Why It’s Time to Update Your Living Room with a Gas Log Fire
When the weather starts to drop, nothing quite beats the feeling of making a fire and cozying up to it with friends and family. Many homes that have fireplaces feature the traditional wood burning fireplace. But did you know that a gas log fireplace can offer you many of the same appeals that a wood burning fireplace can but with some added benefits? A gas log fireplace can be a wonderful addition to any home, and it can be built in to an existing fireplace.
Gas Log Fires Can Save You Time and Energy
When it comes to heating a home, a gas log fire does a great job. It doesn’t use electricity, so it can save you money when you compare it to a regular heater. Gas log fireplaces are also incredibly convenient and easy to use. To get one going can be as easy as pushing a button. Â
Like certain gas stoves, they have a standing pilot. This allows them to be turned on easily, usually by the turn of a knob or push of a button, and the flames take almost no time at all to get going and reach the desired height. You can also adjust your settings, often times remotely because of today’s gas log fireplace innovations.
Gas Logs Can Be a Safer Option
Did you know that gas log fires can actually be a safer alternative to a traditional wood burning fire? For example, with a traditional wood burning fireplace, you have to wait until the fire has completely burned out before it’s safe to leave it unattended. Often with wood burning fireplaces, it’s possible to have embers aglow that linger long after the fire itself seems to be out. And sometimes, those embers can jump out from the wood fires in various directions and start undesired fires.
Alternatively, a gas log fire burns until it gets turned off. Once turned off, a gas log fire cools down quickly, and it is ready whenever you want to use it next. This helps prevents fires from starting up again and putting people in danger. Gas log fires can also be a safer option because of chemicals. Sometimes over inhalation of the fumes that are created from a wood burning fireplace can be harmful.
Gas Log Fires Give You More Control
One of the great things about using a gas log fire is the flexibility it offers. You can control and adjust the fire depending on how you want the fire to look or how much heat you want to have. If it’s too low, you can turn it up, and when it’s too high, you can turn it down. You can create the perfect fire that fits your domestic style.
Some critics of gas log fireplaces might offer the notion that gas log fireplaces are far less realistic looking than traditional wood brining fireplaces. And although it is true that gas log fireplaces lack some of the realism of a wood burning fireplace, it is easy to implement elements to the design of a gas log fireplace that make it seem incredibly realistic.
Gas Log Fires Are Easy to Maintain
One of the most annoying chores associated with a traditional wood burning fireplace is the cleaning that goes along with it. The chimney sweeps in Mary Poppins may have made it seem like a fun job, but cleaning a chimney can be long, laborious, and even dangerous. Wood burning fireplaces require regular cleaning to prevent the build-up of soot and ash. If ash is not properly removed, it can escape from the fireplace and tarnish air conditioning units, furniture, clothes, and more. Routine cleaning is also essential to prevent chimney fires.
When dealing with a gas log fireplace, although there is work to be done in its maintenance, the work involved is minimal. After any heavy storms, it should be checked for leaks and occasionally examined for carbon soot.
