Fireplaces for Heating

Traditional Chimney Fireplace

• The chimney fireplace is the traditional fireplace and has remained much the same for hundreds of years. This fireplace is usually located in the central room of a home and is designed to circulate warm air throughout a home that is designed with a fireplace in mind. Traditional fireplaces burn wood and emit from a large opening in the front. This opening is the same area where the fire gets oxygen to burn, which makes a traditional fireplace less efficient than some others, which use oxygen fed from an inlet pipe. Traditional fireplaces also require large chimneys that require maintenance and cleaning to minimize the danger of a house fire.

Gas Fireplace

• Gas fireplaces provide a level of control not available in traditional chimney fireplaces. Instead of real logs, gas fireplaces burn through vented logs that are designed to resemble real wood. These logs, called gas logs, come in different styles and sizes and allow the homeowner to use the fireplace all the time without needing to replenish wood supply. The gas can be controlled by a panel or lever to the side of the unit that increases the gas on a fire from a pilot in just the same way a gas burner operates on the range of a stove. Unlike traditional fireplaces, gas fireplaces use a much smaller outlet vent which can be easily installed in the roof. This outlet vent is much smaller than fireplaces.

Direct Vented Fireplace

• Direct vented fireplaces burn gas or real wood just like traditional and gas fireplaces, the difference is that direct vented fireplaces oxygenate the fire from an inlet pipe behind the fire. The result is a hotter fire and unimpeded emissions from the front outlet. In fact, direct vented fireplaces burn so much hotter that they must have an enclosure around them to ensure the safety of those close by.

Electric Fireplace

• While some electric fireplaces are designed to only appear to be giving off flame, others are fully functioning fireplaces that not only provide the look, but also the warmth of a fire. These fireplaces can be controlled by remote and include electric heating coils that warm the room while the fire is going.