10 Different Types of Fireplaces for your Home

In the immortal words of Jon Snow, “winter is coming.” It’s time to store the wood logs for the long, cold nights.

The heavy blankets, those bright and tall mugs for drinking hot chocolate with mini marshmallows on top, and the furry slippers to keep your feet warm are some other items you’ll need for this season.

If you have a fireplace in your home, then good for you! If you are planning to install a fireplace in the living room then you are in a world of surprise. When you hear the word ‘fireplace’, what comes to your mind?

A brick hearth with logs placed in it and a mesh fire screen in the front. We are right, aren’t we?

That’s how the old fireplaces used to be. Today, there are so many types of fireplaces with different designs and styles that you will be amazed.

From real to faux, contemporary to modern, wood-burning to furl burning and the list goes on.

Following are some of the common and popular fireplace types that people usually like to have in their home:

Fireplace Fuel Types and Designs

Wood-Burning Fireplace

Wood has been used as a fuel source for thousands of years. It is considered the classic fireplace that has a soothing quality to it.

The crackling of wood, the sparks, and the smell of burning wood… these are all the features that make this fireplace so special.

So, why are they slowly going out of business? For one, the installation is quite expensive and professional cleaning is required to keep the hearth and chimney free from ashes and dust. Moreover, you have to buy wood and make sure that it is stored in a dry place.

Wood-Burning Stove

A wood stove is mostly made of cast iron or steel. It has a glass door that keeps the flames trapped. This design is better than a chimney design, as the structure is compact and reduces maintenance cost.

Open-Hearth Fireplace

An open-hearth fireplace comes under wood-burning fireplaces. As the name says, the hearth is open to the room and the structure is made of bricks, which are embedded in the wall. The chimney serves as a ventilation system. This fireplace design is quite expensive as it requires the restructuring of the wall where it goes.

Hanging Fireplace

This fireplace is connected to the home’s ventilation system and mostly uses wood as the burning source. A hanging fireplace adds quite the modern touch to the room and makes a wonderful addition.

Electric Fireplace

An electric fireplace has coils in the hearth that heat and give off warmth. Usually, a fan is embedded in the hearth that distributes the heat.

The flame and logs you see in TVs in such fireplaces are not real. It’s an image, most probably a 3D hologram.

Some fireplaces are quite advanced and can be operated with a remote. The temperature level can be increased and decreased as desired.

What makes this fireplace so appealing is that it has a modern design, it is less expensive compared to wood-burning stoves and since there is no soot to clean, it is maintenance-free. You can also place them in bedrooms if you want.

Free-Standing Fireplace

The best thing about a free-standing fireplace is that it adds a certain charm to the room. You have plenty of design options to choose from. Usually, a free-standing fireplace is open from the front and back. The best fuel option for this fireplace is electric.

Tabletop Fireplace

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This fireplace is quite small and lightweight. To give you the ease of carrying it around anywhere, this fireplace mostly comes with an electrical fuel source.

Gel Fireplace

Gel fireplaces are rarely found in houses. As the name says, it uses gel to produce heat. All you need to refuel the fireplace is a gel can.

The best thing about this fireplace is that it can be mounted on the wall. Moreover, you can move it around into other rooms too.

The flame can be ignited using a lighter. The drawback of this fireplace is that it does not produce much heat. This fireplace is purely for aesthetic appeal.

Wall-Mounted Fireplace

You can use any fuel type for a wall-mounted fireplace. Most people connect it to a chimney, while others want it to be easy-breezy, so they go with gel for the fuel.

Gas Fireplace

A gas fireplace is a great alternative to a wood-burning fireplace. If you already have a wood-burning fireplace and are annoyed with all the maintenance, then you can install a gas fireplace in its place.

You can connect it to your existing gas line. This will not only be a highly efficient choice but a cost-saving one too, as it will lower the heating bills.

The good news is that even if you don’t have a gas line, you can make do with a propane tank.

Ethanol Fireplace

The ethanol fireplace is the same as the gel fireplace. Usually, this fireplace has a burner, which is filled with the flammable liquid. Like the gel fireplace, this is also purely for decorative purpose.

There are plenty of other fireplace designs and styles, and these days, people are trying to customize the look according to their interior décor. So, which fireplace design are you going to choose? If you are looking for more informational articles like this, then visit Epic Home Ideas.