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Are you a fan of getting cosy by the fire, but not so keen on chopping wood and all that smoke? Electric fireplaces are on the rise, and with good reason.
Although winter in Australia is regarded as a relatively mild experience when compared to what our northern neighbours go through, the three month period starting in June can still dramatically lower temperatures. For some, it means busting out the one pair of jeans they own, while for others, it can resemble the arrival of snow and sleet.
For the majority of the Land Down Under, winter usually means spending money on heating. In fact, heating and cooling methods actually amount to 40% of the average Australian home’s energy bill each year, with one of the most popular ways to combat this being the presence of an indoor fireplace.
Despite their cute aesthetics and warming capabilities, traditional wood burning fireplaces do come with their fair share of hazards. Wood burning heating devices make a substantial contribution to air pollution, and the smoke generated can also affect your health. Long-term exposure can cause heart and lung disease, while brief exposures can aggravate asthma or worsen pre-existing heart conditions. The alternative? Electric fireplaces.
For homeowners who want the warmth and comfort of a traditional fireplace without all of the maintenance and safety hazards, electric fireplaces provide the best of both worlds. While the ‘flames’ produced aren’t the same as the real thing, the ability to quickly heat up a home in a safe and mess free manner has seen electric fireplaces soar in popularity.
Similar to a gas or wood-burning fireplace, electric fireplaces have heating elements to warm up the room through electricity. In a nutshell, they function by drawing in the cool air, heating it internally, before letting it out in the room through a fan.
Although electric fireplaces might appear to have real flames inside them, this illusion has the capacity to fool visitors and make the room look and feel like a real fireplace is busy crackling away. In reality, the old school flickering inside the electric fireplace is caused by regular bulb lighting, which creates the look of flames.
The most common type of electric fireplace is the “electric log”. This has a heating element inside with a fake wood covering, complete with ultra realistic-looking flames. This can be turned on and off with a switch, which is hidden and usually positioned behind the fake log.
One of the major attractions of electric fireplaces is that homeowners have greater control, and can adjust heating levels if and when required. In addition, many of the dangers present with a traditional wood burning fireplace are also removed, as there’s no hot ash or coals to be wary of, which is particularly comforting if you share your home with kids or pets.
As no wood is burnt to produce flames, another bous is that electric fireplaces don’t produce any extra emissions. Homeowners also don’t need to have a chimney to ferry out smoke, and the environment is therefore not harmed through any additional air pollution.
Provided that they are well maintained, installed by a professional and serviced at least once a year, electric fireplaces also consume much less power than many people initially believe. If you’re not looking forward to the prospect of a sky high power bill this winter, investing in an electric fireplace can provide a means to stay warm, and pay less.
If you’re on the hunt for a decent sparky to help heat up or cool down your home, finding a reputable and local electrician to bring your vision to life or fix an electrical issue can feel a bit like finding a needle in a haystack. Thankfully, the team at Shield Electrical offer a solution.
Here at Shield Electrical, we are a Brisbane based electrical contracting company, and pride ourselves on being shockingly good at watt we do. For us, friendly and reliable customer service isn’t just a nice add on – it’s how we do business. Don’t take our word for it though, just ask our clients.
Established in 2015, Shield Electrical is lighting the way when it comes to providing electrical work with world class customer service. With our headquarters based in the central suburban pocket of Coorparoo, our team of qualified industry professionals are readily available to deliver quality workmanship, fast quotes, and affordable pricing.
Whether you’re on the hunt for an electrician for domestic services, residential, commercial and industrial construction, security systems or even just further energy saving tips, get in touch with us at Shield today to source practical solutions that don’t break the bank.
