
If you live in an apartment, mobile home or even a home you don’t want to risk damaging, it can be difficult to come up with remodeling ideas, especially when it comes to home heating. You can’t exactly tear a hole in your apartment wall to install a fireplace, or convert the heating from gas to electric over the weekend, so it helps to know other methods of generating heat in the home.
Luckily, there are quite a few heating alternatives that don’t involve extensive work on your living space. One option is adding an electric fireplace to the décor. An electric fireplace offers sufficient heating minus an extensive home improvement project.
Warmth without the hassle
Just because you can’t have a real fireplace in your home doesn’t mean you can’t have something similar. An electric fireplace provides enough heat to warm up an entire room without having to purchase firewood (or cut it yourself) or stoke a fire. Simply place the electric fireplace in the room you want to heat, plug it into a standard power outlet and you’re good to go. No chimney sweeping involved.
More than just a fireplace
Yes, an electric fireplace is primarily a heating source, but it also serves as a functional, decorative piece in the home. You can opt for something as simple as a free-standing electric stove, or something as elaborate as an electric fireplace entertainment center that holds your TV, DVD player and gaming consoles, as well as DVDs and games. Some models even let you turn on the "flame" effects without the heat, so even in the warmest days of summer, you can give your room that romantic ambience of a log fire.
There are dozens of styles to choose from, including dark and light wood, white and black, glossy and matte – no matter what look you want for your home, you’ll find a fireplace design that fits.
Bring the heat
Electric fireplace heaters are easy to install in your existing wood or gas masonry fireplace without the need for a contractor. Electric units may be more economical when used is small rooms when compared to comparable gas powered options. While electricity rates vary by region, the efficiency of specific heaters is relatively consistent. In fact, over time your electric fireplace can pay for itself as it protects the environment and provides you with convenient heat and realistic looking flames.
Once a fireplace is installed in a home, there’s no moving it to the opposite end of the house. The great thing about electric fireplaces is that there are portable models, so you can move the heat where you need it. If you want to heat your living room one day, and your bedroom the next, you have that option with a portable fireplace.
Don’t suffer in your cold house any longer. If you’ve been dreading spending the money on a home remodel, or don’t have the option to remodel in the first place, an electric fireplace can provide heat without damaging your living space. For more information on how to heat your home, check out our free ebook, Cure for the Common Cold Room.