Anyone with a fireplace at home knows the luxury of having one. At nighttime, it makes your space ambient and cozy. In the day, it supplements the interior in your room. Having one in your home surely amps up your lounging time while adding to your living room’s interior.
You’ve probably been back and forth about having a fireplace installed. If you’re worried about wall stains and the hassle of preparing wood, you don’t have to be. You aren’t limited to wood fireplaces. There’s a variety to choose from. If you prefer an alternative that’s dust-free, smoke-free, and less of a safety hazard, an electric fireplace might be the one you’re looking for.
Today, we’re going to delve more into why you should ditch your space heater and invest in an electric fireplace.
It’s Safer
If there’s one thing on top of your list when it comes to installing something into your home, it’s safety. No one would intend to have a potential fire hazard in their home.
As much as you want to create a safe and cozy space for you and your family, you want to look out for everybody’s safe too. That’s something you are sure to get with an electric fireplace. Sticking to your space heater can be risky since it may pose a fire hazard. According to the National Fire Protection Association report, 81% of dire home fires from 2014 to 2018 involved stationary or portable space heaters.
An electric fireplace provides heat, but without the fire, so it’s unlikely to catch fire on your curtains. It’s a safer alternative compared to space heaters, especially if you have children in your home.
Once installed, all you have to do is plug it into an outlet and switch it on.
It’s Ambient
This goes without saying, but a fireplace really does add charm to your living room. It’s a great setting to have when inviting some friends and family over. You might even want to have a fire pit installed in your backyard while you’re at it.
But it can be just as relaxing on regular nights at home alone. Imagine sitting on your comfy sofa on a cool night, watching some Netflix as you sip from your big mug of hot chocolate. Who wouldn’t want that?
It Saves Money
A space heater has the advantage of mobility. You can move it to any room you wish. But is that really something you would rather have than saving on costs? On average, about 1,500 watts are used to power its heating coils. If you do the math, that’s about 8 or 9 cents an hour and 50$ to 100$ a year on operation costs.
A space heater would cost about $2.82 per day (specifically for 16 hours since it’s not advisable to keep it on while you sleep) based on the national average electricity rate. But if it were an electric fireplace, you’d be spending 1.28$ to 1.44$ for the same hours.
In addition, its heat is 100% contained. Meaning you receive all the heat it emits.
It’s Cleaner
Did you know that space heaters can be potentially harmful? When prone to malfunction or not installed the right way, it may release toxic fumes, causing poisoning. A good bet would be to ditch your space heater and invest in something more long-term and cleaner.
An electric fireplace is relatively easier to clean than its counterparts (the gas and wood fireplaces). You get to enjoy the perks of a fireplace without the dust, soot, and fumes polluting the air or staining your walls. You won’t even have to have a chimney to clean and maintain regularly. It’s dust-free, soot-free, and fumes-free. You get all the perks of a regular fireplace but with less upkeep.
The Bottom Line
You might have other factors you prioritize when choosing the right heating system for your home. But with all the reasons stated above, you might want to think twice about your hesitation to ditch your space heater. Space heaters have their share of perks too, but they’re not the be-all-end-all you first thought they were. Although they serve you well now, you have to think about the long-term costs and effectiveness.
Every home deserves warmth in more ways than one. At the end of the day, everybody wants a place to rest and unwind alone or with loved ones. It’s up to you how you want to achieve that. Surely, going for an electric fireplace is one of the ways to go.
