When most people hear the word fireplace, they envision a living room with a small crackling fireplace gradually burning through the wood or other material. They also will usually have an image of a rainy or snowy day outside and an entire family sitting around the fireplace warming up.
However, in the modern age, more people are opting to use electric fireplaces because they feel that they offer more advantages when compared to the traditional wood-burning option. Still, if you are comparing the pros and cons of a real fireplace, you may have inadvertently overlooked some of the advantages they can offer over an electric fireplace.
They Create Heat
The most obvious advantage of a real fireplace over a virtual or electric one is that they create more heat.
An electric fireplace can look pretty, but it is unlikely to be able to warm your home up on a cold day, which real fireplaces can do almost effortlessly. Of course, when it comes to real fireplaces, some can offer more heat than others based on their size. Whatever the case, if you live in a cold area, it may be worth looking among the fireplaces London specialists offer to find out which ones create the most heat.
They Are More Eco-Friendly
It may seem contradictory, but a real fireplace can be better for the environment. There is no electricity or gas required to run it, and you do not need to have a long-distance firewood supplier in many cases – if you live near a wood, you will have a ready supply of the right materials outside your door.
Also, many electric fireplaces cannot be recycled when they break, making them not exactly the eco-friendliest option. What’s more, a real fireplace is simply a square hole in a wall; this means it won’t break down like an electric option might!
They Are Safer
Once again, this may seem contradictory but traditional fireplaces are usually safer than electric ones. A fireplace that is burning wood is hot, and you can get grates to go around it to prevent sparks and embers from hitting the carpet.
On the other hand, an electric fireplace often has no indicators that it is hot, which can lead to injury, especially in children and pets who might be lingering too close to it.
They Are Cheaper
An electric or virtual fireplace will use electricity and/or gas to run, thus raising your energy bills. This is certainly not ideal when there are current issues surrounding the costs of gas and electricity! Therefore, it is often more cost-effective to have a traditional fireplace, as even the fuel to keep it running is cheap!
They Are More Attractive
If you are looking to sell your home, a real functioning fireplace can add around 5% to your home’s value, as it is seen as a very desirable feature to have.
An electric fireplace simply doesn’t have this advantage and can thus put people off of the idea of purchasing or renting a home.
