Choose And Set Up The Best Fireplace For Your Home

  
     
  By Steve Harmon
  
  keywords: fireplace best fireplace  
     
  Whether you are building a brand new house or redecorating your old one, chances are the fireplace is one of the first items you consider. Fireplaces are important to the design and function of any room. When properly designed and installed, a fireplace can add immediate warmth and serve as the room’s focal point, pulling all the other room elements together. Unfortunately, the opposite also applies: if you choose the wrong fireplace, you also end up with a room that’s imbalanced, ill-proportioned, or lacking in character.

Fireplaces now come in different styles and designs, so there’s sure to be one that will work for you. Here are several simple tips to help you choose the right fireplace for your home.


Determine your needs. Do you want a strictly decorative fireplace or something that’s both beautiful and functional? Certain marble fireplaces are entirely decorative, but most are designed to contain at least one basic heating element. If you want your fireplace to be functional, you need to work with available heating systems and your chimney type, which can minimize your options. Stone, marble, and brick finishes typically work for all applications.

Know your chimney type. Several chimney types work with different heating sources. The most common types of chimney are:

Class 1 Flue: Normally found in older houses, this type is identified by a stone or brick chimney stack with a measurement of seven inches across or more. This type of chimney works with all heat sources.

Class 2 Flue: Homes built after 1960 will normally have this type. The Class 2 Flue features a slightly smaller steel flue liner in place of the brick structure. It works with gas, electric fires, and LPG, but is not recommended for solid fires like logs or wood.

Pre-cast Flue: Most new homes are fitted with a pre-cast flue, characterized by a small rectangular box placed on the roof. Like the Class 2 Flue, it works with all heat sources except woods or logs.

If you don’t have a chimney, your choices are an electric type of fireplace or one with a balanced flue or powerflue system. Powerflues offer the rustic appearance of a traditional fire, but require an electric source in the proximity of the fireplace. Balanced flues are positioned behind a glass panel, which can decrease artistic appeal and heat.

Proportion your fireplace. The size of your fireplace and your room should be proportional to one another. A huge fireplace works well in a huge room, and a little fireplace should be enough for a smaller room. You also need to consider the available wall space, and see to it that there’s enough floor space in front of the fire to help spread the heat.

Specify a budget. Cost will always be a major concern when it comes to fireplaces. They typically cost anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. Before selecting a type and finish, search for the available prices online and determine what you can work with.

Select the perfect material. The material you selected will affect both the function and the appearance of your fireplace. Stone and brick are typically referred to as the best fireplace materials due to the fact that they heat extremely well, unlike metal and wood which have to be well-insulated. Try to match the architectural style of your home: a steel grate will go well with a classic, sophisticated appearance, while a brick or wood finish will go well with a rustic country theme.

Consider ongoing costs. When you buy a fireplace, you don’t pay just for the unit itself. Power and fuel costs have to be taken into account, as well as the price of cleaning and maintenance. Find one that’s guaranteed energy-efficient by regulating bodies—you’ll probably see the energy stamp on the package.



  
  keywords: fireplace best fireplace  
  Article Source: http://interpret.zar.vg   
     
  About The Author
Steve Harmon is a general contractor with over 25 years of experience in the construction industry and the author of several building and construction articles on redeco.org. Steve has been building things since he was a child, and his knowledge in everything from building materials to proper H/VAC design, combined with his clear and concise writing style, has made him one of the most popular writers on redeco.org. 		 
     
 
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