Types of electric fireplaces
Depending on their purpose, there are different types of fireplaces. Before you start choosing, you should decide whether you are buying a fireplace for the overall design and comfort of the room, or whether there should be a function for heating the room. Therefore, they are conventionally divided into two types: closed and open.
Closed type fireplaces
It is intended for heating the premises of the house. The main advantages will be:
- First of all, this is safety. The combustion process itself will take place in a closed chamber, and there is no fear that any spark will fall on the floor or nearby objects.
- This type of fireplace will be more effective in heating rooms, because they emit much more heat than others. This factor will be especially important for those houses in the construction of which no insulating materials were used.
- Economical in terms of combustion, because in closed fireplaces the air supply can be done manually.
- Functionality. In addition to controlling the air supply, basically all versions of fireplaces have a built-in transparent door (similar to an oven), through which you can observe the fire.
The disadvantages, or even more nuances, will be:
- Constantly clean the door, because after almost every heating it will become dirty.
- The air in the room will be fairly dry.
- Compared to open types of fireplaces, you cannot fully enjoy the process of contemplating the fire.
Open type
On the one hand, in terms of visual observation of the fire and discoveries, the fireplace option will, of course, be much more interesting than the previous one. The same cannot be said about fire safety.
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Less economical in terms of wood consumption for the firebox, because there will be no possibility of controlling the air supply.
Principle of operation
An electric fireplace is installed in an apartment not only to decorate the interior, but also for heating. Heating is carried out according to the principle of infrared emitter or thermal convection. In the first case, heat spreads in the long-wave range, heating objects, and in the second, the air is heated. Infrared heating is considered preferable because it does not dry out the air.
Modern electric fireplaces for apartments can imitate classic wood-burning fireplaces in shape, that is, they can be equipped with false firewood made of polymer material. This design is very similar to a real fireplace, but unlike the latter, it does not spread smoke and soot.
An imitation of a live flame is created using video screens and LED lighting. It is advisable to choose a place for the electric fireplace in the living room so that direct light does not fall on the screen, then the imitation of the flame will look more realistic.
In the warm season, the heating function can be turned off, then electric fireplaces for the apartment will perform an exclusively decorative function
Types of electric fireplaces
It is worth noting that this type of device will consume a significant amount of electricity for heating. But if the choice has firmly fallen on electric-type products, then before you go shopping, evaluate the types of electric fireplaces in the photo.
Maybe you will be able to find a product that will fit perfectly into the interior of your home. All types of fireplaces are divided into 4 groups; they were formed in accordance with their locations.
Electric fireplaces in stylized living rooms
Classic living room design requires adherence to style when choosing interior items. Baroque, Rococo, Victorian, Renaissance are distinguished by relief stucco with gilding and complex floral patterns. Twisted pilasters, carved porticoes and crowns made of polyurethane molding stylized as plaster, marble or wood are used as false panels for a built-in or recessed electric fireplace. Its shape should correspond to the classical canons - a rectangular portal with an open firebox (photo).
The rustic, Provence, and country style in the design of the living room will be emphasized by a small or medium-sized fireplace with a D-shaped portal. The main goal of this direction is to create a comfortable environment combined with functional naturalness. A wall, corner or recessed hearth is decorated with untreated wood, sandstone, and shell rock. To facilitate the work, false panels that imitate natural materials are used.
In the Russian version of the country style, a corner or recessed fireplace is decorated with smooth painted tiles.
The practicality of urban high-tech, modern, and techno styles influenced the design and functionality of electric fireplaces. A minimum of decor and restraint of colors in the strict lines of the portal. Metal, glass and plastic in design. Ultra-thin body with false firebox for wall-hung and built-in models. High technology in simulating a burning flame and controlling the heating mode.
Bionics is a relatively new design direction characterized by the absence of corners and straight lines in the interior of living rooms. The natural style is characterized by smooth curves of natural materials in the design of partitions, openings, and furniture, which copy objects of living nature. A tree trunk protruding from the wall, a frozen stone stream, a transparent drop hanging in space - the natural frame of a hearth in the bionic style (photo).
When choosing a fireplace for a specific interior, you should take into account the shape, size and style of the surrounding furniture.
The color of the portal and decorative frame should contrast with the decoration of the walls and be combined with the decorative elements of the living room.
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Advantages of electric fireplaces
- The first and often most important thing is the price-quality ratio. They are relatively inexpensive, especially when compared with the usual installation and operation of original fireplaces. They operate electrically and do not require additional costs in terms of constant supply of wood and cleaning of the fireplace.
- In comparison, it gives a fairly realistic picture of a blazing fire, which calms, inspires thoughts and simply relaxes after a hard day. Additionally, a feeling of coziness and comfort is created in the house.
- Environmentally friendly to operate, do not require constant cleaning from soot and soot.
- An electric fireplace does not require special care, is easy to use and functional in everyday life.
- During installation, a lot of effort and time will not be spent. The main thing is to know where you would like to place it.
- You can rest assured about fire safety in your home, because there will be no risk that an open fire will enter the room.
- Excellent transportability of the object, it is usually not very large in size, and most importantly it is lightweight and can be freely moved to any other place.
- There is a function to enable economy mode. This means that the first option is to heat the room, the second is to simply contemplate the flame, while saving on electricity.
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Speaking of shortcomings - yes, we can say that there are none! The only thing that will distinguish it from a real fireplace is the absence of wood crackling and smoke during combustion. This will not hurt anyone, perhaps even on the contrary - it will make them happy, because there will be no smell in the house and on things.
