It can be exciting once you decide to shop around for an electric fireplace and install the new feature in your home. The warmth you’ll enjoy can allow you to feel more comfortable while spending time indoors during the colder months of the year. Before you head to the checkout, it’s important to research how big of an electric fireplace you need.
In this post, you will learn:
- How Big of an Electric Fireplace Do I Need?
- Where Should I Place an Electric Fireplace?
- Choosing the Right Electric Fireplace for Your Needs
- The Top Advantages of Owning an Electric Fireplace
- Comparisons of Gas vs. Electric Fireplaces
- How to Maintain Your New Fireplace
- Styling Your New Fireplace
How Big of an Electric Fireplace Do I Need?
One of the main questions to ask and research once you decide to invest in an electric fireplace is, “How big of an electric fireplace do I need?” The size and dimensions of your new fireplace are essential to consider because they will determine how easy it is to maintain the temperature in the room. Fortunately, there are many sizes of electric fireplaces available on the market to accommodate the needs of different types of customers. You can discover the options available by browsing through a buying guide and getting the dimensions before making your purchase.
Start by measuring the different walls in the room to determine the different places your fireplace can be installed. The fireplace should be an appropriate size without blocking walkways or areas where there’s traffic in the room. Standard electric fireplaces and electric stoves will be designed to fit in rooms with an average of 400 square feet.
If you have a small living room or home office, a corner electric fireplace can be ideal because it has a compact size and is easy to tuck into the corner of the room. Keep the cord hidden behind the feature to prevent children or pets from tampering with it.
The type of electric fireplace you choose to install will influence how warm the space becomes every time you turn the feature on throughout the year. The four main types of fireplaces include:
- Freestanding electric fireplaces
- Corner electric fireplaces
- Electric fireplace TV stands
- Electric fireplace inserts
Freestanding Electric Fireplaces
This type of electric fireplace is a popular option to use because it looks like a real built-in fireplace, but is still portable. The fireplace comes with a surround and fireplace mantel, which adds a decorative look to any type of interior setting. The product also doesn’t require any hardwiring and is easy to hook up by plugging the cord into a standard 120-volt electrical outlet. This is a great option if you have a large wall to work with and need something to become the main focal point in the room. The fireplace is also smaller than a masonry fireplace and doesn’t take up as much floor space, allowing it to fit in smaller apartments or rooms where there are less square feet available.
Corner electric fireplaces
Corner electric fireplaces start working the moment you plug them into the wall. They have space on top of the fireplace to place a television or decor. This option is ideal if you live in a condo or apartment.
Electric Fireplace TV Stands
You can select an electric fireplace TV stand, which is known to be extremely functional and serve more than one purpose. They not only allow you to have storage space for your DVDs, board games, and gaming consoles, but they can also heat your home. The center of the furniture features the greatest electric fireplace insert to ensure you can enjoy viewing the beautiful flame effects while watching television. These units are easy to move around if you want to place the furniture piece in another room in the future.
Many electric fireplaces even come with an entertainment center for those who want something slightly larger than a media console. You can enjoy the attractive look of the fireplace and mount a flat-screen TV above it to enhance the visual appeal and functionality of your living room.
Avoid placing too many furniture or decor items close to the fireplace, which can cause it to look cluttered. It’s important to leave a few feet of empty space surrounding the fireplace to ensure it stands out and to allow the heat to evenly distribute throughout the setting.
Electric Fireplace Inserts
Electric fireplace inserts are a top choice among consumers because they’re lightweight and versatile with an infrared heater to keep you warm. Whether you want to install the insert in the wall or add it to an existing fireplace, there are many spots inserts fit and look appealing. Most inserts don’t require any hardwiring and are easy to set up in minutes. Their slim size prevents them from taking up a lot of space and allows them to sit flush in walls to free up the floor space in the room.
Electric Fireplace Stoves
If you live in a small home, an electric fireplace stove can allow you to enjoy the same benefits of a wood fireplace with a smaller feature that is more compact. The stove can be placed in a kitchen or living room and has a rustic style that looks like an antique.
The BTUs available in each electric fireplace also influence the product you purchase. Larger rooms require more heat to be released and can benefit from electric fireplaces with 9,000 BTUs. Smaller rooms can be heated with a fireplace with 4,600 BTUs. They often emit more heat than standard electric heaters. The supplemental heat can also make it easier to turn down the adjustable thermostat in the building to avoid using your HVAC system as often during the fall and winter months.
Where Should I Place an Electric Fireplace?
There are many places a wall-mount electric fireplace can fit when you’re looking for the best place to show it off in your home or office. It should be in a spot that is easy to view and isn’t blocked by any furniture. Consider placing it close to the television where your guests will get a better view of it and can enjoy the look of the flames.
The wall mounted electric fireplace should be installed a few feet from an electric outlet. Don’t use an extension cord to place it farther away from the outlet, which can cause too much power to surge through the cords and can quickly become a hazard. Dedicated circuits are ideal, but are not required for installing the product in your home and enjoying the safe operation it offers.
Fortunately, you don’t need to worry about where you’ll install vents or gas lines on any of the walls because electric fireplaces don’t produce any smoke. You can place it anywhere in the room and have more flexibility with its placement. The lack of ventilation required also means you can place it farther away from a window because fresh air isn’t needed to keep the flames going.
Choosing the Right Electric Fireplace for Your Needs
After you ask, “How big of an electric fireplace do I need?” There are a few other factors to consider to ensure you purchase the right model. Start by thinking about the type of brands that are available in the industry to ensure you purchase a reliable and quality product. A few top brands include Pureflame, Dimplex, and MagikFlame. Each brand uses a different type of technology to create the flame effects because real fire is never used.
The MagikFlame story is what makes the brand unique. The founder, Howard Birnbaum, couldn’t find an electric fireplace that had realistic flames, so he decided to make his own. Birnbaum invented holographic technology, which uses a screen to display footage of a real fire burning. The technology is now patented and looks realistic for those looking for the best electric fireplace to own.
Dimplex is another brand you can find on Amazon and has had a long history in the industry since 1949. The manufacturer carries a variety of electric fireplaces to use as a reliable heat source. Pureflame is also reputable and offers wall-mounted electric fireplaces, recessed fireplaces, and electric stoves.
Look through different buying guides to discover the different options available and narrow down your options to three choices. The MagikFlame electric fireplace buying guide is available on the company’s website and can allow you to learn about the specs of each product. The website is also a great place to research how MagikFlame is built to ensure you invest in a long-lasting product that is made in the U.S.
Reading online reviews is another way of discovering what products are most favored by consumers. Dimple, Pureflame, and MagikFlame reviews are available on sites like Amazon, which often includes photos. The sites are also a great place to ask other customers, “How big of an electric fireplace do I need?”
The Top Advantages of Owning an Electric Fireplace
Many consumers opt for purchasing an electric fireplace insert instead of building a traditional fireplace because of the many advantages that come with the product. Electric fireplaces are energy-efficient and don’t cost a lot to operate.
An infrared electric fireplace also emits as much heat as other types of fireplaces and can supplement your central heating system. The infrared heat is emitted quickly to ensure you can increase the temperature in the room in a shorter amount of time.
Compared to a wood-burning fireplace, it doesn’t release any pollution into the air outside or releases carbon monoxide, which can put your health and safety at risk. You can still enjoy the cozy ambiance it creates without compromising the indoor air quality in the building.
It’s also easy to operate with a remote control instead of chopping down trees or loading heavy logs into the house. You don’t have to stoke the fire or clean out piles of ashes around the log set every time you have a fire.
You can also customize the look of the fireplace by adjusting the flame color. A fireplace insert can feature yellow, pink, or blue flames, depending on the style and look you want to display. With a traditional wood fireplace, you can only have one color of flame in the firebox.
There are also many features that come with an electric fireplace, making the product more versatile. Many models often include a built-in thermostat that you can adjust to determine how much heat you want to receive.
The variety of styles of electric fireplaces makes them complement different types of designs in living rooms and master bedrooms. If you want a modern look, a recessed fireplace will look sleek and upscale. The ember bed may also include clear or black rocks to create a chic and luxe appearance. Those who want something more traditional can opt for a fireplace with a mantel and an electric log set.
Comparisons of Gas vs. Electric Fireplaces
Gas and electric fireplaces are known to be popular choices because they don’t require cleaning out the firebox or burning wood. Although both options appeal to modern consumers, it’s important to review a few of the differences to determine which one is the most convenient to use.
Electric fireplaces also deliver zone heating, which means you only have to heat the room it’s installed in as the product is operating. You don’t have to spend money heating unused rooms, which can increase the cost of your energy bill. You also have the freedom of adjusting the heat settings on an electric fireplace to prevent the room from becoming too warm.
Homeowners may enjoy the built-in design of a gas fireplace, but this type of product isn’t ideal for renters because it requires venting. Electric fireplaces are portable and can be used in rental properties. You can even take it with you when you relocate to a new home.
Electric fireplaces are also less of a hassle to install compared to gas fireplaces. The lack of a gas line required means you can set it up yourself without hiring a professional technician. The lack of hardwiring needed also doesn’t require hiring a certified electrician. The plug-in design makes it easy to turn on in seconds when you’re ready to use the heating element. The cost is cheaper and allows you to start using it the same day it arrives.
The cost of using an electric fireplace is also less than a gas fireplace, which can save you hundreds of dollars each year to heat your interior setting. Electric fireplaces cost an average of eight cents an hour to use. Gas fireplaces cost up to 40 cents per hour, which can cause your electric bill to spike during the colder seasons. With an electric fireplace, you can leave it running throughout the day without worrying about spending a lot more.
How to Maintain Your New Fireplace
An electric fireplace is easier to maintain because of the lack of real flame used. You only have to clean out the fireplace every few months by wiping down the internal components with a dry or damp cloth to remove dust.
To maintain the heat output, you’ll need to schedule an inspection each year with the help of a professional electrician. The professional will be capable of taking a close look at all the different parts to determine if there are any signs of wear or damage. They’ll also be capable of performing any necessary repairs to ensure the fireplace continues to operate smoothly without any issues.
Changing lightbulbs every few years is another part of the maintenance you can expect to perform on the fireplace to ensure the flames continue to look real. Most of the bulbs will last about two years before they need to be replaced. LED bulbs will also last longer than halogen bulbs and can emit a soft glow in the room. Use gloves to handle the bulbs to prevent the oil from your hand from affecting teh operation and illumination of the lights.
Styling Your New Fireplace
There are many ways to make your new fireplace look attractive and stylish in your home or office. A fireplace mantel will draw more attention to the product and can make it the centerpiece in the room. A mantel is a great place for displaying decorative garland, framed artwork, or a large mirror. During the holidays, you can hang Christmas stockings from the mantel.
Painting the surround will also create a beautiful design and can allow it to look like an accent piece. Consider using matte paint in black or dark blue to add a beautiful accent color to the room. Adding shiplap planks will also look trendy and will add more detail to the fixture.
Consider placing a few items at the bottom of the fireplace, which can allow it to look built-in. A small stool or pouf will not only offer an extra place for your guests to sit but will create an inviting look. Stacks of pillows or blankets in a wicker basket will create a warm environment that is cozy, even when the fireplace isn’t in use.
Selecting the right size of our electric fireplace will ensure you get enough heat distribution in the room and can keep the chill away. It will also prevent the parts from working harder than necessary to heat the interior setting when the temperatures drop.
