The Pros and Cons of Adding an Electric Fireplace to Your Home

The global electric fireplace market reached a size of $2.18 billion in 2021. In the past, wood-burning fireplaces were the norm. In today’s world, however, other options are becoming more popular. Many people now opt for electric fireplaces over wood or gas options.

If you’re thinking about adding an electric fireplace to your home, you should first understand both the advantages and the disadvantages. This guide will give a rundown of the key pros and cons of installing an electric fireplace in your home. Keep reading for more.

Pros of Electric Fireplaces

Electric fireplaces have grown in popularity a lot in recent years. This is due to the many advantages they have over other types of fireplaces.

Convenience

Electric fireplace installation is quite easy compared to other types, which means yours will be up and running very quickly. There’s no need for a chimney, so you can put these essentially anywhere in your home.

They don’t use combustible fuels that cause corrosion and degradation, so many of the parts will generally last longer. Some models have remotes so they’re easy to control. Most people won’t use a fireplace in the summer as it’s already warm enough, but many electric fireplaces can still display a flame effect without producing heat.

Heat Any Room

Fireplaces that use chimneys lose some heat through them, but this doesn’t happen with electric fireplaces. This gives you better control over the heat output, so you can increase or decrease it to make things more comfortable. While an electric fireplace may not be as good for heating an entire home, it’s often the best option for an individual room.

Cost

The cost of running an electric fireplace is typically lower than that of a gas or wood fireplace. It’s also easier as you don’t need to make sure you have logs at the ready. On top of this, the installation is typically less expensive too.

Decor

For many people, it’s essential that their home fireplace looks good. This is easily done with electric fireplaces. There are a huge amount of styles and design choices available, so you’ll always be able to find models that go well with the decor of your home.

Dreifuss Fireplaces can design custom options. We can discuss your ideal fireplace with you, then build and install exactly what you want.

Some people may have concerns over the appearance as the flames aren’t real. While this may have been a problem in the past, modern electric fireplaces can produce some very convincing flames that look incredibly similar to the real thing.

Ease of Maintenance

Maintaining an electric fireplace is almost always easier than wood or gas fireplaces. They degrade slower, so less maintenance is needed overall, and when it is needed, it’s typically more simple.

Cons of Electric Fireplaces

While electric fireplaces have several benefits, they’re not perfect. You might still want to consider a wood or gas fireplace depending on your needs. There are various disadvantages to electric fireplaces that can sometimes make them a less ideal choice than a gas or wood option.

Realism

As mentioned above, electric fireplaces have come a long way and many now look very realistic. Despite that, they’re still not quite the same as the real thing.

It’s not quite possible to perfectly replicate the look, smell, and sound of a real wood-burning fire. As such, they don’t always offer the same kind of ambiance as a traditional fireplace.

Lack of Added Value

A full fireplace with a chimney is a permanent addition to a house. Such upgrades as this can add a notable amount to the value of your home.

Electric fireplaces are considered temporary installations, so they don’t increase the value of your home. On the plus side, however, they’re easy to uninstall, so you can take your electric fireplace with you if you decide to move.

Won’t Work in a Blackout

As electric fireplaces need electricity to run, they (like other electrical applicants) won’t work during a power outage. Gas and wood fireplaces, however, can still function perfectly fine without any electricity. This can be a more noteworthy difference during the winter, as bad winter storms can cause blackouts, during which a functional fireplace can be incredibly useful.

Shorter Lifespan

While electric fireplaces are easy to maintain and certain parts can last longer, that doesn’t mean the fireplace itself will last forever. There are various small, moving parts which will wear down with time. This can cause them to fail faster than other fireplaces.

Depending on the fireplace you have, it may be difficult to repair certain components or source replacements. At Dreifuss Fireplaces, we work with some of the biggest fireplace manufacturers around, such as Regency, Monessen, and Dimplex. All our fireplaces are high quality and built to last.

Not as Powerful as Other Fireplaces

Electric fireplaces are designed to only heat individual rooms. Other types of fireplaces can sometimes be connected to ductwork systems, and you may be able to heat several rooms, or your entire home, with a single fireplace. This isn’t possible with electric fireplaces, but you can easily install more units in any other rooms that you want to heat.

Should You Get an Electric Fireplace?

It ultimately comes down to your needs and personal preference. If you want to be able to heat your whole home from one fireplace then an electric model may not be the best choice. If this isn’t a factor, however, an electric fireplace will help you save money, is easy to maintain, and can be matched to any room in your home.

Dreifuss Fireplaces offers wood, gas, and electric fireplaces. We’ve been operating out of PA since 1876 and have plenty of experience installing both residential and commercial fireplaces. Visit our electric fireplaces page to find out more about what we can do for you.