While most of us have homes that are sufficiently heated during the winter, it is no secret that sometimes turning that that thermostat up too far can end up quite expensive. What that means is that many of us are looking for some other ways to keep things warm while not totally breaking the bank.
A lot of people have started to gravitate back towards the simple fireplace. While they were a staple in homes for a lot of history, for a while there they kind of fell off of the map. If you are curious about why that happened, you could check out something like this: https://www.oldhouseonline.com/interiors-and-decor/history-of-the-fireplace/.
With all of that said, I am glad to see that they are coming back into fashion. Of course, though, they have seen a few changes and advancements since the first one was invented. For anyone curious about alternatives to traditional wood-burning styles, that is what I will be covering today!
Gas Logs: How they Work
Now, you may be wondering what they are, and that is absolutely a fair question. Allow me to quickly answer that: they are pieces of ceramic that are fashioned to look like natural wood logs. Because of how customizable they are, they have become a lot more popular in recent years.
With that out of the way, we can dig into how they operate. You see, there are two types of them that are commonplace at the moment. These are the ventilated and ventless styles, and they work a bit differently.
I will begin with the vented ones, since they do tend to be the type that look more realistic. So, if that is your priority, it could be a reason to check them out. Essentially, a flame comes out from the vent in the ceramic, making it look closer to a regular fire with natural logs.
As far as ease of installation goes, they are simpler than the other type as well. You can put them into your pre-existing fireplace. The only catch here is that they do need to have a proper chimney or other type of exhaust system, so if you do not have that already, they can be a bit pricier. In addition to that, some heat will escape because of this, so they are not necessarily the most efficient method of warming up a home.
That being said, though, many families find them quite convenient. Whichever kind you decide, though, you can find plenty of places to buy fireplace gas logs both online and in brick-and-mortar storefronts. The other type is ventless.
Upfront costs for them might be more expensive, so you will need to decide whether you consider the bonuses worth it or not. They keep heat inside a house more effectively because they do not utilize that ventilation while using less fuel as well.
The tradeoff is that they tend not to look as realistic as the vented ones. Of course, that does not really matter to everyone. The other aspect of this, though, is that sometimes they can build up some moisture. So, just keep an eye on that!
Are They Worth it, then?
Getting to the big question at hand, it is a bit difficult for me to say a definite yes or no to this. You see, it will largely be dependent on your own financial situation and how much use you think that you will get out of it! Here are some things to think about as you make this choice.
Are you a fan of sitting by a fire and enjoying the warmth it brings? Is it something that your family likes to do often, or do you think that they would like to do it more than you currently can? Well, it might be something to consider, then!
There is also the matter of the housing market. Obviously, being a homeowner comes with a lot of expenses, as a lot of news articles point out. Installing one would be an additional cost that not everyone can afford at the moment. However, with that does come some additional value for a property if you do ever decide to list it for sale.
Those are just a few possibilities, obviously. There are plenty more things to think about when making a financial choice like this. Always be sure to talk to your partner before making an investment like this one, too – otherwise you could end up having quite the argument.
For the winter, though, I know it is something that my family and I love to do after the especially cold days. We cuddle up on the sofa with our dog and watch the flickering flames while enjoying the lack of ashes around us too. The fuzzy socks are a bonus.