Home remodeling and DIY upgrading is always an exhilarating and rewarding way for homeowners to increase the value of their property. It is no small accident that many people are deciding to add an electric fireplace to improve the interior of their homes. Modern electric fireplace technology has advanced at a quick pace. Some of the top fireplaces that you can get right now are so advanced, that you would think you’re enjoying the comfort of a real fire in all of its ambiance.
Choosing an electric fireplace as a focal point of the main room in your house is smart. However, you need to ensure you’re installing the fireplace in a way that is safe, pleasing to the eye, and fits the current home decor style you’re already using.
It’s perfectly normal for a first-time electric fireplace owner to be unclear about a few things involving installation and operation. What room should it go in? How high can it be mounted? How Far Should Placement of Electric Fireplace Near Recessed Wall Be? How do you operate an electrical fireplace? Answers to all of these questions and much more are below.
Reading This Article, You’ll Learn The Following:
- Why Electric Fireplaces Are Superior To Wood and Gas – Long gone are the days of wood burning to keep your family warm. Gas is also proving to be a forgotten trend that didn’t quite pan out. This part of the post is going to lay out exactly why getting an electric fireplace over one of these other types is one of the absolute best moves for your house.
- What Room in the House Is the Best Place To Install an Electric Fireplace? – Electric fireplaces don’t suffer from the same boring limitations that a traditional fireplace has. There is more freedom to locate your fireplace anywhere you wish. Let us walk you through the best spots for your new fireplace.
- How Far Should Placement of Electric Fireplace Near Recessed Wall Be? – If you decide to install the fireplace on your own and choose to wall mount it by a recessed wall, you might be thinking: how far should the placement of the electric fireplace near the recessed wall be? We are here to help.
- What Are The Steps To Mounting An Electric Fireplace? – Are you feeling clueless about how to safely mount your brand-new fireplace to the wall? This part of the post will break down simple, easy-to-follow steps so you can make sure it is mounted correctly the first time.
- How Easy Is an Electric Fireplace To Operate? – Any new technology can seem slightly confusing the first time you attempt to operate it. Luckily, the operation of electric fireplaces is one of the easiest things in the world. This section will show you how to do just that.
- Is It Acceptable To Purchase a Low-Cost Electric Fireplace? – Are you planning to do some hunting for a good bargain and buy the cheapest fireplace you can possibly find? This is not a good idea. We will explain why here.
- Are MagikFlame Electric Fireplaces Really That Great? – People seem to love MagikFlame, but is it really as great as everyone is making it out to be? Read this part if you finally want to find out the truth about MagikFlame electric fireplaces.
Why Electric Fireplaces Are Superior To Wood and Gas
Is there a chance that you’re still on the fence about getting your first electrical fireplace in place of a classic wood or gas one? Let’s convince you once and for all.
For starters, there are a ton of drawbacks to using wood fireplaces:
- House Fire Risk – It is inevitable that soot accumulates on the inside of the flue. When it builds up too much, a rogue ember can easily spark a fire inside the chimney. For homes with wood fireplaces, this is among the most common ways house fires are started. It’s not just the flu that is a risk. A fiery log can also slip right off of the stack and into your home. Certainly, anything combustible near the fireplace is at risk.
- Hassle To Use – You can’t just “turn on” one of these fireplaces and leave it at that. There is so much work that is involved with just using one. Building the fire and lighting it isn’t enough, you also have to move logs from time to time, stoking the flames.
- Regular Maintenance – When you’re not actually using your fireplace, you have to keep it clean. Scooping up ash out of the firebox becomes a regular chore during the winter. Also, remember that dangerous soot we mentioned before that accumulates inside the chimney? You’ll need to have that cleaned out too, multiple times in a given year. This isn’t an easy task if you don’t know what you’re doing and usually requires making an appointment with a professional cleaner.
- Pricy Wood – At first thought, it would be easy to think that burning wood should be a cheap way to heat your property. This is not even close to true. Wood fireplaces are not energy efficient. You will burn an alarmingly large amount of wood to stop the cold winter from overtaking your home. Unless you live in a dense forest with numerous trees at your disposal, all of that wood is going to cost you. Finding adequate storage space for the wood can also be a problem for some people.
- Harmful Fumes – You burn wood. The wood doesn’t burn completely. This produces carbon monoxide. Inhaling too much carbon monoxide causes carbon monoxide poisoning. This can be fatal.
- Smokey Smell – You can have the best chimney in the world, but you will still have to deal with smoke inside of your home every time that you utilize a wood fireplace. It gets deep into both clothes and furniture. Smoke stains on walls aren’t unheard of either.
A wood fireplace is clearly out of the question. You might be thinking that a gas fireplace is the perfect alternative. Gas fireplaces are definitely heading towards the right direction, but they are still far from being ideal. They also have their drawbacks:
- Gas Lines – It’s a pretty big and expensive project to install gas fireplaces. For starters, you are going to need gas lines that run to your fireplace. Nobody is going to want to deal with the trouble of changing propane tanks all of the time, and ethanol is completely out of the question. Gas lines should be hooked up by a professional, and they don’t come cheap.
- Venting – For a lot of gas fireplaces, there needs to be adequate ventilation. Either a new ventilation system needs to be installed for the fireplace, or it needs to be hooked into an existing one if you are converting a wood fireplace your house already has.
- Harmful Fumes – It is fair to assume that gas has a much cleaner burn, resulting in less toxic emissions. Of course, this isn’t always the case. It heavily depends on the quality of your system and other factors. It is still a very real possibility to have to deal with carbon monoxide.
- Weak Flames – Without fail, the flames on gas fireplaces always seem to look weak. They have this straight flow and look more like a Bunsen burner than a roaring fire. Most people want a fireplace that feels authentic, but this isn’t it.
- Off Color – Speaking of feeling authentic, the color on these fireplaces is always off. Burning gas doesn’t have the same color as burning wood. You can get gas that produces an orangish-yellow color when burned, but it is too bright and artificial-looking. If you decide to get a vent-free fireplace, the gas-burn color is a rich, vibrant blue. This is the farthest you can possibly get to a real flame.
- Gassy Smell – Do you ever get that hint of a gas smell from your stove or oven when you are cooking? Now imagine that all day when you are running your fireplace. It isn’t pleasant.
Are you beginning to see the picture here yet? Just to further elaborate, here is everything great about electric fireplaces:
- Energy Efficient – Between wood, gas, and electricity, electric is easily the best choice when it is involving energy efficiency. You will see the savings when looking at your heating bill. If you invest wisely in a good electric fireplace with a powerful heating element, the savings you see will end up surpassing the cost of the fireplace unit.
- Perfect Simulation – While bad, dirt-cheap electric fireplaces have terrible fire simulation abilities, a top-tier fireplace with holographic technology will simulate a flame effect flawlessly. Some of them even include auditory effects so it sounds like a real fireplace.
- Fireplace Conversion – Even if you already have an open hearth-style fireplace in your home, you can easily transform it into a state-of-the-art electric fireplace. To do so, just pick up an infrared electric fireplace insert. They can be installed right inside of it.
- Wall-Mounted Capabilities – Are you interested in having a fireplace that is in the middle of the wall? That’s easy with a wall-mounted electric fireplace. A wall-mounted electric fireplace is especially nice when it is installed with a recessed wall. A wall-mounted recessed electric fireplace takes up less space and looks incredible.
- Easy Self-Installation – Try to install gas or wood fireplaces and you’ll have a huge job on your hands. Try to install an electric fireplace and you’ll be finished in no time at all. As long as you place or mount your fireplace near an electrical outlet, all that’s left is to plug in and turn it on. It’s simple.
- Wide Variety of Styles – Do you want a fireplace that is also an entertainment center? They exist. Do you want a fireplace that fits perfectly into the corner of the room? They are just as easy to install.
- Hassle-Free – Electric fireplaces aren’t messy. There is no daily cleaning, no constant log shifting to keep things warm, and no bi-annual chimney sweeping. These fireplaces just work when you want them to and how you want them to.
- Remote Control – Using a remote control to turn your fireplace on and off is great. Using your touchscreen smartphone with a fireplace app is even better. With both, you can fully control your electric fireplace and all of the features that come with it.
What Room in the House Is the Best Place To Install an Electric Fireplace?
Now that you are fully convinced an electrical fireplace is right for you, what room should you put it in any way? There are essentially three different options:
- Living Room or Family Room – The obvious choice is to hook the fireplace up in one of the main rooms where your family spends its time together in. This is where fireplaces are usually placed, and putting them in a large room will help warm the bulk of the home.
- Electric Fireplace in Dining Room – Because electric fireplaces are so compact, you can easily fit them into the room where you eat your meals. Imagine the fantastic atmosphere as you host a dinner party with some friends.
- Bedrooms – Do you get cold at night? Electric fireplaces can even be installed in bedrooms so you can sleep cozy all night long.
Do you have a big house and many rooms? Consider getting more than one fireplace. Switch that fireplace on only when that room is being occupied. It is an excellent way to warm the home cheaply.
How Far Should Placement of Electric Fireplace Near Recessed Wall Be?
So, you got your wall mount fireplace, but you still need to know: How far should the placement of the electric fireplace near the recessed wall be? The unit you have and the wall itself both have a say in how far it should go.
If the wall-mount electric fireplace is thicker, it might not fit completely, in which case you would only install it partially. If the wall-mount electric fireplace is thinner, you can install it so it sits flush.
You need to also make sure the blower that pushes out warm air isn’t covered by the wall. Since most blowers are located at the front of the unit, this will be fine in most cases.
What Are The Steps To Mounting An Electric Fireplace?
Wall mounting can be accomplished in three easy steps:
- Secure Mounting Brackets – Install the brackets securely using the proper screws. Make sure the bracket is level.
- Attach Fireplace – Hook the fireplace onto the brackets. Often, you’ll have hooks near the top and the bottom of the unit will sit on a bracket ledge.
- Install Glass – If your unit comes with a glass front, install this last after the fireplace is already locked securely to the wall.
How Easy Is an Electric Fireplace To Operate?
Electric fireplace operation is simple. Your electric fireplace likely came with a remote or an application for your smartphone. With this controller, you can power the unit on or off. You can adjust the temperature to your preferences. You can flip through the many flame options if your unit offers that. Options will be varied. Look up your owner’s manual for the exact options your model provides.
Is It Acceptable To Purchase a Low-Cost Electric Fireplace?
This is always a bad idea.
A generic, cheap fireplace that you got for a super cheap price is going to be an aesthetic nightmare and it probably won’t even work that well. Generic fireplaces have the worst effects, usually just a flame-colored LED light flashing onto a spinning mechanical device. It won’t fool anyone into believing it is the real thing.
You are much better off spending a bit more and going with a good brand. Electric fireplace brands aren’t all made equally. Some decent ones are Touchstone, Amantii, Dimplex, and a few more.
However, you’re a person with great taste and you are looking to invest in the best fireplace you can find, right? If that sounds like you, MagikFlame is definitely what you are looking for.
