Electric Fireplace Insert
We like to have a fire in the fireplace for a lot of good reasons. The additional heat that a fireplace provides when it is in use is a great way to keep everyone warm using a natural source of heat. But the fuss and worry of burning wood might cause you to not use your fireplace very much. This is where a fireplace insert that relies on electricity as the source of power can turn that fireplace into an active part of your family life each fall and winter.
When replacing wood as your source of heat from your fireplace, the choices are pretty much gas or electricity. Gas is more efficient than wood but you will have an emissions problem. You have to get the "smoke" from a gas fire up the chimney out of the house in some way or the carbon monoxide from the fire can be dangerous to your family. And because you cannot see the gaseous emissions from gas fire, it is harder to tell if you have fumes coming out of the fireplace filling the room.
An electricity driven insert for your fireplace replaces gas or wood in way that produces no resultant fumes or smoke at all. In fact, when you are using electricity to generate heat from your firebox, there isn't even a fire because you are not really burning anything. Another advantage to this approach is you completely eliminate the problem of lighting the fire in the fireplace. Instead of using a long match to light the gas pipes or to set the newspaper on fire to get your wood burning, you just flip a switch or plug the electric insert in and within a few moments, the elements are glowing in the fireplace providing a wonderful form of alternate heat to your guests and family.
The flexibility of using an electricity driven insert will result in you actually using your fireplace a lot more. Its a great option if you want that warm glow and the friendly feel of a functional fireplace during a dinner or social gathering but you don't want the smell of wood burning in the firebox and to always have to be fussing with the fireplace while you are trying to entertain. People can sit by the fire and chat with no danger of an ember spitting out on them.
Some dislike replacing wood burning fireplaces with electric inserts because the glow of the electric elements doesn't seem like a real fire. But you can buy "logs" that you can put into the insert that will pick up the glow of the elements and create the look and feel of burning logs with none of the negative results of smoke and flames happening inside your home. It isn’t the answer for everyone but if you have stopped using your fireplace because keeping wood around and burning it in your firebox is just too much trouble and fuss, looking into a fireplace insert that uses elecicity may be just what you need to put that part of your home to work again for you.