Fireplaces are exquisite additions to a home. They make the living room look wonderful and also increase the resale value of the house. Fireplaces are efficient energy sources and help in reducing the heating bill considerably. Few things can be as inviting and relaxing on the warm couch in front of a fireplace after a hectic day.
That being said, certain fireplace upgrades are quite common. These help in improving the efficiency of the fireplace and also increasing its longevity. Let’s take a look at some of the common fireplace upgrades that you can implement.
Fireplace Insert
To put simple, a fireplace insert is a firebox that fits inside the fireplace. The firebox is either made of cast iron or steel and the front of the firebox is made of insulated glass. These materials help in trapping the heat and prevents the heat from escaping through the chimney. Thus the heated air is pushed into the room making it warmer. This makes the fireplace insert a highly efficient source of heating. Fireplace inserts are powered by gas, electricity, wood, propane, coal etc.
The <href=”#.zdab3toz9″>benefits of fireplace inserts are many. Fireplace inserts are extremely environment-friendly. This is because the closed firebox prevents the release of harmful elements like carbon monoxide and so on into the atmosphere. Fireplace inserts burn these toxic elements up, thus reducing the fireplace emission to zero.
Additionally, the fireplace inserts adds a layer of safety owing to the glass doors. These help in cost reduction by reducing maintenance requirements.
Fireplace Mantel
A bare fireplace may not be quite the sight that you are expecting from it. A fireplace mantel can help in making the fireplace look more beautiful. Apart from adding beauty to the fireplace, a mantel can also be quite functional. It acts as a shelf for the prized possessions that you have. A fireplace mantel also adds an architectural touch to the room making the fireplace look majestic.
A nicely decorated mantel can serve as the best place to hang the Christmas stockings.
Upgrade the Hearth
You can make your fireplace look even more captivating by updating the hearth. If your fireplace doesn’t already have a hearth, you can easily update it by building one. Building a fireplace hearth is easy. Before building a fireplace hearth, it is important to find out the standards to ensure that your building’s codes accommodate the installation of a fireplace hearth.
If your fireplace already has a hearth, you can adorn it by tiling. When it comes to tiling, there are various options that you can avail. You will get variants for both, color and material of the tiles. You can choose from among terracotta or black marble or even white marble and other variants for the tiles. While choosing the material for the tiles, it is important to ensure that the one you select can withstand the heat from the fireplace.
In addition to that, you can also consider tiling the fireplace surround with the same material to achieve a complete look. Artistic tiles can make the fireplace look exquisite. The right tile can make the fireplace look more rustic or modern. For example, you use smooth glass to make the fireplace surround and hearth look more modern.
Using stone is also a good idea.
Gas Fireplace
With time, the gas fireplace has turned out to be one of the most convenient heating sources for homeowners. This is because a gas fireplace requires minimum maintenance. Also, it is a highly efficient heating source.
There are various replicas available for the wooden logs that look exactly like the original ones. This gives a more wooden look to the gas fireplace.
Regular Maintenance
Did you know that you can get more heat out of your fireplace by cleaning and maintaining it regularly? This is one of the most important updates that you can implement on your fireplace to make it last longer. Additionally, regular inspection and maintenance help you identify the faults in your fireplace which can turn out to be major hazards if they are neglected. This also helps in reducing repairing costs considerably.
If you live in Crawley Down, you should get in touch with a reliable chimney sweep in Crawley Down for this purpose.
These upgrades will keep your fireplace looking new and help in generating more heat.
Contributed by:http://www.jamesthesweep.co.uk/
