Electric Fireplace vs. Gel Fuel Fireplace?

hh

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.

Any one out there ever buy an electric fireplace?

Q. 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

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Sellers lied about their electric bill! What can we do?

Q. My husband and I just bought a vacation home in the mountains. It IS electric heat and we were aware of that. We did ask the sellers to give us an amount of how much they paid per month. We were told $40.00 and at the most $60.00 when it was being used. The house does have 2 fireplaces and I admit, they help out a lot when heat it kept in the 40's, low 50's. We got our first bill and it was $130.00 for 15 days for a few days of being in the house! I called PPL, was told they are not allowed to provide information on the previous owners but told me their usage amount would have put them in the approx range of $200.00 per month! I feel so foolish for not calling PPL 1st before buying and my husband & I are usually very thorough. I do have an email from our realtor telling us how much it was. I am so upset that someone (sellers) would flat out lie about something like that. We now have vacation house that we want to use, winterized, and the bill is still 77.00 for about 3/4 month. It's estimated to be 120-140 w/house being practically SHUT DOWN!

Should we contact a lawyer? Is it even worth it? We didn't strap ourselves but the extra money for electric is coming out of our "cushion" or possibly savings. We asked for every detail ahead of time so we could budget. Shame on us for thinking there were honest people out there!

Any suggestions?! Please be serious. I don't need a teen commenting on something they know nothing about.

THANK YOU!
Ya know, I completely agree! We should have asked for bills. We were actually going to and they were so slooooow w/the regular paperwork, they were holding up settlement (costed us a mortgage rate to go higher in 1 day), we would have locked in and obviously did then when we realized they were not quick movers. There were so many hold ups on their end, we decided to just ask for utilities via email/text. We'll probably have to sell it. $60.00 vs. $200-$250 is a big difference. We never had electric heat so we had no idea. I heard if you're reasonable and cautious it can work to your advantage.

Answer
Nothing to do. Your fault for not checking into it. You really though a house with electric heat in the mountains where it gets really cold could possibly had an electric bill of $40? I would have called BS on that the second I heard it.

How to save on electric bill?

Future Die

My husband and I moved into a house that is all electric. Our old house had gas heat. So far, we HATE electric heat! It doesn't heat the house very well at all. The temp at night has been in the 40's and the heat seems to always run!

We have shut off the vents in the upstairs, because no one is ever up there. The heat is set on 65. What else can we do to save on our electric bill?

Answer
Insulate your attic and basement

Maintain glazing in window panes and caulk around windows to prevent air leaks. Use weather stripping where needed.

Use the damper in your fireplace

Weatherstrip around doors.

Install insulated drapery on your windows. Open drapes in the morning to let the sun in. Close when the sun goes down to keep the warmth inside.

Unplug all electronic chargers when not in use.

Use Smart Strips on all electronic equipment. This is a multi outlet devise you plug a bunch of things into and turn the strip off to cut off the current to all those electronics that are drawing electricity even when not turned on.

Use a Smart Strip in your kitchen for your microwave and small appliances. Turn it off after every meal.

Change all light bulbs to Compact Florescent Lights.

Wash only full loads of clothing in cold water. Do several loads in a row so you take advantage of the warm dryer.

Take shorter showers.

Is your dryer vent air tight?

Are all storm windows down?

I turn my heat down to 60 degrees at night and sleep under a cozy down filled duvet. It is heavenly.

I turn my heat down to 60 degrees when I leave the house.

Watch television in the dark at night.

Moist air keeps a house warmer than dry air. Add humidity to your home in the winter time.

If you are using your oven tonight, bake the potatoes for tomorrow night's dinner. A toaster oven uses less electricity than a conventional oven and I am a convert since a friend cooked some really delicious meals in that toaster oven of his. I now believe in toaster ovens.

Do not be fooled into thinking you are saving money on your electricity bill if you run appliances in the evening. The fact of the matter is that, yes, electricity is being saved, but the savings is only for the electricity company. Your electric bill is one flat rate per usage and it does not change rates according to the time of day you use your electricity. This is a common misconception most people are lead to believe, when, in fact you pay the same rate morning, noon and night.
Yeah, it is wise to use appliances on off peak hours, but it saves you not one dime on your bill.

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Creative Christmas Gift Ideas?

aa

For Christmas, my grandmother wants either an Electric Fireplace or a TV. I don't have the money to get her both, so I'm going to give her the money and tell her to pick one. Any creative ideas on how to do this (instead of just saying "Here. Now pick one.")

Answer
I have one idea, perhaps, that integrates the two: Check the Electric Fireplace that is also an entertainment center: http://electricfireplacereviewer.com/twinstar/classic-flame-pasadena-electric-fireplace-tv-stand/

How long can you safely run an electric fireplace heater?

Q. Just bought a Hampton Bay electric fireplace heater with tv stand. It's 1,350 watts and 4600 btu's per hour. How long can we safely run this(overnight)? Trying to heat our apt with this rather than gas heating

Answer
We don't have the identical unit, but one similar, I think. We were in Hawaii for two months. The fireplace heater is in an old fireplace minus the chimney. We left with the power on but with the remote keeping the power off. When we returned we noticed the living room warmer than normal (summer). Sure enough, a power outage had occurred sometime during the two month absence and the remote turned the fireplace heater on when the power came back on. No way of knowing how long it was on...days, perhaps weeks. No fire, no damage of any find.

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Gas fireplace improvement ideas?

snowglobe3

Wondering on any ideas an old gas fireplace in a home. There is a gas hook up inside that hasn't been used it seems for awhile and unsure how to. I don't plan on using it- just don't have any ideas on how to make the fireplace look better. Someone mentioned it looked like a cheap looking fireplace.
Is there a way I could decorate it with removing the inside of it- there's a gas hook up behind it. Any ideas?
Here is a picture link of how it looks below:
http://www.bluemelon.com/snowglobe/newalbum#page-0/photo-3846791/uploader-basic
Any extra ideas on how to make the mantle look more appealing? does it look cheap/distasteful looking? not really sure..thanks again!

Answer
Omg that thing is a antique . By the looks this is a old gas fire heater from the 40's or 50's. it looks like there is no vent for the fumes. They were design that way. Unfortunately many people got sick from the fumes and they were banned. In saying that if there is no exhaust or chimney you cannot use a gas fireplace. Someone I know had this very same fireplace . It looks like a fireplace but no chimney

There are nice electric ones that are not bad actually very nice. If you can run hydro to that spot that is a idea.

Sellers lied about their electric bill! What can we do?

TKANDAG

My husband and I just bought a vacation home in the mountains. It IS electric heat and we were aware of that. We did ask the sellers to give us an amount of how much they paid per month. We were told $40.00 and at the most $60.00 when it was being used. The house does have 2 fireplaces and I admit, they help out a lot when heat it kept in the 40's, low 50's. We got our first bill and it was $130.00 for 15 days for a few days of being in the house! I called PPL, was told they are not allowed to provide information on the previous owners but told me their usage amount would have put them in the approx range of $200.00 per month! I feel so foolish for not calling PPL 1st before buying and my husband & I are usually very thorough. I do have an email from our realtor telling us how much it was. I am so upset that someone (sellers) would flat out lie about something like that. We now have vacation house that we want to use, winterized, and the bill is still 77.00 for about 3/4 month. It's estimated to be 120-140 w/house being practically SHUT DOWN!

Should we contact a lawyer? Is it even worth it? We didn't strap ourselves but the extra money for electric is coming out of our "cushion" or possibly savings. We asked for every detail ahead of time so we could budget. Shame on us for thinking there were honest people out there!

Any suggestions?! Please be serious. I don't need a teen commenting on something they know nothing about.

THANK YOU!
Ya know, I completely agree! We should have asked for bills. We were actually going to and they were so slooooow w/the regular paperwork, they were holding up settlement (costed us a mortgage rate to go higher in 1 day), we would have locked in and obviously did then when we realized they were not quick movers. There were so many hold ups on their end, we decided to just ask for utilities via email/text. We'll probably have to sell it. $60.00 vs. $200-$250 is a big difference. We never had electric heat so we had no idea. I heard if you're reasonable and cautious it can work to your advantage.

Answer
Nothing to do. Your fault for not checking into it. You really though a house with electric heat in the mountains where it gets really cold could possibly had an electric bill of $40? I would have called BS on that the second I heard it.

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what electric, wall mounted fireplace has the most realistic fire?

Passionate

Answer
A very popular wall mounted electric fire is the Be Modern Orlando:

http://www.hotprice.co.uk/2118/5359/products/be-modern-orlando-wall-mounted-electric-fire---flat-glass.html

The Be Modern Orlando is available with a curved, black glass fascia or a flat glass fascia. It features LED lighting which have a selection of colours to represent a real fire.

Alternatively, have you seen the new LCD electric fires? These feature a real image of a fire (like a movie) and some offer a selection of scenes and even sound!

Dimplex make 2 electric fires with the LCD effect:

http://www.hotprice.co.uk/2118/3921/products/dimplex-living-art-wall-mounted-lcd-electric-fire---lva191.html

http://www.hotprice.co.uk/2118/4995/products/dimplex-living-art-wall-mounted-mirror-electric-fire----lva192.html

A new manufacturer of electric fires is Celsi Fires. They offer a similar style of electric fires and the flame effect can be seen here:
http://www.bfm-europe.com/index.php?target=steps&task=catstep&brand=10

Do electric fireplaces really look real?

Richie Ric

The ones I saw at walmart and homedepot look like crap. I looked online and some some from a company called Dimplex that looks pretty real. Has anyone bought one of these? Do they look real? I don't want to be be embarrassed with some piece of crap that I bought online and can't return. Does anyone have any other companies to suggest? Thanks.

Answer
do electric fireplaces look real?...well they kind of do, but the better electric fireplaces are not going to be at a big box store, you really need to visit a specialty fireplace shop. Any shop worth its bricks will carry a good brand that looks more realistic.
Overall though you are not going to fool anyone that an electric fireplace is a real one. They are an aesthetic all their own.
Personally i like the look of them and they are easy to operate but they are not going to fool anybody into thinking they are real.

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gas or electric fireplace?

jonass21

I have a 224 sqft room that has an old in wall gas heater. I want to tear out the old in wall heater and put in a fireplace, should I go electric or gas? Which is cheaper to run? Would electric add as much value to the home as gas?

Answer
Electric fireplaces are strictly for looks or for adding to spaces where there simply is no means of installing a fireplace or the cost to do so is prohibitive. They produce about as much heat as a hair dryer and the flame effect looks very unrealistic.

A gas fireplace can heat the entire room...along with a good portion of the house, depending on the type of fireplace you choose and the efficiency. Gas fireplaces come in 4 different types:

1) Natural Vent (least efficient)
2) Direct Vent (very efficient)
3) Ventless or Vent-Free (super efficient...but with drawbacks)
4) Wood Burning Fireplace with a Gas Log Installed (Vented of Ventless gas logs)

An electric fireplace will add little or no value to the home. The above 4 types of fireplaces will add value to the home. A wood burning fireplace with a gas log added to it will add the most value to the home because it allows a potential buyer to remove the gas logs and burn real wood if they so choose. A vented gas log installed in a wood burning fireplace will give you the most realistic looking fire but produces the least amount of heat. A ventless gas log installed in the same wood burning fireplace will be less realistic but will provide the most heat.

There is a significant expense involved in installing a fireplace. Ventless gas fireplaces are the least expensive to install since they do not have a chimney or vent. A direct vent gas fireplace is next as far as installation expense if it can be installed on an outside wall because the vent can come directly out the back of the fireplace and go through the wall with a termination cap just outside (no vertical chimney). Natural Vent gas fireplaces and Wood Burning fireplaces both require a chimney or vent that goes vertically through the roof, so they are more expensive to install. There are huge differences in the prices of each fireplace itself in addition to the cost of installation. For example, a wood burning fireplace and chimney pipe will cost substantially less than a direct vent gas fireplace, but the installation cost will make the overall cost substantially more for a wood burning unit.

I would suggest Googling the above fireplace terms and doing some research. Then go visit a local fireplace shop...they should be able to explain the differences between all of the above options including an electric fireplace.

how effecient per the price, are electric fireplaces? and how well do they heat?

Randall M

Answer
VERY EFFICIENT AND HEATS GREAT!!!

My friend has one and it looks sooo real! It also heats up her living room in no time.

The flame of an electric fireplace uses slightly under 300 Watts of power. With an average electricity rate, the unit operates for a remarkable 2 cents an hour providing all the warmth, ambiance and romance of a fireplace. When you choose to activate the heat feature, the total cost to operate the flame and heater is approximately 7 cents an hour.

The cost of operating may vary slightly among different models. However, since the operation cost of a gas fireplace runs around 17 cents an hour, an electric fireplace proves to be extremely cost-effective and a great value for your money.

These fireplaces are energy efficient because the heat is not going out the chimney of your home. And they can give you instant heat. Depending on the size of your home you may want to first check out these fireplaces and read how many square feet they will heat in your home. Each home will be different depending on the size of the home and how large of a area you are wanting to heat.

Electric fireplaces are getting to be more and more popular these days. You can put them anywhere in your house and they are very easy to install in your home. Electric Fireplaces are a great way to add a warm feeling to your room. They warm up your room nicely and have the look of a real wood fireplace.

They can be put a in any room of your house because they don't need a chimney for them to work. All you need is a close electrical outlet in the room where you are going to place your fireplace. They are very convenient and can be installed in a matter of minutes. People love these types of fireplaces because there is nothing for them to clean up because there is no wood involved. If you are going to decorate or remodel your home this would be a great touch in any room of your house. They are great looking and serve a good purpose in your home.

A electric fireplace is operated just like a electric heater. Except along with the heat that it can put out it also has a illuminated look to it that can make it look like it has real embers and flames burning just like a wood fireplace would look. And some of these fireplaces come with fan forced heat and a thermostat. They come in different looking cabinets and different colors to choose from. And if you want you can buy a electric fireplace insert to use in the existing fireplace in your home. So you have different options when buying a electric fireplace. Some of these fireplaces will also allow you to just turn the flames on without turning the heat on if you prefer. This is a very nice feature. If you just want to sit back and watch your fireplace without having the heat.

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what electric, wall mounted fireplace has the most realistic fire?

Passionate

Answer
A very popular wall mounted electric fire is the Be Modern Orlando:

http://www.hotprice.co.uk/2118/5359/products/be-modern-orlando-wall-mounted-electric-fire---flat-glass.html

The Be Modern Orlando is available with a curved, black glass fascia or a flat glass fascia. It features LED lighting which have a selection of colours to represent a real fire.

Alternatively, have you seen the new LCD electric fires? These feature a real image of a fire (like a movie) and some offer a selection of scenes and even sound!

Dimplex make 2 electric fires with the LCD effect:

http://www.hotprice.co.uk/2118/3921/products/dimplex-living-art-wall-mounted-lcd-electric-fire---lva191.html

http://www.hotprice.co.uk/2118/4995/products/dimplex-living-art-wall-mounted-mirror-electric-fire----lva192.html

A new manufacturer of electric fires is Celsi Fires. They offer a similar style of electric fires and the flame effect can be seen here:
http://www.bfm-europe.com/index.php?target=steps&task=catstep&brand=10

Split level home, electric heating and fireplace. how to keep the heating cost down.?

tomf

Hello, I am about to buy a split level house with electric heating, and a fireplace. There is an attic fan also. Im trying to figure out if there is any nice routine or way to go about keeping the electricity bill down. Like when should I toss logs in the fireplace, what should I set the electric heater at. Should I turn in the attic fan to circulate the hot air from the basement to the 2nd lvl for a faster warming up. Total new experience to me, I will learn first hand, but I wont object to any advice from people with similiar situations. thanks for reading

Answer
See if you can use "off peak" heating, where you get your electricity for about 1/2 price, but have to have an alternate fuel source for a few hours a day when they potentially may turn off your electric (when prices are at the highest). Electric is the most expensive way to heat if you don't do the off peak method - I would not EVER buy a house that used electric heat unless i could do off peak heating (which is what I have). Natural gas is the way to go, if it is available. It is by far the cheapest. If you are already locked into this house, see if you can convert to natural gas heat. Propane is cheaper than full price electric. Fuel oil is costly - still probably cheaper than full price electric, though.

If you want to heat with wood, you either need a woodstove, or a wood furnace. A fireplace will do little - almost all the heat in the house goes up the flue, because you cannot control the draft. Just use the fireplace for ambiance, and don't use it on very cold days below say 10 degree fareignheit, or you will lose too much home heat up the flue. Your home may not be a layout that you can heat with a woodstove - the air needs to be able to get around. A ranch home, for example, would be really hard to get the woodstove heat to all the rooms. I have a small farmhouse, on the other hand - the old fashioned kind - and the woodstove works great.

Get a programmable thermostat, and have the heat at say 65 at night, and heat up the house an hour before you get up, to say 68. Have it turn the heat down while you are at work. The person who said not to do this is wrong. Every energy expert says to do a programmable thermostat to save money. His/her answer violates the laws of thermodynamics, I do not understand why people think that way! do change your furnace filters often in the winter. The more dust trapping the filter, the more often you have to change it. The cheap blue furnace filters cut down air flow least, so they are easy on the furnace, but they don't trap much dust either. So there is a compromise there. If you have allergies, be resigned to changing furnace filters often.

In a very cold climate, plastic on the windows is great- i do that. You can have the electric company do a thermal imaging picture of your house to look for areas that need improvement. It's about $100, I think. I haven't had it done yet.

ask the previous homeowner for tips. every house has quirks, so you want to know them.

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