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Do Electric Fireplaces Need to Be Cleaned?

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Do electric fireplaces need to be cleaned? Yes, you will need to clean your electric fireplace. The good news is that you will have to clean it less often, and the cleaning is easier than with gas or wood fireplaces. Most of the cleaning is wiping down the visible parts of the fireplace when they accumulate dust.

Occasional cleaning is a necessity, but it does not need to be a chore. Any heat-producing device needs occasional cleaning, from our MagikFlame modern electric fireplaces with a mantel to the little space heater. Wood-burning fireplaces are notoriously dirty and require more frequent and involved cleaning regimens. Gas is much easier, but it still has combustion and vents that make it a little more difficult to clean than an electric fireplace.

In this article you will learn:

  • How to clean a fireplace
  • About cleaning a wood fireplace
  • About cleaning a gas fireplace
  • About cleaning an electric fireplace
  • Other benefits of an electric fireplace
  • More about MagikFlame
  • FAQs

How do I clean a fireplace?

An electric fireplace is easy to clean. Because there is no burn in the heating element, there is no buildup of residue that is difficult to clean. Instead, you dust the fireplace with a dry cloth or duster, check the electronic components, clean the glass, and use a damp cloth with warm water to wipe down the firebox. This low maintenance is a hallmark of electric fireplaces.

Remember – the first step is always to turn off the fireplace (and the gas to it, if it is a gas fireplace). Turn it off first, then clean. Be safe. You may want to put a mask on, particularly if cleaning a wood-burning fireplace.

Do Electric Fireplaces Need to Be Cleaned

Wood-burning fireplace cleaning

A wood-burning fireplace requires regular cleaning and maintenance. Most of it is easy, but it takes some elbow grease. The most frequent task you will need to complete is shoveling out the ash and debris that piles up at the bottom of the fireplace. Sweep around the fireplace and dust off the external parts and clean any glass. Finally, check the batteries in your carbon monoxide (CO) detector.

For a more in-depth clean, first, you will need to sweep out and remove any debris from the fireplace itself. Cleaning soot, creosote, and other materials out of a traditional fireplace involves using potentially abrasive cleaners and some elbow grease to clean the inside walls. Your fireplace is likely black – far away from its original color. Give it a good scrub until at least most of the black disappears. Following that, you will need to clean the andirons and tools, the brick around the fireplace, and the glass doors. This is quite a hassle and can take up to two hours.

To fully clean a traditional fireplace, homeowners will occasionally have to call in the big guns – a chimney sweep. A chimney sweep will inspect and clean your chimney once a year. They clean out soot, creosote, and any other blockages that can happen. Creosote not only blocks the chimney but also is flammable. If not cleaned enough, your chimney could burst into flames. The sweep will also remove any raccoons, birds, or other small creatures who thought your chimney was a good place to nest. The flue needs cleaned and inspected to make sure it works correctly.

Gas fireplace cleaning

Gas fireplaces can get dirty over time, not just from the dust in the air, but also from residue put out by the burning of gas. This residue can form on the front glass or other glass panels and make the fireplace less visible. Buildup on the fireplace can turn the panels white or cloudy. However, the actual amount of cleaning time varies greatly by model purchased.

For a gas fireplace, you have two types of cleaning: a regular clean and a deep clean. In a regular clean, you first need to vacuum around the fireplace and its vents. In cleaning the venting, it can be good to use the brush attachment on your vacuum. Then, using a lint-free cloth, dust the logs and other visible dusty parts. Clean all glass with a glass cleaner. Wash any tools with dish soap and water. If the outside glass panel gets water spots, buff them away with a soft cloth. Make sure any cleaning fabrics you use are lint-free cloths.

Occasionally, you will need to do a deep clean. This involves dismantling the fireplace and cleaning each part separately. You will also need to clean all surfaces of the firebox. While most dust and lint will burn off, you want to make certain none is building up in any areas that could lead to a fire. You will periodically need to call a specialist in to inspect the vents and chimney.

When you clean the fireplace is a good time to check the gas lines that you can see. Make sure your CO detector has good batteries because CO can be a problem with gas fireplaces. Finally, check around the fireplace itself for any fire hazards, like stacks of paper or stuffed animals.

Fireplaces Need to Be Cleaned

Do electric fireplaces need to be cleaned?

Electric fireplaces are the easiest to clean of all. Suck up any dust with a vacuum-cleaner attachment first. Follow that with a soft, dry cloth to get any dust the vacuum cleaner cannot reach. Clean the glass with a soft cloth and glass cleaner. Finally, dampen a cloth with warm water and use it to wipe down the firebox.

You do not need to do this full cleaning that frequently, only when you see visible dust on the fireplace. Units with an infrared quartz heater have no risk of combustion. They cast direct heat on objects in the room through infrared light. Thus, there is no combustion. Still, you want to clean it to make it look nice.

Once a year, you want to inspect your fireplace. Unplug the fireplace. Look over the exposed electrical components to be certain there is no lingering dust. Check the inlet and outlet from the heater for dust. Check the light bulbs, but as energy-efficient LED bulbs, they will last an average of 10 years. Also clean the heater itself with a vacuum cleaner attachment or a soft, dry cloth. That’s it. Even the deep cleaning is simple and can be done in a few minutes.

Electric fireplaces are a top choice for ease of cleaning and maintenance. Mostly, just treat them as you would any other art or piece of furniture in your living room or bedroom. The most complex task you need to take on is changing lightbulbs.

Other benefits of an electric fireplace

Safety

MagikFlame fireplaces offer much more than simply easy cleaning. They are a safe and economical way to heat a large room. They are safe enough to use in a bedroom. With no combustion happening, they are safe around children and pets as long as you keep them out of the fireplace itself. You can wall mount a fireplace halfway up the wall. You can even use the fireplace as the center of an entertainment system with a television mounted directly above it. The heat flows out of the fireplace, it does not stay inside.

Models to choose from

You can get models from an electric fireplace insert to ones with American-built mantels around them. They can be wall-mounted, part of an entertainment center, or built into a corner. MagikFlame is the best electric fireplace around. Although fireplaces by Dimplex and other manufacturers can be quite good as well. Our virtual gallery can give you ideas about how to use one of our fireplaces in your home.

Flickering flames

The most visible difference between our fireplaces and the fireplaces of our competitors is our flame which is nearly identical to real flames. We have a holographic technology that is literally straight from the motion picture industry, that creates a beautiful flickering flame over the real log that sits in the fireplace. The hologram sits over a movie of a real fire, bringing fire, a log, and a fireplace together in a virtual 3-dimensional experience. In fact, there are 30 different flames you can choose from, all made from LED light bulbs to save energy. The flickering flames create an ambiance about the room, seeming cozier and homier.

Clean and sustainable

Not only is the electric fireplace easy to clean, but it is also clean for the environment. Electricity is a cleaner power than either a wood stove or a gas stove. At your home, your fireplace has close to zero emissions. Generators can make electricity from clean sources, the sun, the wind, and the water. Even the power supply from an electric power plant is more efficient than the small gas units you burn at home. Wood might be renewable, but it burns incredibly dirty and releases carbon dioxide.

Powerful heat

MagikFlame’s fireplaces come with a built-in 5,200 BTU heater. The energy-efficient infrared quartz heater can warm a 1000-square-foot room. Plus, it heats you immediately. As soon as the infrared light from the heater hits your skin, the radiant heat will warm you. It warms all objects that it hits.

Smart thermostats and zone heating

The fireplace has its own thermostat that can be wired into your smart thermostat system. This can enable zone heating to save money on electricity. It can keep your living room toasty at 1 pm only heating your bedrooms to 65 degrees F. With our remote control, you can tailor the fire to your comfort and choose from one of the 30 flame options.

Zone heating is where you segment off your house into different temperature zones. You may want your living room toasty warm during the day, but there is no need to heat unused storage rooms much at all. An electric fireplace can provide all the heat needed for some rooms, and your thermostat will be able to tell if any additional heat is needed.

Easy installation

MagikFlame electric fireplaces are incredibly easy to install. You place the electric fireplace insert into the existing fireplace. Or select a mantel design that sits on an empty wall. A wall mount is not more difficult to install than an insert. Then plug your new fireplace into an electrical outlet. The homeowner can have it hard-wired into your home’s electricity, but that is not needed.

Do Electric Fireplaces Need to Be Cleaned 2021

More about MagikFlame

Look around the website to learn more about us and our highest-quality fireplaces. See a video of our famous flame that looks like real fire. Go to the MagikFlame electric fireplace basic guide to learn about our fireplaces and electric fireplaces generally.

Read the MagikFlame Story of how our founder moved from making special effects in the Matrix and other movies to creating a special effects flame for your house. Check out How MagikFlame is built to see how American artisans build MagikFlame units and mantels. Look over our MagikFlame reviews. Finally, our payment plans and financing section can put a MagikFlame easily in your reach.

Keep your fireplace clean. If it is a MagikFlame, that will be easy. Do electric fireplaces need to be cleaned? Yes, but that cleaning is quick and easy. So kick back and enjoy the warmth, the twinkling flames, and the crackle and scent of fire. All without the hassles of owning a traditional large electric fireplace.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I use cleaning fluids on my electric fireplace?

We do not recommend it as a dry or damp cloth is enough to get the cleaning done. Still, if you have spilled wine all over the fireplace and left it there, a cleaning fluid may be necessary.

Why don’t you talk about cleaning the chimney or vent?

You do not need a chimney or vent for a MagikFlame. There is nothing burning, so there is no smoke, chemicals, or particulates to go up a chimney. The only thing your house needs is a regular electrical outlet.

What if these directions don’t match the directions from my fireplace’s maker?

Each fireplace is a little bit different. Go with your manufacturer’s directions if there is a conflict. MagikFlame fireplaces are this easy to clean.

What is the worst thing that can happen if I do not clean my electric fireplace?

Your family and friends will make fun of you for having a dusty fireplace. After years, an intake or output from the fireplace may get clogged and the fireplace may stop working.

How often should I check my carbon monoxide detector batteries with an electric fireplace?

You do not need to measure CO on behalf of your electric fireplace. There is no combustion and, thus, no creation of CO. Still, most houses should have a carbon monoxide detector anyway. It is recommended to check the batteries a minimum of twice a year when the times change in the spring and fall.

Do MagikFlame fireplaces only have 30 hyper-realistic flames? I’m bored of those.

No problem, you can turn on our fish tank viewer instead. Many of our clients prefer that in the summertime.

How do you make the scent of a fire?

We use oils from pine in a spritzer on the fireplace, every so often it lets out a puff of scent. It’s enough to be smelled around the fireplace, but not enough to overwhelm the room.

Your founder worked in the movies? Any I have seen?

Probably. Mr. Birnbaum worked on The Matrix, Starship Troopers, and Harry Potter, among others, doing holographic effects.

Where can I buy a MagikFlame fireplace?

MagikFlame is not sold in stores. We keep our operation small to keep quality up. You can buy electric fireplaces by contacting us on this website, or we have a sales channel on Amazon.

I want to know more. Where do I go?

Check out our information center and blog. We offer answers to questions from “How do I build a mantel myself” to “How energy efficient are different fireplaces?”

What if I really want to clean the fireplace? It makes me feel like Cinderella

You certainly can clean the fireplace more often, you just don’t need to. May we recommend a new hobby, perhaps a spinning wheel or an apple.

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