When we mention electric fires, we tend to think of the old fashioned, single bar or fan heaters. The truth is that there is an amazing home product range that has evolved over the last decade or so. There are some really stylish electric fires that not only look fantastic but they are very efficient too.
In this article, we review the different types of electric fire on the market and a few points you might want to consider before buying one.
Types of Electric Fire
There is a wide range of options both available in-store and online, and it’s important to consider what kind of room you are heating and how your new electric fire is going to fit in. Here are just some of the choices:
- Freestanding fires: These are normally incorporated into a mantelpiece that can then be placed anywhere in the home. That means you aren’t constrained by the design of your property and can create exciting and attractive spaces from scratch.
- Inset fires: These are more traditional and make use of an existing fireplace, inset into the space around the grate. They create a great focal point for an area like a living room and come in many different varieties including those with flame effects.
- Wall-mounted electric fires: These are becoming more popular, especially in modern homes. Essentially, they look a lot like a TV screen and are mounted on the wall rather than at floor level. This is a great way to make a feature of your fire and really add to the design value of your room. They can be used for practically any room in the home.
- Electric stoves: If you don’t have a chimney but love the look of traditional wood burning stoves, you can now recreate that look with an electric stove with the added bonus that these are easier to install and are typically cheaper and lighter.
Room Size and Your Electric Fire
When choosing an electric fire for your home, the room size is going to play an important role. This comes to down to what heat output you need. If it’s too low, then you’ll have trouble heating the room, too high and you’ll be spending a little too much for the room you want to heat and you’ll be over-heating!
Output is normally measured in watts. The good news is that Which? provide a useful wattage calculator where you simply input the size of your room and click check. As a general rule, you probably need 1kW of heat for every 14 m³. Bear in mind that there are upper limits to the wattage for an electric fire of around 2kW, according to Dimplex and that these will typically be less than gas fires and wood stoves so an electric fire might not be suitable for a very large room.
Safety Tips for Electric Fires
Electrical appliances are one of the most common causes of fire in the home. The good news is that modern electric fires are some of the safest electrical appliances on the market. There are, however, certain safety tips you should follow:
- Unplug an electric fire and switch if off when you are not using the room or are going off to bed.
- Don’t place things directly in front of the fire, do not be tempted to place clothes to dry in front of the fire!
- Makes sure your new electric fire is installed by a professional who knows what they are doing, particularly if you are opting for an inset fire.
- Keep your fire clean and in good order and pay attention to fuses that suddenly blow or flickering lights that may suggest a problem.
Electric fires might be a great option for you if you don’t have a chimney but want that real fire effect. With the large range of efficient fires on the market you really are spoilt for choice but make sure you do some research to make sure you are getting the right fire for you, then sit back and enjoy your new cosy room!
