The Low-Tech Times

There are several fireplace choices today, but there’s nothing like spending an evening around a real wood-burning fire. If you’re building a new home or buying an existing home, I recommend looking into a wood-burning fireplace or wood stove for reliable heat when the power is out.

Here’s a look at the major types of fireplaces available:

• Electric Fireplaces–These are plug-in devices with fake burning logs. Requiring electricity, they may be a good choice for someone who wants a fireplace, but lives in a condo or other situation where a chimney is not an option.
• Gas Fireplaces–Despite using natural gas or propane as fuel, these fireplaces typically also require electricity for their ignition control systems. Like electric fireplaces, they feature fake burning logs.
• Pellet Stoves–Pellet stoves are very efficient at heating and they show off a real burning glow. However, the pellet feeding and blower mechanisms both require electricity in order to function.
• Wood-burning Fireplaces–Wood-burning fireplaces provide a very nice ambience. They are not especially efficient at heating; however, they can easily heat a room or cabin in the event of a power outage.
• Wood Stoves–Wood stoves may not offer exactly the same romantic atmosphere as a wood-burning fireplace, but they are quite effective at providing heat for small homes. Like wood-burning fireplaces, they do not require any electricity to operate. You can also use a wood stove as an old-fashioned humidifier by placing a pot of water atop the radiant metal wood stove.

This entry was posted on Sunday, February 3rd, 2008 at 8:17 pm and is filed under RECOMMENDED, household items / appliances. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.