Can you put an electric fireplace in any room? Does a room affect electric fireplace performance? Knowing we are well experienced with electric fireplaces, these are just some of the questions we get from friends and family who want to own electric fireplaces. But, by far the most common question we get is “Which is the best room for electric fireplaces?” If you are anything like them then you came to the right place.
So which is the best room for electric fireplaces? Well, there is no definitive answer to the question. This is because the best room for an electric fireplace depends on your intended use of the fireplace. Hence, to help you decide the best room for an electric fireplace in your house we have prepared a summary of the best room for an electric fireplace depending on the intended use:
- Best room for supplemental heating
Electric fireplaces are designed for either zonal heating or supplemental heating. If you intend to use an electric fireplace for heating, you can only use it in a room of approximately 400 square feet to 800 square feet. Why? You might ask. Well, the most common electric fireplace models in the market today are designed to generate around 5000 BTUs (120-volt units) to 8000 BTUs (240-volt units). Having said that, 5,000 BTUs is only enough to effectively heat up a room of up to 400 square feet while 8000 BTUs is only sufficient to heat up a room space of up to 800 square feet.
Keeping that in mind, in order to identify the best room for installing an electric fireplace meant to generate warmth. Check the voltage of the electric fireplace and measure the rooms in your house to determine which room fits the size requirements. Most often, living rooms, bathrooms, and bedrooms are the perfect size for this use.
- The best room when heat is not a necessity
Electric fireplaces have the option of reducing the heat levels or entirely turning the heat off. This feature comes in handy especially when one wants to improve the ambiance of a room but not raise the temperature. If you intend to use an electric fireplace in this way then any room with a power source is suitable for an electric fireplace. This is because the unit will not overheat when the room is too small or generate insufficient heat when the room is too big
- Best room for flames effect display
Some people just enjoy having the flame effects running on screen and the sound of a crackling fire in the background without the heating bit. This is suitable for improving the mood in condos, luxury homes, and even regular homes. If you intend to install an electric fireplace for that purpose then a suitable room would be one without too much overhead and natural lighting. Electric fireplace flames look great in low light because too much lighting in the room would wash over the flames in the electric fireplace.
- The best room when safety is a major concern
With fireplaces, safety is always a major concern since there is an inherent risk of accidental burns while the fireplace is operating. This is especially the case if one has kids or pets around the fireplace. However, with electric fireplaces, the risk of being burnt upon touching the fireplace is nonexistent since the front glass of an electric fireplace remains cool during operation. This design feature of electric fireplaces makes any room suitable for electric fireplaces when safety is a concern. Nonetheless, you should never leave kids and pets alone with an electric fireplace.
How can you match an electric fireplace to your room?
After identifying the best room for an electric fireplace in your house, whether it is the living room, bathroom, or bedroom, you will need to find a matching electric fireplace model. This is because every room has different requirements for an electric fireplace. And, electric fireplaces come in a variety of options all with different capabilities and provisions.
To assist you with identifying an electric fireplace model that best fits a room, we have provided a comprehensive guide below:
- Choosing an electric fireplace for a living room
Most often, people tend to prefer electric fireplaces in their living rooms or similar entertainment spaces. Although the installation process for these spaces is easy, there are factors that one should consider to ensure that the electric fireplace model they settle on is the ideal one.
Design
When choosing an electric fireplace to be installed in a living room you should first consider the design of your living room. You should pick an electric fireplace design that compliments the rest of the decor around the space. If you want to create a traditional room then a realistic-looking unit would be the best fit. Alternatively, if you want a room that has an ultramodern design then a unit with distinctive flame patterns and a front fire glass would be the most ideal.
Nonetheless, there are no hard rules when choosing the best design for an electric fireplace. The best one depends on your taste and preference.
Style
If you intend to create a space for entertainment then the design needs to portray that also. Hence, designing with the fireplace as the only focal point is not appropriate. Alternatively, you should use other features in the room as a focal point. Amongst the most common alternative focal points is working around the T.V. If you decide to work with a T.V as a focal point, you should consider the manufacturer's guide on how to space the T.V and the electric fireplace
- Choosing an electric fireplace for a bedroom
Over the last couple of years, installing electric fireplaces in bedrooms has risen in popularity. This is a result of the relatively small size and versatile nature of electric fireplaces. Additionally, since electric fireplaces, unlike wood and gas fireplaces, do not require any special venting they can be easily installed even in a bedroom.
To get the perfect unit for a bedroom you should consider:
Design
Similar to a living room you should consider whether your bedroom would benefit more from a temporary or conventional unit design.
Availability of heat
Next up, you should consider whether you would want the electric fireplace as an additional source of warmth in your bedroom or not. If so, adding a unit with great heating capabilities would be ideal than having one with flames as its main focus.
- Choosing an electric fireplace for a bathroom
Having a long bath or shower with a soothing ambiance from the crackling sound of fire is just tough to beat. For that reason, nowadays bathroom electric fireplaces are not only found in luxury homes and hotels but also in regular homes. If you want to make this addition to your house’s bathroom here is what you should consider:
Heating
Similar to a bedroom, the small size of a bathroom makes heating capability another important factor to consider. The warmth and electric fireplace generates make taking a bath or shower a far more relaxing experience
Water resistance
Considering the nature of a bathroom, an electric fireplace is certainly going to get wet. And for that reason, water resistance is an important consideration when installing an electric fireplace in a bathroom.
- Choosing an electric fireplace for an outdoor space
Sometimes the best place to install an electric fireplace is an outdoor space. This is especially if you want to extend your patio sessions throughout all seasons of the year. To find the perfect electric fireplace for an outdoor space you should consider:
Outdoor rating
The general principle for electric fireplaces is that you should never use an electric fireplace meant for indoor use outdoors. By doing that you run the risk of the unit rusting or electric failure, once moisture gets into the unit. Hence, an electric fireplace meant for outdoor use should be outdoor rated and weatherproofed to ensure it withstands outdoor elements.
BTU ratings
BTU (British Thermal Unit) is a measure of heat content from energy sources. The size of your outdoor space will determine the BTU rating you require from an electric fireplace. The higher the BTU the higher the heat generated from an electric fireplace. A large outdoor space will need more heat than a smaller space. Therefore, if you have a large patio you will need an electric fireplace with a higher BTU rating than if you have a smaller patio.
Conclusion
The best room in your house to install an electric fireplace is entirely dependent on your intended use of the fireplace. In addition, after identifying the most suitable room to install a unit you should pick a unit that fully fits the room. This is because different rooms have different requirements for an electric fireplace unit. Having gone through this guide, we hope you easily find the right room for an electric fireplace in your house as well as the right electric fireplace unit.
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