How Fireplace Logs Add to A Room’s Aesthetic

If you have a new home and you are consulting with an architect or even working directly with a home builder, you’ve probably already talked about some of your fireplace options. You might even be just doing a bit of a remodel to your living room and you are looking at some new home decor and interior design options.

Whether you are interested in a wood-burning fireplace, a natural gas or propane direct vented or vent-free fireplace, or an electric fireplace that simulates the burning of real wood, there is no doubt that capturing the ambiance of a beautiful fireplace experience is one of the main things that make having a fireplace as a focal point so great. This is done with the help of logs for your fireplace. There are several different types of logs depending on the type of fireplace you have or will be getting. On top of this, there are a lot of options for you to consider for every single type of fireplace along the way.

In the article that follows, we are going to answer any questions that you might have about logs for your modern electric fireplace so that you can get one that helps elevate the atmosphere of your home.

Here Are All of The Questions That You Will Have Answered Within The Post That Follows:

• What Are The Different Types of Fire Logs? – In this initial part of the article, we will break down the three main types of logs and will further break down some of the subtypes so that you have a complete understanding of all that it is available.
  
• How Do Fireplace Logs Add To a Room’s Aesthetic? – In this part, we will discuss why logs are a great way to add a wonderful aesthetic quality to any room and how it contributes to a warm and inviting atmosphere.
  
• Should I Stop Using Wood Fireplaces In My Home? – While the nostalgia of burning some wood in a fireplace is always inviting, there are a ton of downsides that you should be aware of. In this section, we will talk about these issues and see why so many people have switched to cleaner and safer alternatives.
  
• Should I Get Electric Fireplace Logs or a Gas Log Set? – Logs that use natural gas or liquid propane flames within a gas fireplace have some advantages. However, there are also some distinct disadvantages that come with a gas burner system. In this section, we will highlight the issues with logs for gas fireplaces so that you can be aware of their issues before you buy.
  
• What Are Some Different Brands of Fireplace Logs Worth Checking Out? – No matter what type of logs you choose to get, it is important that you buy a brand that is trusted instead of going with a generic brand. We will cover brands like Pleasant Hearth, Duraflame, Pine Mountain, and more.
  
• Why Are Full-Size Electric Fireplaces a Better Choice Than a Small Fireplace Log? – If you are thinking that a full-size small electric fireplace might be right for you, this section will tell you exactly why you might be right. Here we will list all of the benefits that you can expect using a full-size fireplace over small log set units.
  
• Which Electric Fireplace With Realistic Looking Wood Logs Inside Also Has The Most Realistic Flame Effects? – If you have decided to get an electric fireplace but you want the most realistic fireplace that is available on the market, look no further. This section will talk about the most realistic fireplace and everything that comes with it.

What Are The Different Types of Fire Logs?

For the purposes of this article, when we are talking about logs in a fireplace, we aren’t just talking about stacking some wood into an open hearth fireplace and lighting a match. We are talking about specialty logs that come in a variety of forms and are made to enhance the fireplace experience. This isn’t even necessarily for wood fireplaces either. Here are the main types of logs we will talk about in this article:

• Logs For a Wood Fire – These are mainly fire-starting logs like Duraflame logs Or Pine Mountain fire pit logs. While these logs burn well in a fire pit, even when they are burned in a standard fireplace, they burn quite a bit cleaner than standard wood. You will experience less soot buildup than normal on the damper and flue. Of course, pricing will be a bit higher than just using regular wood.
  
• Gas Fireplace Insert Logs – These logs are essentially inserted in gas fireplaces to look more realistic. There are direct-vented and vent-free types. The vent-free fireplaces are ones that use a gas that doesn’t require venting because it gets a more complete burn to it. A gas fireplace log set can come in propane or natural gas. It is common for natural gas logs to have a dual-burner set up so that there is more depth to the fire instead of one uniform stream. Whether it is a vented gas log set with a dual-burner or a vent-free gas log with a single burner, they are usually made with ceramic logs. Also, a propane gas log or ventless logs will often be controlled by a millivolt system.
  
• Electric Fireplace Insert Logs – These are electric fireplaces that can either be a simple electric fireplace insert to convert your existing open-hearth fireplace into an electric one or a full-on standalone fireplace with a mantel all of its own. They have physical logs that sit inside of the firebox to make them more realistic. Some have poor fire effects, while others have completely realistic 3D flames that flicker around like a real fire.

How Do Fireplace Logs Add To a Room’s Aesthetic?

Electric Fireplace Logs have quite a few benefits when it comes to making a room aesthetically pleasing. If you’re talking about logs that burn in a traditional fireplace, the main benefit of them is that they burn cleaner and produce a lot less soot to build up in your home. Unfortunately, that soot that builds up starts to look really bad in the back of your fireplace, and it is even worse if it starts to build up on the wall above your fireplace.

For gas fireplaces, the logs help hide the burners so things look much more natural and less synthetic. Also, because the fire usually just comes out of a burner as a boring stream, a log set can help break up that stream and make it flicker a little bit like a more traditional fireplace.

For an electric fireplace, having logs makes things look much more realistic. This is especially true if you have holographic flames that are 3D projected onto the logs that are inside of the fireplace. If you have an electric fireplace with flames and no logs, it makes it look very fake and completely ruins the illusion.

Should I Stop Using Wood Fireplaces In My Home?

While specialty fire starter logs are a great way to curb some of the issues with wood fireplaces, eventually, you will put wood logs on the fire. Regardless, there are several reasons that you might want to shy away from using your existing wood fireplaces, and instead use some kind of insert device to convert it into an electric fireplace. Here are the common issues you will face:

• One of the main issues that you have to worry about with wood fireplaces is fire safety. It is bad enough that you have to keep your eye on an exposed flame at all times. The soot that builds up inside of your chimney can also be very flammable. If it builds up too much, the normal use of your fireplace can cause a massive fire inside of the chimney. This will spread to the rest of your house as well.
  
• Another thing that you have to think about when it comes to using wood fireplaces is that they put out both smoke and carbon monoxide. While the ventilation helps get rid of a lot of this, there is still a certain amount that always gets into your home. Breathing in too much of either of these emissions can be dangerous to your health and even fatal.
  
• There is entirely too much work that goes into using wood fireplaces. It is a hassle to build a fire, maintain a fire, and maintain your fireplace when it is not in use. It becomes a second job whenever you want to use your fireplace.
  
• Although the chimney is great at getting rid of those harmful emissions, it is terrible at retaining heat. A lot of the heat from burning wood escapes through the chimney, which makes burning wood incredibly heat inefficient.
  
• The smoke that gets into your home doesn’t just linger in the air. It also gets deep into your furniture, your carpet, your curtains, and even the clothes you are wearing and your hair. While you might get used to the smell, it is very noticeable to anyone who visits your home, or anyone you come in contact with after you step out of your home.
  
• The smells aren’t all that the smoke causes. The smoke also stains your walls and yellows them over the years, requiring more frequent cleaning and painting. On top of this, soot can actually build up on the wall just above your fireplace, looking extremely unsightly.
  
• If you have a TV mounted above your fireplace, you can be sure that it will be damaged by the smoke and rising heat. Most TV owners’ manuals will tell you that while it is safe to put a TV above an electric fireplace, you should never mount them above a real one. This also means that smoke and heat damage aren’t usually covered by your TV’s warranty.
  
• Because these fireplaces require so much wood to be burned, you have to have a lot of storage space for all of that wood, or you have to have very frequent deliveries of wood to your home.
  
• Expensive To Build – If you don’t currently have a wood fireplace in your home, there is a good chance that you can’t build new ones onto an existing home in your region due to safety regulations. If you can build one, it is a major construction job and will involve a lot of time, money, and energy to go into it.

Should I Get Electric Fireplace Logs or a Gas Log Set?

Clearly, logs for gas and electric fireplaces are a much better option for you to go with over one that burns wood. However, logs for gas fireplaces still have their issues. Here is what you can expect with gas fireplaces:

• Although you don’t have to worry about flammable soot building up so much, you do still have to worry about an exposed flame potentially causing a house fire.
  
• Gas fireplaces burn cleaner than wood and don’t produce smoke. However, they still produce carbon monoxide so the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning is still present.
  
• The flames of gas fireplaces tend to have an ugly color. The naturally colored ones look too light and dull. Gas fireplaces that don’t need ventilation to suffer from a flame color that is usually neon blue and looks incredibly artificial. Nobody will believe it is a real fireplace.
  
• The burners on gas fireplaces are basically no different than a simple Bunsen burner and unfortunately, it shows. The flames are usually pretty weak and boring, and the logs don’t always help enough to create a feeling of flickering a movement.
  
• Gas fireplaces and their logs are usually a pretty expensive installation and it is common for you to need a professional to help you out with the process.

What Are Some Different Brands of Fireplace Logs Worth Checking Out?

It’s best to avoid generic brands, no matter what type of logs you are looking to get, as generic brands don’t last long and will have many more issues than they are worth. On the other hand, there are some decent brands you can look at if you are thinking about getting any of the different log types.

When it comes to gas logs, there are plenty to choose from. You can get Pleasant Hearth, Duluth Forge, Real Fyre, and more.

If you want a good log to burn in your traditional fireplace, you can’t go wrong with Duraflame or Pine Mountain.

If you want logs for an electric fireplace, it will greatly depend on the specific brand of fireplace you go with. The logs and fire effects vary quite a lot with brands. You want to get a fireplace with realistic logs, and 3D holographic flames projected onto them. This will ensure you have an electric fireplace that actually looks like the real thing.

Why Are Full-Size Electric Fireplaces a Better Choice Than a Small Fireplace Log?

If you are going the electric route, you will always be better off going with a full-size electric fireplace than those small electric log sets. This is because a full-size fireplace has a more powerful heater, much better fire effects, and generally just looks a lot better. Those small standalone log sets look quite tacky. If you are putting it in an existing traditional fireplace to convert it, use a full-size insert, not a small log with poor fire effects and a weak heater.

Which Electric Fireplace With Realistic Looking Wood Logs Inside Also Has The Most Realistic Flame Effects?

MagikFlame electric fireplaces are incredibly realistic, have a timeless look that will be aesthetically pleasing for decades to come, and are built to last. Here is what you can expect with every single MagikFlame product:

• Realistic Holographic 3D Flames – Ultra-Realistic flames are holographically 3D projected onto a log set that sits inside of the firebox of MagikFlame fireplaces. The flames move and flicker around to simulate what a real fireplace would look like. There are 30 different flames you can switch between that all have their own intensity, mood, and atmosphere.
  
• Crackling Log Sounds – MagikFlame is about more than just visuals. To complement the incredible visuals, you get the sounds of crackling log sounds to immerse you even further. On top of the crackling logs, you can also play nature sounds that add even more relaxation.
  
• 5,200 BTU Infrared Heater – The 5,200 BTU infrared quartz electric fireplace insert inside every MagikFlame fireplace pushes enough heat out of the blower to easily warm 1,000 square feet in your home. This is enough for most apartments, condos, and small to medium houses. If you have an extra large home with many different rooms, you can get a second MagikFlame fireplace and set up zone heating to save a lot more on your heating bills.
  
• Smartphone App – Instead of traditional remote control, MagikFlame has an intuitive and easy-to-use application that can be installed on your smartphone or tablet. This will allow you to easily turn your fireplace on or off from anywhere in your home, set the thermostat, and change both the visual and audio effects.