If you want chestnuts roasting on an open fire this winter season, but don't have a fireplace to do the cooking, there are plenty of alternatives out there. So when Jack Frost starts nipping at your nose, you can get warm next to your virtual fireplace which simulates the sounds of a crackling flames. Isn't technology grand?
Many people are unaware that a wood-burning fire is mostly decorative, and its heating properties are essentially worthless. It can keep you warm if you stay close, but otherwise, it's mainly an energy drain that steals fuel from the air inside a house and sends it up a chimney out of the house. In fact, the Department of Energy (DOE) calls fireplaces “energy losers.” Wood-burning fireplace alternatives are more energy efficient and, therefore, more eco-friendly. Also, there are several different types of fireplace alternatives, all with their pros and cons.
Electric Fireplace
Electric fireplaces are environmentally friendly, especially when LED lights are used. All you need is a 120-volt outlet and you can have a fire with the push of a button. These units offer options like, sound and visual effects that simulates the sight and sound of a blaze. Some have thermostats so you can regulate the temperature, even turn off the heat completely yet keep the "fire", so these can be used year-round. While electric is a great alternative to burning wood, it can't simulate other qualities like the smokey smell. Also, these fireplaces can not be used if there is an electrical outage, unlike a real fire which can keep you warm in the event of an emergency.
Gas Fireplace
Gas fireplaces do a good job of simulating a wood burning fire. There are fake logs, but real flames that surround the faux wood. Most of these units have a thermostat to control temperature. Electricity is not needed for operation so they can be a convenient source of heat during a power outage. However, gas fireplaces require a decent amount of infrastructure. Pipes need to be laid unless you get a unit that can be fueled with propane. Also, a venting system needs to be installed, making gas fireplaces less portable than other alternatives.
Alcohol Gel Fireplace
Ethanol fireplaces are extremely portable because they are self-contained, fueled by alcohol gel that can be carried with the unit. These fireplaces also create a lot of warmth and can heat an entire room. There is no need to vent and no expensive installation. Ethanol fireplaces create real fire, so you get the crackling and burning, but without the smoke. Also, these can be placed inside of structural fireplaces, if you want the fire without having to worry about chopping wood. The major drawback of ethanol is that these units are expensive to the point of being prohibitive for many people. Also, these fireplaces are fueled by alcohol that must be bought and and replaced. Most units will only burn for 2 to 3 hours before needing a refill.
Image: Boston Magazine
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Comments (8)
Those are great alternatives, but really nothing beats a wood burning fireplace. How I would love to have one.
Wait a sec...are you saying that round ultra modern fireplace in the first pic is NOT a real fireplace???! Coulda fooled me. I like the feng shui of it.
I too like the warmth of a wood burning fireplace, but hate the mess of all of the ashes and soot that comes with it. We have a gas fireplace that hardly ever is used - I see our energy bill skyrocket whenever it is turned on.
The ambiance is nice however. I find myself attracted to colored glass beds instead of faux wood that is often used.
"wood-burning fire is mostly decorative, and its heating properties are essentially worthless"
Well houses had been heated for millennia with wood-fire and pizzas are still baked in a stone wood-burning oven. Well, at least in its homeland.
Maybe are the fireplaces and houses that are not anymore built as they were.
Fireplace construction has a lot to do with efficiency; most modern fireplaces in today's houses are put there for show. If you're building a new house or replacing an existing fireplace there are fireplace inserts that help return the heated air back into the room. There are also some heat efficient free standing fireplaces available.
In the past wood burning stoves were the norm with a large cast iron or ceramic surface retaining and then radiating the heat. The body of the stove stood in the middle of the room, not at an exterior wall like most fireplaces.
The traditional wood-burning fireplace is entirely decorative as most of the heated air goes right through the chimney. And when you think about the fact that you must open a window (slightly) and the fireplace entrains that cooler (if not cold) air, then... there it goes.
I recently purchased an EcoSmart Fireplace and its great. The fuel is not inexpensive but its really nice.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/liquidstereo/5220479167
The one thing I miss is the sound of the crackling wood. Maybe I'll make a CD :)
The traditional wood-burning fireplace is entirely decorative as most of the heated air goes right through the chimney. And when you think about the fact that you must open a window (slightly) and the fireplace entrains that cooler (if not cold) air, then... there it goes.
I recently purchased an EcoSmart Fireplace and its great. The fuel is not inexpensive but its really nice.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/liquidstereo/5220479167
The one thing I miss is the sound of the crackling wood. Maybe I'll make a CD :)
We love our gas fireplace and it actually saves us money; when we're spending time in the living room, we turn the heat down and use the fireplace to heat just the area where we are, rather than the whole house.
My parents' house has a pellet stove and that really cuts down on their heating costs. I think you can see the fire (they haven't used it for a while, so I'm not 100% sure), and the inexpensive pellets put out a lot of heat.