Best Electric Fireplaces 2013 : 2014-03-30

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Saturday, April 5, 2014

What is your dream home like?

Technicolo

Me personally, I'd love to own my own luxurious apartment or condominium flat. Nice beautiful bathroom and large open kitchen. Somewhere where you can see the view of the city at night. Right out of a dream for me lol.
Jenny: Absolutely not. :) Sounds nice and cozy and homey!
deepblue: That's understandable. :)
ya dig*: Lol I imagined that dream house. That is one heck of a house. :-)

Answer
Over the years, I've seen things I've loved and added these bits and pieces to the image I have of my dream house. It's not quite complete in my mind yet but it's close. :)

It will be a gated area with a round, paved driveway in the front. My house will be all brick, a light grey house. It will have a tree with pink flowers in front. I will have double front doors, a small room with marble floors once you step in for shoes, umbrellas, and jackets, then another set of doors. Then you will see the winding stairs. The first floor will have a large kitchen, beautiful bathroom, dining room and a calming living room with white curtains. One of these rooms will have an electric fireplace, a piano, and celeste.

The basement will have a library, entertainment room and laundry room. Oh, and a party room. lol

The upper level will have all five or six bedrooms, all will have walk-in closets.

The best part will be the backyard. It will be a large garden (but not overdone), with winding paths and benches. No pool (I don't want people or children drowning - I plan on having a lot of children).

I tried holding back on the details because I could go on forever. My mom thinks I'm weird for planning this out but I've always been a planner. When I see something I love, I store it in my memory (which is hard to do since I'm so forgetful) and will eventually get it. :)

The view of the city at night sounds so lovely. For me, I want to live nearby a busy street or maybe a river. The sound of rushing water or cars driving past is so soothing at night.

ideas on how to use my non operational odd little fire place....?

I thought about saving up some money and buying one of those electric ones but I don't think it would fit over the fireplace.

then I thought what about candles... but its arched . the candles would only make black soot marks on the front.

then I thought plants! I can find some fun looking plants and put them in there with Christmas lights... but the surrounding wood might be damaged by the watering.

then I thought what about a tank with fish in it... but it would look tacky.

I want to do a comfy version of a modern look with a little flare. but that stinking caddy cornered fire place is one thing I can't figure out what to do with..... what do you think?

and just an update !!! only 5 more days till move in day!!!!!!! I'm leaving for Bakersfield on Friday to get all my furniture and stuff out of storage and bringing it back on Sunday and moving in on Monday!!! I'm so stinking excited!!!

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii50/phycologymajor101/IMAGE_049.jpg

Answer
if not than you can use electric logs. Im sure they have them to fit the opening of your fireplace. Same goes with candles, they have electric candles that look and glow just like real ones but use batteries. As to the plants you could also go with artificial silk plants. Ive seen some that you have to touch to believe they arent real! The fish tank would look sort of tacky not to mention all the work involved in upkeep. My recomendation would be to go with the electric logs. Enjoy your new place!

Try the following link at Amazon for the logs.

http://www.amazon.com/Sierra-Inch-Electric-Log-Set/dp/B0000E2V6A/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1203535615&sr=8-3

Friday, April 4, 2014

Do the electronic fireplace give the feeling of a real fireplace? I have heard that they are known as "Fake Fi?

Answer
Previously, electric fireplaces were known as fake fireplaces due to their unrealistic appearance. This has changed a lot in recent times. Modern technology allows manufacturers to build electric fires that look incredibly real. They also can include the sounds of crackling logs for extra realism.

You will find more information at the following websiteâ¦

What are the best fireplace boxes?

Patrick

I need help with the best fireplace boxes, I can't seem to find a link to any. It would help a lot, if anyone can link me to or tell me what the best fireplace boxes are. I guess it's the box that you put into the actual fireplace? I don't know. Anyways its an easy 10 points and It would help a lot.

Answer
It's a matter of taste. Here is a list:
Gas..fake logs with lit gas, convenient but expensive to run
Electric..cheaper than gas (nowadays) but looks it. gives off heat but fire is fake.
Wood burning..real as real can get but needs to be maintained, watched, and kept going
Vent-less..this is my favorite because its fake logs with real fire (gel fuel cans you pour in)
Outdoor..this could be wood burning, coal burning, or gel fuel (expensive)
Metal..(not sure) it might be fired up stones (modern)
Vent-free..needs no vent.

Fireplace boxes are called fireboxes which are fireproof constructed boxes that comes with mantels (if you don't have one) and are put into the wall or up against the wall (up or down) and well as weather proof ones outdoors.

would an electric fireplace be cheaper to run the electric heat?

jason s

i am trying not to have a 200.00 electric bill again during the winter months. thought about investing in a electric fireplace. i live in a 2 bedroom 2 bath 1 story apartment with 2 heating units.i heating unit heats the master bedroom. the other one heats the rest of the apartment.i do not have a themostat. my control settings are normal, cool, and hot. like what you might find in a hotel room. i have done everything i can do to lower my electric bill. my apartment is a electric. so i was thinking about buying the fireplace and put in the master bedroom and not run the heating unit in the master bedroom.will this same me money on my electric bill? my only concern is the fireplace my trip the fusebox all the time.

Answer
Where do you live?

Can you get away with not running the heat for most of the day/night and just adding more blankets & bundling up?

We have just space heaters (don't use the apartment-furnished heating units) for when it gets REALLY chilly...but then again really chilly for us is when it's in the 40's outside! Cold inside is when it's about 60 or so (and that warrants slipper-socks & sweaters).

You will need to make some decisions on how you want to live. You may just need to save money during the summer to compensate the bill during the winter.

Good luck.

How can I lower my electric bill!?

Kitty S

I have a direct vent fireplace I have been running a lot in place of my heat. I thought this would lower my electric bill. However, now my bill seems to be even higher! My home is approximately 1300 square feet and my bill is about $200.00 a month.

Answer
Your rates might have gone up like a lot of other peoples. Washing your clothes in cold water will save on the 220 hot water heater. Wash only when there is a full load. Saves on the 220 dryer.
Putting the hot water heater and the fridge on save or normal will help.
Turning everything off when not using saves.
Something over the windows helps to keep the heat in. Curtains and there are plastic kits that can be put on the inside of the windows.
Using the oven the least you can saves. Runs on 220.
Using a tiny night light during the night saves.
People say the curly light bulbs are cheaper to use than the other ones.

electric fireplace logs for 3 sided fireplace?

Jerome S

Answer
I have never heard of peninsula electric logs. Think about getting a set of glass doors and blacking out the end of the fireplace and installing 2 electric inserts back to back. Not a great option but an option nun the less...

Wiring an electric Fireplace for 240v.?

Renovater

After wiring my cct brkr for 240v I had to have a repairman come in to see why my fireplace did not produce heat. He found that with the 4 wire connection, recommended, I was getting 117v from red to white and 117v from black to white. The problem being is that I also only read 117 from black to red, where it was expected to read 230-240v. Checked the wiring for my dryer which is also 240v, 4 wire and it did read 240v from black to red. Why do I only get 117 when I should be getting 240v?
Thanks everyone. I have already checked all connections. Cct breaker was pretty straightforward. I have the red and black on the single throw, double pole cct brkr. White goes to the neutral bar, bare to the ground bar. Checked at cct breaker, 117 at each from cct brkr from black to white and red to white and both read 117v. Between the red and black it read 0v. I double checked the dryer cct brkr and it read over on my 200v scale leading me to believe it was reading 240v.

It all seems very straight forward but I am not getting the expected values. Connections have been secured. Cct brkr is new and should not pose a problem because it gives me my 117 from each pole. Why would I get 0v when the dryer reads 240v? Is that the only difference between the cct brkrs is the dpst switch? What can I look for next?

Answer
Justwondering and Duncan are right. If you are getting 117V to ground on both legs and 0V difference between them, both breakers are on the same side of the electric service. In a residential single phase service, there are two wires that come out of the transformer from the electric company plus a common ground. Each of those two wires come out of the transformer 180 degrees from the other on the sine curve that alternating current can be represented with. Inside of your electric panel, you'll see a metallic buss bar that the circuit breakers are clipped or bolted to. If you look closely (don't EVER touch this with your body or anything that conducts electricity), you'll see that there are in fact two buss bars. One of them is connected to incoming line 1 by a lug connected to the bar and the other is connected to incoming line 2. The problem that you're having is that both the black wire and the red wire from your fireplace are connected to the same incoming line. This is a common do-it-yourselfer mistake and is easily fixed.

First... are there any open spaces for breakers in your electric panel? If there are, all you have to do is buy a 2 pole circuit breaker of the same type as the original breakers that came with the house. Circuit breaker types are indicated by 2 or 3 letters marked on the circuit breaker. If this is a fairly new house, it will probably be a MP-T, QP, QO, or HOM type breaker. A 2 pole circuit breaker is completely different from a tandem circuit breaker. While they both have two separate handles, tandem circuit breakers are usually not connected at the handle and usually feed both circuits from the same incoming line on the electric meter. 2 pole circuit breakers, on the other hand, are connected so that they both get turned on and off at the same time. They also connect each individual handle to a different incoming line on the electric meter. Unless your electric panel is at least 40 years old and one of a few rare types, a 2 pole circuit breaker should be twice as wide as a regular single pole circuit breaker.

Now... if you don't have any open spaces for breakers in your electric panel, you'll have to put in some tandem breakers. Look at the two circuit breakers directly above the one that you installed for your fireplace. Hopefully, they're single pole circuit breakers that say 15 or 20 on them. Go to the store and buy either a 15/15, 15/20, or 20/20 tandem circuit breaker of the correct type. Connect the two circuits that you looked at earlier to the tandem breaker next to the appropriate rating. Install the tandem breaker into the space occupied by the top breaker of the two that you're working on and remove the bottom breaker that is now not connected to anything. BE VERY CAREFUL WHILE YOU ARE INSTALLING BREAKERS TO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING METAL WITH ANY PART OF YOUR BODY. Keep your fingers only on the plastic part of the circuit breaker and don't let your fingers or any rings or jewelry touch any metal part of the electric panel. You will now have an available open space and can proceed as described above. As always, do not attempt anything that you feel you are not qualified to safely do. An electrician or qualified handyman shouldn't cost more than about $150 to fix this problem for you, so call one if you're not sure.

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Will my propane fireplace really save me money?

nuttybuddy

I have owned my house for 2 yrs now and never used the fireplace. I want to use it this year but is it worth it and will it really save me money on my gas and electric bill?

The lowest price that I have found to set it up is 242.00 which includes a 48 gallon tank, 48 gallons of gas, installation and and an annual rental fee of 64.00 and there after, 1.79 per gallon when needed

They say that the gas burns 1 gallon ever 3 hrs. If my math is correct, thats about 144 hours of heat ( burning ALL day would be 6 days)... If you have one or know more about them, please shed some light.

Answer
Gas is not that cheap. The cost of propane is close to $3 per gallon. If you have an un-vented (there is no outside air coming into your fireplace) than you will get a LOT of condensation. For every 3 hours of burn time, you will have one gallon of water emitted into your house. I have been using an un-vented gas fireplace for 4 years and just replaced my ceiling from one end of the house to the other. The mold and water that the old ceiling held was unbelievable. With vented gas fireplaces, you take a chance of not getting the correct oxygen and gas mixture. This will lead to CO (carbon monoxide) poisoning.

We will be pulling our gas fireplace out this week and putting in a wood burning stove.

How to save on heating in the winter, I don't want to use my electric furnace at all in the winter time?

RunawayJur

I am a new energy fanatic, my utility bill used to be in the $300's...now it is $40-$48 all summer {due to CFL lights and using a fan to cool my bedroom instead of the whole house air conditioner}...

Now with Old Man winter approaching, I know it is going to be much tougher to make my house comfortable with using my electric furnace....

Are electric space heaters safe?..I am only goin to use it for one room?
What type of insulation can I do to keep the warm air in...and the cold air out?

PS: {I can live without heat...just some warm clothes and hot cocoa....but my wife on the other hand aint having it}
I meant "without" using my electric furnace

Answer
I read the other answers and found them really informative. When we had electric heat (many years ago) we warmed the house when we got home and shut it off before bed. Did the same thing in the morning: warmed before we got up and shut it off when we left for work. It helped a lot. A programmable thermostat helps tremendously. Otherwise, electric space heaters would be the thing to do. Research them all so you buy one that's appropriate for your space and usage.

Now, if you really want to go out on a limb (pun intended) you could go with a fireplace or wood stove. I figure by the time you bought the stove and installation, a chain saw, a pickup, and other things you'd get by for a $40,000 to $50,000 investment. Just joking!

Cheap Electric Fireplace?

I am in the process of redoing my room...I'm looking for a electric fireplace that is a deep mahagony color...not black...thats not bigger than 2 feet thats no more than 150 dollars...similiar to the CLASSIC FLAME Americana Bronze Electric Stove...does any one know where i can find one for that price?

Answer
Hi, You might like these electric fireplaces http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&keywords=electric%20fireplace&tag=recommended0b-20&index=garden&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325 Hope this helps.

Thinking of buying an electric fireplace?

Q. who has one and how did you decide on the right one?

Answer
I got one last year at Costco's. I had wanted a fireplace for a long time but since a real one was out of the question I got an electric one. It also has a heater in it that blows out hot air. It was a good price and I didn't have to buy the mantel piece seprately(like I would have had to if I went to Lowe's)the whole thing came together. Its a nice cherrywood and it looks good with my x-mas stockings hanging on it. I like the look of cherrywood but they come in white, black and even have onesthat will fit in the corner. Think about where it will go first and then try to picture it. Also Costcos has a lifetime warranty on all non computor items.

You know those 'silica gel' packs that come with shoes, electronics?

a kinder,

Do they really need to warn people not to eat them? Would someone say, "Hey, look! They gave me a packet of salt with my new shoes! Let's go out to eat!"?

Wouldn't someone who ate such a thing deserve what they got anyways?
You people are GREAT!!

Answer
You would be suprised what people will do. And what they will sue for if not forewarned!! Here's some more I found-

More Silly Warning Labels

Do not iron clothes on body - warning on a Rowenta Iron
Do not use while sleeping. - warning on a Sears hair dryer

Product will be hot after heating - warning on Marks & Spencer Bread Pudding

Warning: may cause drowsiness - warning on Nytol

Warning: contains nuts - warning on Sainsbury's Peanuts

Do not attempt to stop chain with your hands - warning on a Swedish chainsaw

For play only. Cape does not enable user to fly. - warning sign on a Batman costume

This item is intended only to be used as a can cooler and not as a flotation device for cats, guinea pigs, squirrels, or other unsuspecting wildlife. - warning found on a foam can wrap.

Ceiling Fans in Operation. Please be careful when lifting small children. - sign in a fabric warehouse in Wells, South England

On a blanket from Taiwan:
Not to be used as protection from a tornado.

Warning on fireplace log:
Caution -- Risk of Fire.

A warning on a pair of shin guards manufactured for bicyclists:
Shin pads cannot protect any part of the body they do not cover.

Warning on an electric router made for carpenters:
This product not intended for use as a dental drill.

On a bottle of shampoo for dogs:
Caution: The contents of this bottle should not be fed to fish.

On a string of Chinese made Christmas lights:
For indoor or outdoor use only.

On an American Airlines packet of nuts:
Instructions - open packet, eat nuts.

On a hotel provided shower cap:
Fits one head.

On Nytol Nighttime Sleep-Aid:
Warning: May cause drowsiness.

Warning on a cartridge for a laser printer:
Do not eat toner.

Can of self-defense pepper spray warns:
May irritate eyes.

Warning on a Conair Pro Style 1600 hair dryer:
Do not use in shower. Never use while sleeping.

On Silly Putty package warning:
Not for use as earplugs.

On a baby stroller:
Remove child before folding.

On a household iron:
Never iron clothes while they are being worn.

On a fireplace lighter:
Do not use near fire, flame or sparks.

On a handheld massager:
Don't use while sleeping or unconscious.

On a cardboard car sun shield:
Do not drive with sun shield in place

On a sharpening stone:
Knives are sharp.

On bottled water label :
Twist top off with hands. Throw top away. Do not put top in mouth.

On a box of rat poison
Warning: Has been found to cause cancer in laboratory mice.

On a toilet bowl cleaning brush:
Do not use orally.

On an electric cattle prods:
For use on animals only

On a can of air freshener:
Keep out of reach of children and teenagers

On a rubber ball toy:
Choking hazard: This toy is a small ball.

On a package of dice:
Not for human consumption.

In the manual of a chainsaw:
Do not attempt to stop the blade with your hand.

On the barrel of a .22 caliber rifle:
Warning: Misuse may cause injury or death.

On an electric thermometer:
Do not use orally after using rectally.

On the wrapper of a Fruit Roll-Up snack:
Remove plastic before eating.

On a TV remote controller:
Not dishwasher safe

On a fireplace log:
"Caution - Risk of Fire"

On a CD-Player:
"Do not use the Ultradisc2000 as a projectile in a catapult."

On a box of birthday candles:
"DO NOT use soft wax as ear plugs or for any other function that involves insertion into a body cavity."

On novelty rock garden:
"Eating rocks may lead to broken teeth."

On the "Cycle-Aware" helmet-mounted mirror:
"Remember: Objects in the mirror are actually behind you."

On a packet of juggling balls:
"This product contains small granules under 3 millimeters. Not suitable for children under the age of 14 years in Europe or 8 years in the USA."

On a camera:
"This camera only works when there is film inside."

On a bottle of flavored milk drink:
"After opening, keep upright."

On a can of windscreen de-icing spray:
"Spray works in sub-zero temperatures."

On a Halloween Batman costume:
"This cape does not give the wearer the ability to fly."

Fish tank heat?? Is there an alternative way to heat a fish tank?

Ben

I have no power at my house which means no fish tank heaters or heat in general.. The outside temp is 37 and i need to know if theres anyway i can keep the tanks heated?

Answer
I'll start off with a couple good ideas that may actually help you. If I start rambling about cavemen and sled dogs, you'll know to stop reading.

A fireplace if you have one will warm up parts of the house. You may be able to rent a generator or buy one at WalMart, Home Depot, Sears, etc. that will be big enough to power the electrical systems of a gas furnace. or a least a couple small electric space or radiant heaters. Styrofoam insulation boards may help slow the loss of heat from the tank. Don't use towels or blankets for insulation because they can dip in the tank and start a siphon on to the floor. Battery operated air pumps actually cool down the tank rapidly by forcing cold room air into the tank and creating evaporative cooling at the surface.

If cavemen had kept tropical fish, I imagine they would have had to heat up rocks in their bonfires in front of the cave entrance and then set a few hot rocks under their aquariums. In the 1850's aquariums were made with cast iron bottoms so that the owner could set a Bunsen burner or a few candles under the aquarium to keep it warm. That would be a huge mistake with a glass or acrylic aquarium. And forget your sled dogs helping you out. You read "To Build A Fire" didn't you?

I need fireplace help! INSERT variety!?

Zippy

I have an existing normal household fireplace that burns logs, it has no door or cover, we just have a screen we sit in front of it ... is there a cover or door that you can buy that will fit into the opening or over it and also blow the arm air into the room more? Where can i get one? Will I neeed electric to plug it into for the fan?

Answer
Find a fireplace shop. Take some pics of your fireplace and measurements. They sell various types of inserts, doors, screens. Be prepared to tell hem about the chimney and flue also. Some fireplace shoppes have trained personnel that make house calls.
Gas fired log sets are actually very inefficient and pull heat from the house. Inserts actually ADD heat and pull outside air for combustion, i.e. more efficient

Would it pay to put a propane fireplace insert in my home?

My home is 4 yrs old. It is heated by oil (hot water), I have an existing wood burning fireplace. Would it be economical to put in a propane fireplace log insert, too compliment the oil heat? The house seems to heat really hard. The house is 1800 sq ft. We seem to fill up with oil (half tanks 130 gallons) every month in the winter. Any help is appreciated.

Answer
Propane is not a whole lot cheaper than oil. You may want to get an electric radiant heat heater instead. They make wood burning inserts that you can install in your fireplace. Some models have a heat chamber with a fan to force the heat into the room. Most wood burning fireplaces (without the insert) just shoot most of the heat up the chimney. With an insert you can better regulate the fire for a slower burn. You use less wood and stop the heat that is in the room from going up the chimney. Between the insert and a radiant heater used in the rooms your are in most, you should cut down on your oil consumption.
Good luck, stay warm and be safe !

I want a fire place for my apartment. Is an electric fire place just a picture of fire?

Answer
Hi, Electric fireplaces have 3D flame technology for a realistic-looking fire and they also produce heat. Check out the reviews here http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&keywords=electric%20fireplace%20heater&tag=recommended0b-20&index=garden&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325 Hope this helps.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Best options for heating an old victorian flat?

nintyseven

Situation: basically no heat (had some unvented natural gas heaters in front of decorative fireplaces, but they are unsafe and weren't legally installed). Unit is on the second floor of a 3 floor building, so forced air isn't an option. Gas inserts for the fireplace would require some big installation challenges (venting up through our chimney and the upstairs neighbors), possibly some structural work. Radiant floor heating is possible if I am willing to tear up my wooden floors, install the heating and reinstall the flooring. I have a couple of inexpensive space heaters (electric) in each end of the place which aren't really that helpful on cold days. I can ask my family to wear more sweaters. Beyond that?? Thanks for any insights!

Answer
You need a couple of large room ceramic type electric heaters, $400 to $600 each. Don't know what else you can do with limited wall, floor, ceiling access. Ones I have seen are mobile, so you can move from room to room. The tops and sides of these heaters are cool to the touch.

Inexpensive campsites in Western Maryland?

Ravennwing

Well, this question's kinda self explanatory. Anyone know of inexpensive campsites in Maryland? And I want prices, please. Not just generic "Try this area."

Answer
Deep Creek Lake State Park

Family camping open 5/22/2009 to 9/21/2009; family camping first come first served 4/15/2009 to 5/21/2009, and 9/22/2009 to 10/14/2009
Camper cabins and yurt open 5/22/2009 to 9/21/2009; camper cabins and yurt first come first served 4/15/2009 to 5/21/2009 and 9/22/2009 to 10/14/2009

Campsites: $25/night

Campsites with electric: $30/night

Bear Den: (3-sided camping unit complete with wooden floor, roof and fireplace) $40/night

Yurt: (a round, fabric tent with floor and furniture) $50/night

Camper cabins: $65/night

Shelters
(75 person capacity): Non-holiday weekdays $25/day
(75 person capacity): July and August holiday weekdays/weekends $80/day
(75 person capacity): May, June and September holiday weekdays/weekends $40/day

Day Use Service Charge: Memorial Day-Labor Day $3/person; Labor Day-Memorial Day $3/vehicle. Out-of-state residents add $1 to all day use service charges.

Boat Launch: $10/vehicle (year round); out-of-state residents add $1.

Herrington Manor State Park
Full service cabins year-round

Full service cabins: 2-person $80/night
4-person $90/night
6-person $100/night

Shelter: $20/day holiday weekdays/weekends; $15/day non-holiday weekdays (70 person capacity)

Day Use Service Charge: Memorial Day-Labor Day: Weekends and holidays $2/person, Weekdays $2/vehicle; Labor Day-Memorial Day $2/vehicle. Ski season weekends and holidays $3/person. Out-of-state residents add $1 to all day use service charges.

Swallow Falls State Park
Family camping
Garrett Loop
Reservations recommended
(1-888-432-2267)
5/22/2009-9/8/2009
First come-first served
4/10/2009-5/21/2009
9/9/2009-12/14/2009
Toliver Loop
Reservations recommended
(1-888-432-2267)
5/22/2009-9/8/2009

Camper cabins
Reservations required
(1-888-432-2267)
4/10/2009-12/13/2009

Youth Group
Reservations recommended
(1-888-432-2267)
4/10/2009-10/11/2009

Campsites: $25/night

Campsites with electric, water and sewer: $35/night

Camper Cabin: $50/night

Shelter: $30/day holiday weekdays/weekends; $15/day non-holiday weekdays (70 person capacity)

Youth Group: $15/reservation (without Maryland Park Service Youth Group Pass add $2/person per night)

Day Use Service Charge: Memorial Day-Labor Day $3/person; Labor Day-Memorial Day $2/vehicle. Out-of-state residents add $1 to all day use service charges.

Question about Electric Fireplace...?

shoe shoe

I bought an electric fireplace but the insert that came with it is purely decorative. It doesn't produce any heat. Just light and sound. Is it possible to replace this insert with an insert that does produce heat electrically.

Answer
Yes. We recently bought a small insert for our living room fireplace. It has a 1500 watt heater with 2 fan speeds. It is energy efficient using only .08/hr without heat and .12/hr. with the heat on. We also have a plasma wall mounted electric fireplace on the family room wall. It is really neat and also economical to operate. 1500 watt heater, and the same specs as the other one. The make of these fireplaces is Dimplex perhaps you can look them up on the net. Cheers, Terry

Do Electric Fireplaces still look good after 5-10 yrs of use?

Electric F

We'd like to install electric rather than go to the hassle of a ventilated gas fireplace, but can't find consumer reports...
The 'flame' looks fine now, but will the 'current' still be good in 5-10yrs?

Answer
The realistic looking electric fireplaces have only been out for about five years. I purchased one five years ago and it looks and works exactly the way it did back then. I have been so thrilled with my electric fireplace, that now I have one in my kitchen, in the master bedroom and in the teen girls room, as well as having a wood fireplace in the living room. I bought dimplex. You wont be disappointed with the electric fireplace, and if you change your mind later, you can always move it to another room.

Amish Electric Fireplace? Is it good?

Carlos

Ok well I live in a house that needs oil for our heat. The fall and winter is very near and within a month or so, it will be getting much cooler. As of right now we can't really afford oil. Really we can't. So I saw this thing in the newspaper about an Amish electric fireplace. Says it can warm up the whole downstaris. Now the house is small so its not like we need many of them, but I wanted to know if anyone has used them. Or does anyone know if this is good and if so, how is it better from any other kind of electric heater. I really would like to know becasue we don't have hundreds and hundreds of dollars to spend on oil this year. We think maybe this can be an alternative for this winter. But can it beat your regular electric heater? Threats to the house even?

Answer
Our local news station did a piece on this last year. The so called "Authentic" Amish Electric Fireplace is nothing more than an cheap electric heater and a veneer paneling that is glued in place. The advertisement's claim that it will heat the whole downstairs was another let down, as it was barely able to heat the area around the unit.

For what you would pay for this pile of beans, you would be able to go down to your local hardware store and get a heater that would heat the whole house.

For heating with small heaters, I would recommend getting a few smaller ones rather than one big one anyways. The smaller units that have a six to nine inch fan in them should work fine, and place one in each room of the house. Be careful of using them all at once, as you may trip a circuit breaker. I used one in a small apartment and ran it for about twenty minutes when I got home at the end of the day, and about twenty minutes before bed. Then in the morning, I would reach out and turn it back on for twenty minutes to heat the room when I got out of bed. This method of heating should work in your situation, and the units cost about $20 - $30 a piece. The best thing is that the fan moves the heat out and about rather than it radiating from one area.

It porbably would not hurt to check the insulation in your home as well. If there is none in the outside walls and attic, or if it is thin, you may look at adding some before it gets too cold. As a temp fix, you can hang thick blankets on the walls. Not only will this help to keep the heat in the house, it can also be decorative.

As for the Amish, come on. Do you really think that a society that does not use electricity would actually build a high quality Electric Heater?

Good Luck. I would act soon,as the Almanac is saying that this is going to be a cold winter.

Central Heat and electric bill?

gabyrig

I have central heat/air in my condo. I find that we are paying way more money than when I lived in a force air or steam/radiant heat apartment. The bill went from $50 to $122 this january. The heat bill also went for $90 to $222. I have a honeywell thermostat that only allows for settings of 10 to 30 minutes of heating at a time. Nothing continuous. Is there a way I can save on electric and heating bill? I think I need a solution with the heating system. Maybe if it were going continuously rather than going and stopping ever 10-30 minutes, it would use less energy.
Please help!

Answer
My buddy swears by those high efficiency electric fireplaces. He says their cheaper than gas heat.

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Any one out there ever buy an electric fireplace?

Atsa me At

for your home? Not an insert. Which did you buy? I would like to get one that has a large open face so I can see more of the flame..a no headache one...seems everything you buy anymore, if you don't know the correct questions to ask the sellers, they don't go out of their way to warn you of potential problems/hazards, well of course not they want to sell their items...thank you.

Answer
I wouldnt buy an electric if your looking for heat. They are stictly for looks. Sales guys will tell you "OH and it does 3000 or 5000 BTU" If you have a $30 space heater from Target that sits under your kitchen table, then you know how much heat that is. That will heat your bathroom after some time and thats it. All they put in them is a cheap little space heater. If your looking for something large to view Lennox makes the best one on the market but they charge for it. You will spend $2-3000 just for the fireplace and with 220v it will do 10,000BTU with 110v it just does 5000btu. But at that price I would just go for gas or wood, because you still have to purchase a full surround mantel. It def. looks the best out of all though because it doesnt use just standard lights. Other wise all the other brand are just cheap little boxes with lights in them with a 20 dollar space heater. Heat Surge claims to be Amish, but when purchased look on the back and you will see MADE IN CHINA, it's all chip board, Amish don't use chip board, so if the sticker is missing thats proof rite there.
I just recommend pick the one you think look the best, just don't plan on purchasing it for heat. And I would not leave the heater on for long times. Leaving just the fireplace on is just a 60W. bulb but with the heater at the same time you have about 1500w an hour

Anyone here own or have owned an electric fireplace?

moe520_711

I am considering getting one but there are so many different brands out there that it is hard for me to choose. The one I really want is made by "Orleans Furniture". Is that a good brand?

Answer
I have the small one that is black and looks like iron. I stuck it in my real fireplace and I love it. I have saved about $100 so far on my heating bill. I like the inserts you can get and I plan to get one for the upstairs with my tax return.

Monday, March 31, 2014

would an electric fireplace be cheaper to run the electric heat?

jason s

Gas fireplace or space heater?

Tal R

Which is more efficient for heating up a large room, a gas fireplace or an electric space heater?

Thank you.

Answer
The gas fireplace. Hands down.

Look at your bills electric heaters are rated in watts used per hour or KWH (thousands of watts per hour). So an heater that is rated at 1,500 watts uses 1.5 Kilowatts per hour or 1.5 KWH.
The electric company bases their charges on KWH Electric space heater (high) 1500 watts.... Electric space heater (low) 750 watts = 1.5 or 0.75 KwH x (look on your bill prices vary) .15 (from the electric company. So 1.5 x .15 = .22 1/2 cents per hour to operate. Which is $ 5.40 a day for 24 hours Or ~ $ 162.00 per month

For the gas it goes by Therms or BtU. One therm equals 100,000 Btu or about 96.7 cubic feet of natural gas typically it costs $ 0.93 cent per therm (again check your bill).

Now here is the tricky part. You gas fireplace has a BTU rating for the MAX setting. You can however dial it down. A high-efficiency fireplace burns much less gas in order to supply the same amount of heat compared with a low-efficiency fireplace. For example, a 20 000 Btu/h fireplace operating at 70 percent efficiency will provide the same amount of heat as a 40 000 Btu/h unit operating at 35 percent efficiency â and it will use only half the fuel in doing so! A fireplace that allows you to âdial downâ the input considerably through modulation or turndown, or that has some means of moving heat out of the room to other parts of the house, will allow for greater control of heat output to prevent overheating.
Fireplaces also give heat with not only radiation but convection.

So let's say you are running the gas HE fireplace at 20000 Btu now 1 therm is $0.93 which is 100000 BTU So 1/5th of 93 is $ 0.18 per hour $4.32 a 24 hour day or $ 129.00 per month

Anyway check your bill and do the math your self!

Formula for electric is

Item KWH x Charge from the electric company = cost to run

For Gas

Item BTU x Charge per therm (100000 btu= 1 therm) Divide the item BTU into the Therm 20,000 BTU into 100000 therm is 20% x charge = cost to run

Take into account which will do a better job of heating the space.

Sunday, March 30, 2014

Best way to construct a fireplace on a brick wall?

Brielle

One of our walls in out living room is brick and we would like to have a fireplace there. How would you suggest building one? It has a gas pipe hookup but we are also looking at electric ones. My husband can lay bricks, tile, stone, whatever. He can also make a mantel. We would really appreciate any tips or suggestions!

Answer
=== a wood burning fireplace ?? or gas fired logs?? ==== for me the best option would be to but a free standing iron wood burning stove ... you can build a nice brick under-layment [[ fire protection ]] and then you can just cap off the gas pipe === those inserts are awesome and very safe ... just an option for space saving === if you build a fireplace keep in mind the space [[ keep it smallish ]] and please ask yourself is this adding to the value of our home ....

how do i stick baseboard to fireplace? (bricks) vertically keeping it in place?

debs

Answer
Nail through board with hammer to mark brick. Electric drill with bit for drilling stone where nailed showed mark. Insert dowel same size as drill , hammer nail into dowel,.

flame on an electric fireplace went out?

im not cra

i have had the thing for 3 weeks and only hooked up for two. i dont know what could be wrong with it. should i try to take it back or should I try and fix it. and if i should fix it, what could be wrong with it?

any body whos had experience with these things could be very helpfull

Answer
When dealing with a faulty flame on an electric fireplace it could be a couple different things, mainly the wiring or the electrical outlet. First, you would want to check the wiring to make sure everything looks correct i.e. connected and secure. If the wiring looks correct check the electric voltage from the power outlet that you have the fireplace plugged in to (it may not supply enough electricity to power the fireplace). Not knowing the make and model of the fireplace it is hard for me to distinguish what could be exactly wrong with your product. Also considering how new you product is you may want to contact the manufacturer or retailer and see if it would be easier to just replace the unit.

Electric Fireplace vs. Gel Fuel Fireplace?

I am thinking of putting a fireplace in my living room on an interior wall, just for looks and maybe a little extra heat in the winter. I dont know anyone who has either of these fireplaces so i was hoping for a little advice from someone with some experience in this area-- thanks for your help.

Answer
I don't agree with the previous comments.

I would suggest that you see the actual model of electric fireplace you are looking at. The downfall is that they don't look very real! Probably the most realistic is the dimplex multifire. Lennox has a nice one also that uses a dvd. Electric will give more heat, and be cheaper to operate. But make sure you see it first.

With the gel you are getting a REAL fire, which even the best electric can't compete with. The gel also crackles like a real fire. It will be more expensive to maintain. Cheaper gels do emit a slight odor. If you go with the gel I would recommend you use Sungel, it is the cleanest. You can even make it yourself, to reduce costs. They also make scented gels as well.
If you use it alot there will be some residual soot after a while, not a big deal.

If you use it on rare occasions, I would lean towards a gel, electric if you think it will get used more than twice a week.

Using small electric portable heaters in rooms at night and turning gas heat way down?

katesreven

I live in a large 3000 sq ft home in a winter city. This past winter our natural gas bill ran $400-$500 a month to heat the home from November through March. So, we divised a plan to cut costs down.

At night, I am turning down the main thermostat to 55 degree and we are closing our 3 bedroom doors and using smaller portable electric heaters. The smaller heaters will heat the rooms nice and warm easily and run off and on about 40% of the time during the night.

So, will this help cut costs down? I know even with gas prices more then tripple in the past few years, electric is probably more, but do you expect this stretegy will save some $? Thanks

Answer
Electricity is Cheaper than Gas at this time. Just make sure those Electric Heaters do have Thermostats and tip over Safety devices on them. I have A Gas Log Fireplace, and the price of a gallon of Gas is outrageous now, so I rarely use it. You can also use Electric Blankets on the Bed at night to help stay warm. Personally I like it cooler when I am sleeping.

What should i do about my electric fireplace that wont go on?

richrichri

i got a electric fire place that was in my living room and then it worked for a month or so, and ever since then whenever i turn it on the heater will go on for a second and then it will go off and then the heater will stop working. Do i need a dedicated plug or need to call a electrician to fix this?

Answer
about any kind of electric heat needs its own dedicated power source. Ive had hundreds of service calls over the years over portable heaters overloading circuits. a 1500 watt heater pulls 12.5 amps. A standard 15 amp living room circuit shouldn't be loaded more than 80 percent. That's 12 amps so its overloaded with just the heater running. sounds like you may also have a problem with the heater so get the electrician to check it while he is there installing a new circuit.

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