Having a fireplace in your home improves the ambience, not to mention the warmth, of your home. If you are planning to make some improvements on your fireplace insert, or if you are planning to have one in your home, you have a variety of hearth that you can choose from that can increase the aesthetic value of your fireplace. Depending on your energy needs, design, budget, and features and style of your home, here are the hearth options you can choose.
- Masonry Fireplaces. Masonry fireplaces have come a long way from adding ambience to homes to heating the entire house. Contemporary masonry fireplaces models are more energy efficient compared to old styles and models. One masonry fireplace can heat the entirety of a small home. The cost of this fireplace may depend on the material, hearth, chimney liners and caps, and other factors.
- Gas Fireplaces. Gas fireplaces give a natural firewood burning experience. It is convenient, and it only takes one click of a button for your fireplace to start emitting heat. you can also adjust the heat with your remote control. The remote controls are equipped with child-safety locks to avoid any accidents. For this type of fireplace, you can have a direct vent model, vent-free model, or top vent model in your home. A direct vent model would require two vent pipes for exhaust and combustion. A top vent model can be installed in existing fireplaces. It works like the traditional firewood fireplace. Your home will provide the air needed to start a fire, and the chimney will be the passage for the gas exhaust. On the one hand, the vent-free gas fireplace does not require exhaust vent. This type is equipped with oxygen-depletion sensor, which will turn off the gas if there is a lack of oxygen supply in the house. Manufacturers claim that this type is more efficient compared to the two mentioned types, but there are states, which does not allow vent-free gas fireplaces. Make sure that you are allowed to install one.
- Prefabricated Fireplaces. This type of fireplace can be installed within a wall framing. This is lighter in weight compared to masonry fireplaces, and it is easier and faster to install. It is also more energy efficient compared to standard masonry designs. This type of fireplace is prefabricated from metal and is ready to be installed.
- Wood Stoves. This type of fireplace is made from cast iron, which has an inlet for combustion air and an outlet for gas exhaust. This is airtight and allows efficient supply of air for the wood to burn efficiently. Since the 1970’s, improvements have been made to increase the efficiency of wood stoves from 50-60 percent to 75 percent and higher today. This means that more heat is produced keeping your home warm. Modern wood stoves are environment friendly and more efficient than old designs. They also come in different colors and designs, which will suit any type of home.
- Fireplace Inserts. If you already have a fireplace, you can have a fireplace inserts that are designed to fit a fireplace. This type of fireplace is made from cast iron or steel like the wood stove. This may require the installation of a chimney, which would require expert hands. If you want a friendlier, easy to handle fireplace compared to the usual masonry fireplace, fireplace insert is a good way to go. You can either have a gas fireplace insert, wood burning fireplace insert, or pellet fireplace insert.
- Pellet-Burning Hearth Appliances. This is simpler and more convenient compared to wood burning hearth appliances. This type of heating appliance is as easy to use as gas or electric heaters. Heat can be controlled by two burning settings, and some new models are equipped with thermostats control. This is a highly efficient heating appliance. It burns clean and is environment friendly. You don’t even need to refuel a pellet-burning appliance as often as wood burning appliance. Depending on the model you are using, you can refuel it once a day or twice a week.
Whichever is more convenient and suitable for your home; you can surely find one hearth that will keep your home warm.