Fireplaces can sometimes be perceived as a ‘dated’ feature of a household. After all, this isn’t the 1900s, we all have central heating – so who really needs a fireplace in this day and age? Of course, we here at Real Flame believe that people who think this way are really missing out on the key advantages of owning a fireplace.
Fireplaces are so much more than a source of heat. Given just how far fireplace technology has come, you would be foolish to think that, because you have central heating, your home could not benefit from a fireplace. Here are 8 reasons why we believe fireplaces still hold a place in the home:
Increased Value
You may not have considered this, but fireplaces add a good amount of value to a home. We’re not talking about a measly 1% or 2% either; some studies have shown that a fireplace can increase the value of an average home by more than 10%. That’s certainly not a figure to be sniffed at.
Whilst most people probably would not purchase a fireplace merely from an investment perspective, it is certainly an added benefit to consider. At the very least, you will be able to recoup the cost of the fireplace itself if you sell your house.
Pieces of Art
Gone are the days when fireplaces were all large, heavy duty, ground-level installations. Nowadays, fireplaces can be sleek pieces of design that make use of innovative styles of flame effects. You can think of fireplaces as a piece of art within your interior design, which contributes to the ambience of your home even if you don’t use them regularly.
You can even get something like a hole-in-the-wall fireplace that can be positioned half-way up a wall, essentially taking the place of a portrait or framed picture. Fireplaces really can be used to make a home more aesthetically pleasing, and if it’s functional too then you have the added benefit of being able to use it as a normal fire should you want to.
Calming Effect
Perhaps it’s a reaction that harks back to the days of prehistory, but humans have always been inexorably drawn to fire. Whilst there’s a lot to be said for the wonders of central heating, it’s simply not the same thing as watching flames flicker, crackle and dance in a fireplace.
The glow of a fire is enormously atmospheric and very calming, so even though it is fundamentally for providing warmth in a physical sense, it brings so much more with it, as well. If you have had a hectic day at work, or are just looking to wind down at night, installing a fire in your home is a fantastic way to de-stress.
Save Money
Sometimes, turning on the central heating can burn a hole in your pocket. Especially during those ‘in-between’ times in early spring when it’s not quite cold enough for full-blown central heating, but there’s still a chill in the air that you want to do something about.
Similarly, if you spend most of your time in a particular room in your home, it would seem like a waste of energy and money to heat your entire house when you’re going to be staying primarily in one place. Fireplaces can step up and lend a hand during these times, enabling you to keep your central heating off for longer and save money whilst still being warm and toasty in those times when you need it.
Little Maintenance
As well as saving you money in terms of heating bills, you can also rest assured that fireplaces need very little in the way of maintenance. If you choose to install a fireplace which has a chimney, you only need to get this swept around once every year to ensure it remains in safe working use. Other than this, you only need to clean your fireplace when it gets dirty, just like you would clean any other appliance within your home.
The Focal Point of the Room
Fireplaces are often the focal point of any room they are installed in, and in many cases, they can completely change the aesthetic of your home. If you’re looking to completely revamp your home’s look, installing a fireplace is a great way to instantly set the tone you’re looking for. Another great benefit of adding a fireplace to your home is the ambiance it brings along with it; you can genuinely bring a room to life by simply installing a fireplace in your home.
Along with being a centrepiece for a room, fireplaces bring a more natural warmth to a room than traditional central heating does; just imagine sitting in front of a roaring fire on a cold winter’s night – you feel warmer already, don’t you?
Environmentally Friendly
The environmental impact fireplaces have has been minimised hugely in the last few years. The rise in popularity of bio-ethanol fires is partly down to the minimal carbon footprint they leave behind. These types of burners use a fuel that is completely composed of biological products; this means that when burnt, it gives off a clean emission that is infinitely renewable. Not only are they environmentally friendly, but they also don’t require a chimney or flue, meaning that you can place these burners in any space you wish.
So Much Choice
As we’ve already mentioned, fireplaces are not what they used to be. The choice of fireplaces means that there is a design for literally every preference. If you don’t want to have a hearth, that’s no problem; electric fireplaces can be placed practically anywhere there is a plug. If you want to save space, you could opt for a hole-in-the-wall installation. The choice is almost endless.
Here at Real Flame, we’ve carried out immeasurable fireplace installations in London, and we’re proud to say that we can offer you a comprehensive variety of fireplace designs to brighten up your home.
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