What is inside an electric fireplace?

If at any point in your life, you have been out shopping for electric fireplaces or even done some digging on the internet about them, then you probably noticed that they come in different models, shapes and sizes. And from firsthand experience, out of sheer curiosity you probably also wondered “what is inside an electric fireplace?” If so, you have come to the right place.

To save you the hassle of having to open an electric fireplace just to know what is inside it, we went ahead and opened our unit. And in this article, we shall provide a detailed explanation of what is inside an electric fireplace. Furthermore, we shall also explain how to clean the inside of an electric fireplace. This will be of help if opening your electric fireplace becomes a necessity. 

What is inside an electric fireplace?

 This is a common question and contrary to what many might think the inside of all-electric fireplaces is almost identical. Typically electric fireplaces have two components on the inside. These are:

• Heating element
• Either an LED screen or a light source that creates the flame illusion

And our electric fireplace is no different.

1. Heating element

In our electric fireplace, the heating element is made up of a blower fan and a heating coil. To generate heat it functions similarly to a traditional space heater. Here is how:

• First, it draws in cool air using the blower fan.
• Then the cool air is passed over a heating coil to warm it up.
• Finally, the warm air is forced out by the blower fan to heat up the room.

However, in other models of electric fireplaces, the heating element is an infrared heater. The infrared heater heats up a room using radiation from infrared light.

2. Flame illusion mechanisms

Electric fireplaces operate without a real flame therefore inside an electric fireplace there are mechanisms used to create the illusion of fire. In our electric fireplace, the flame illusion is created using:

• Led strip as the light source
• Mirrors on a rotating rod
• Fake logs
• Back screen

As for the actual mechanics of how the flame effect is created, here is a breakdown:

 When the electric fireplace is switched on the LED strip, found below the fake logs, lights up and the rotating rod with mirrors starts to spin. Once in motion, the mirrors reflect light from the LED strip onto the back screen to create the effect of flickering flames.

Alternatively, some electric fireplaces come equipped with an LED screen to create the effect of a flame. The LED screen does so by displaying images of real moving flames. The LED screen works similarly to how a TV or phone displays images on its screen.

Now that you are familiar with what is inside an electric fireplace, let us proceed to how to clean the inside parts.

How to clean inside an electric fireplace

Electric fireplaces have zero emissions since they do not use real fire. That means they do not require routine maintenance as gas and wood-burning fireplaces do. Nonetheless, electric fireplaces need periodic cleaning to prevent dust and dirt from piling up. Periodic maintenance of electric fireplaces is necessary since dust and dirt pile up, especially on the inlet and outlet vents, which would hinder the smooth operation of the unit.

To clean the inside of an electric fireplace you first need to open it. But, typically it is not recommended you open your electric fireplaces as the interior parts are delicate. However, in some cases opening the electric fireplace becomes a necessity, for instance when dust piles up inside the unit. Therefore, it is important to note that before you proceed to open the electric fireplace, you should first go through its user manual. And only if its manual provides a guide on how to open the unit safely, here is a step-by-step guide to clean the inside:

1. Shut off the electric fireplace and unplug it from the power source.
2. Open the unit as instructed in the user’s manual
3. Using a microfiber cloth gently wipe off the dust from the blower
4. Using a soft brush carefully remove dust piled up on the rotating mirrors and the light source (bulb or LED strip)
5. Finally, using a vacuum with a soft brush extension, get rid of dust piled up on the ember bed. Follow through with a microfiber cloth to get rid of any residue.

A key thing to note when cleaning the inside of an electric fireplace is that you should never use a damp cloth. A damp cloth would leave moisture on the internal parts of the electric fireplace, and as we all know electricity and moisture do not go well together.

The benefits of cleaning an electric fireplace

There are several benefits that come as a result of cleaning an electric fireplace, they include:

• Improves functionality – cleaning an electric fireplace ensures that the unit operates well and runs smoothly.
• Increases durability – cleaning an electric fireplace ensures that its parts of the electric do not wear out quickly and as a result, the unit lasts longer.
• Improves safety – when an electric fireplace is cleaned it operates safely. For instance, when dirt and dust are cleared from the unit’s inlet and outlet the chances of the unit overheating from poor air circulation, are eliminated.
• Improves aesthetics – when dust and dirt pile up removed from an electric fireplace the unit looks great.
• Saves costs – as mentioned above, periodic cleaning of an electric fireplace ensures that parts do not wear out easily. This means that the unit will not need regular repair work, and in the long run, you end up saving quite a lot.

Conclusion

Knowing what is inside an electric fireplace is quite useful especially if you want to understand how they operate. Additionally, it comes in handy when you want to clean the inside of an electric fireplace. Lucky for you Christmas came early, in this article we have expounded on both “what is inside an electric fireplace” and “how to clean inside an electric fireplace”.