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Freestanding
Gas Fireplaces for Your Home
How to Supplement your Home's Main
Heating System with a Gas Fireplace
By: Mark J. Donovan
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Freestanding gas fireplaces add warmth to your home and are highly energy
efficient. A direct vent gas stove is ideal for providing supplemental heat to
a portion of your home. Freestanding gas fireplaces also come in many sizes
and can produce various levels of heat (or British Thermal Units – BTUs).
Standalone gas fireplaces also have come a long way in terms of their
aesthetics. Many freestanding gas fireplaces sold today have beautiful enamel
finishes with a front window so that you can enjoy the warmth and charm of the
gas flame. Others have terracotta and brushed metal finishes.
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Freestanding gas fireplaces are ideal for any type of home due to the fact
that they are extremely safe and efficient and look beautiful anywhere. You can
find them in the everyday suburbia home, McMansions, cottages, and even in city
lofts.
A standalone gas fireplace can be direct vented or ventless, however ventless
types are not always allowed in homes or certain rooms within a home.
Freestanding gas fireplaces produce radiant heat that provides a comfortable
warm temperature in a room or rooms.
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There are also freestanding fireplaces that use alternative fuel sources
other than propane, including natural gas, wood, and wood pellets, so there
is a fuel source solution for anywhere in the country. A freestanding gas
fireplace however requires the least maintenance and work to use. Simply
push a button and your standalone gas fireplace is operational. This said
liquid propane or natural gas is typically more expensive than home heating
oil and wood. So though you may be able to heat an entire home with a large
freestanding gas stove it may not be the most cost effective home heating
solution compared to an oil based furnace.
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When in the market for buying a freestanding gas fireplace there
are many options and features to consider. Most importantly make
sure you buy one that is appropriately sized for the room that
it will be installed in. Also, take a careful look at some of
the options that can maximize its utility. Today’s freestanding
gas fireplaces include variable speed blower fans and remote
control units for adjusting the flame height, fan speed and
temperature. Some can even be installed with remote thermostats.
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Also carefully look at the ignition options. Some freestanding gas stove
fireplaces use a constantly burning pilot light, whereas others have an electric
spark ignition system to reduce gas use. Some also offer piezoelectric ignition
systems for situations where there is no electrical outlet near the gas
fireplace. The nice think about piezoelectric ignition systems is that your
freestanding gas fireplace can still be used in the event your home loses
electricity.
Freestanding gas fireplaces vary in price however expect to pay somewhere
between $1,000 and $2,500 depending up its heating capacity and the various
options that you select.
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Photo By Mark Donovan |
You’ll also need to have a trained service technician
install it since it involves the use of gas, and at least with
the direct vent gas stove fireplaces, require the installation
of a properly sized external vent system. Also it will need to
be installed on a non-combustible surface.
For information on maximizing a
wood stove’s home heating efficiency see
the “Installation
of Hood over Wood Stove Ebook”.
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Related Articles
Direct Vent Gas Stoves from Amazon.com
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