The wall-mounted electric fireplace is an excellent solution for apartments in high-rise buildings where there is no possibility of installing a standard wood-burning option. The electric version will give warmth, while creating comfort and emphasizing the originality of the interior. In addition, such variations are safer than wood-burning counterparts. A wide range of these devices is presented on the modern market, so there will be no problems with the choice. Consider their features, specifications and installation options.
Features
A built-in electric fireplace in an apartment building will replace a real wood-fired stone version. Such a model does not require additional fuel, takes up little space, does not smoke. At the same time, you can choose a modification to any style and design of the room. The modifications under consideration are cheaper than other analogues, no special permits are required for operation.
Benefits
Electric fireplaces have a number of objective advantages:
- The built-in unit does not require special skills to install compared towood-burning option, the installation of which must be carried out by a specialist.
- The considered type of fireplace can be installed in almost any apartment.
- Electrical modifications do not need a chimney and ventilation system.
- No need to buy firewood and look for a place to store it.
- All you need for installation is an electrical outlet and a niche prepared in the wall.
- The fireplace built into the wall is convenient to use, does not need constant replenishment, and the decorative glow imitating a natural flame is controlled using a remote control.
- Electric fireplaces are designed not only for a decorative function, but also capable of heating a room up to 20 square meters.
Types and device
By types, electric fireplaces are divided into wall-mounted models and wall-mounted modifications. Both options include a couple of required elements: a portal and a hearth. The first design is a framed niche in which the fireplace is placed directly. The manufacturing material for this part can be wood, marble, stone and other finishing groups. The style of the portal can be performed in various design solutions, which allows you to choose the version that best suits the interior of your room.
The hearth is the central part of the structure, in which decorative elements are installed that imitate an open flame on firewood. These parts are divided into two groups:
- Classic variations that are compatible with any standard looking portals.
- Wide hearths, which are distinguished by the presence of decorations resembling curtains, doors and other frames typical for fireplace designs.
Fireplace built into the wall can perform a purely decorative function without heating. These modifications are thin-walled, do not have heating elements, they are equipped only with internal lighting that imitates a flame. Models with heating parts that supply heat to the house look more realistic.
Installation
If the built-in fireplace in the interior was designed at the development stage, a niche for it is left during construction work. To facilitate the installation of the device, it is necessary to accurately determine its dimensions, including the dimensions of the hearth. The niche can have a depth of 55 to 310 millimeters, depending on the modification of the electric fireplace.
A specialist will help you make a niche in the finished room. You can do these works yourself, but there is a high risk of marriage, especially if you do not have the appropriate skills. As a rule, stores that sell the product in question have installation masters in their staff.
Installation recommendations
To install an electric built-in fireplace, it is better to choose a wall that is not aligned with the neighboring apartment. The best option would be a partition between the bedroom and the living room. Not suitable for installation niche, located under the window, or above which there is a large TV.
Installation and connection provide for a separate outlet. In this case, you should consider masking for wires and plugs. Otherwise, the visible wire will spoil the whole "naturalness" of the object. If a place for a fireplace is not provided and there is no way to make it, the situation can be corrected by the purchase of a decorative hearth and a portal.
Selection criteria
When choosing a fireplace built into the wall, there are several factors to consider:
- Precisely know the dimensions of the object, excluding the increase or decrease in dimensions in relation to the room.
- Take into account the comparability of the decorative heater with the interior of the room. It is unlikely that the ultra-modern version will organically fit into the classic style.
- Determine the functionality of the purchased device.
Prices for realistic built-in electric fireplaces with a live flame effect range from 20 to 100 thousand rubles, depending on the functions, finishes and size.
Built-in wood constructions
These fixtures are a fireplace, the structural elements of which are built into the wall partition. It is equipped with a chimney and a furnace niche. A similar design can be front or corner.
The firebox is mainly designed with a deepening and turns into a single structure with a base, a vault and three walls. The flame can only be seen from the side of the façade, whether or not equipped with a special glass door. Some Modelsare equipped with a firebox that protrudes slightly forward, providing better visibility of the flame.
Exterior design
Built-in wood-burning fireplaces have a base for a portal, which is a platform based on the ceiling. If the mass of the portal exceeds 0.4 tons, the site is equipped from above. It can be laid out of brick or made of concrete screed. This site is also designed for the safe operation of the fireplace, it plays the role of a pre-furnace zone.
The standard fireplace portal is made in the shape of the letter "P". The window of the furnace niche fits perfectly into such a configuration, regardless of the shape. It can vary from a rounded variation to a polygonal design. The portal may not rest on the floor, but simply be installed in the wall. The parts of the fireplace in question are manufactured and sold separately from the firebox. Alternatively, you can make it yourself.
Decoration
Since the fireplace is almost completely hidden in the wall, the portal serves as a decorative decoration from the front. It can only be made from non-combustible materials. Mostly it is granite, brick, stone.
If the structure's smoke collector protrudes from the wall, it can be decorated by mounting a decorative casing. As a rule, it is made in the form of a trapezoid or a rectangle; it can be additionally decorated with stucco or decorative inserts.
Pros and cons of built-in wood burning fireplaces
Let's start with the benefitsof the design in question:
- Obvious savings in usable space, since the entire structure is placed in a wall niche.
- No foundation needed.
- The unit is designed to heat two rooms. This also applies to single-sided models equipped with a convection system.
- Built-in fireplace saves room space as it is located in the thickness of the wall.
There are also a lot of shortcomings and features of the considered heating devices:
- The indoor fireplace is intended to be erected at the construction stage of the building.
- Arrangement of the chimney channel weakens the strength of the structure of the building. This is especially true for corner models aggregated simultaneously with two adjacent walls.
- The thickness of the ceiling in which the fireplace is mounted must be at least 600 mm.
- In case of incorrect sizing of the chimney, there is a high probability of a malfunction of the device. To avoid such a mistake, at the construction stage it is recommended to create not a chimney, but a shaft for it. After completion of work, a pipe of the desired diameter is simply inserted into it.
Finally
If we compare the characteristics between the built-in electric fireplace and its wood-burning counterpart, the first option wins in many ways, including safety and installation complexity. If you do not want to put up with artificial flames and the lack of a characteristic aroma, a wood-burning model is just for you. It is worth recalling that in apartmentsmulti-storey buildings, installation of a fireplace on wood is a priori impossible in any design.
