there is zero chance for sparks or ashes shooting out. Also, there is no possibility of toxic fumes to be released into the atmosphere, rendering it a safe heating option for your home. If you have children or pets, you do not have to worry about any mishaps that might take place if they aren’t careful around the fireplace.
Enhances the Beauty of the House
Gas fireplaces come in scores of beautiful styles and designs. From real-looking logs to stylish grates, designs of gas fireplace have evolved significantly. You can also opt for a more modern-looking choice with flames dancing on a bed of rocks. You can choose from among numerous designs to pick the one that corresponds with the theme of your house.
Not only do the gas fireplaces look beautiful, but they also add an appeal to the ambiance of your house. You can also decorate the hearth to highlight its beauty.
The fuel for gas fireplaces is supplied by the local gas company. Therefore, you do not have to worry about storing fuel at home in case you run out. Gas fireplaces are highly convenient and offer better and safer heating options than wood-burning ones. All you need to do is choose one that suits your requirements and get it installed by a professional.
Contributed bywww.jamesthesweep.co.uk
You mentioned that you can cut off the central heating of your home and switch to zone heating to keep the area you are in, warm. My wife called me at work this morning because heating our house has become too expensive. Are there certain locations in the home that these would be best to install? Having a professional come and install a gas fireplace might be a good option.
My favorite part of this article was how you pointed out that fireplaces can help improve the overall look of your home. I’ve been interested in getting a fireplace since I think it could go a long ways in helping my home feel a lot cozier. Are there certain styles or colors that you would recommend to be a little more aesthetically pleasing than others?
I think I’ll hire a service to install a gas fireplace in my home. As you’ve mentioned, they require very little maintenance, and since I don’t want to have someone sweep it every two months, maybe that’s the best choice that I can make. After all, it’s time for me to get rid of my furnace and trade it for a fireplace for a more environmentally friendly option, so maybe going traditional with a modern twist is something that I should get.