Fireplace in a private house is not only an interior decoration. It heats the room, creating a comfortable environment. This is a complete oven, which must be selected and operated in accordance with all rules. There are many varieties of fireplaces that meet a variety of operating conditions. There are options for both a private house and an apartment. How to choose a fireplace will be discussed in detail later.
Fuel Type
How to choose a fireplace for a house or apartment?
First of all, you need to consider the capabilities of the room in which you plan to install. Today, there are two main types of heating fireplaces on sale:
- Electrical.
- Wood-burning.
The first of these options is smaller. These are compact devicesthat do not require a chimney. The flame of an electric fireplace is not real. It may look very similar, but the heat is produced by the heating elements. Since an electric fireplace does not need a chimney, it is easy to install it in an apartment.
How to choose a wood burning fireplace for your home? This is a real furnace, which is built mainly from refractory bricks. This structure is heavy, so a separate foundation is created for it. To install a wood-burning stove in a house, you will need to create a chimney in accordance with existing safety requirements. The room in which such a fireplace is installed must be large. Otherwise, the oven will look bulky and out of place.
It is worth noting that the electric fireplace is a safer device. It needs new wiring to work properly. The power of the heating element can be large. The calculation of this indicator is performed in accordance with the total area of \u200b\u200bthe room. Another advantage of the electric fireplace is the ease of installation and operation. Many modern models are equipped with a remote control, which greatly increases the comfort of use.
Wood-burning fireplace
How to choose a wood-burning fireplace? It is worth considering several features of such furnaces. They are used more often not for the purpose of heating the room, but as a specific object of the interior. This is due to the large heat losses. Due to the presence of a chimney, 60% to 70% of the heat generated in the process of burning wood will leave the room.
But the presence ina fireplace room with a real live flame allows you to create an incredibly cozy atmosphere. Peace and comfort will reign in a private house. If you want to create a complete heating system, the fireplace will need to be improved. The furnace is equipped with special thermal insulation, and special devices are additionally mounted in the system. This, for example, can be a fan that will return a significant part of the heat back into the room. This refinement allows you to increase the heating efficiency by 2 times.
When considering how to choose a wood-burning fireplace, it is worth considering that there are different designs of stoves. They can give off heat in one, two or even three planes. The first of these options is the most common. It is relatively inexpensive and also offers maximum efficiency.
It is worth noting that for a private house you can also choose a gas-fired fireplace. It has great heat dissipation. With proper installation, such a fireplace will be as efficient and safe as possible. In this case, it is not necessary to prepare firewood. However, for this, a country house must be connected to a centralized gas supply system.
In order to install a gas fireplace in the house, you will need to obtain a special permit. The system must meet the established requirements. Therefore, the house is being re-equipped to allow the operation of gas appliances. If desired, this equipment can be installed in the apartment.
Wood and gas fireplaces are subject to the most stringent fire safety requirements. Electric fireplaces must also be operated in accordance with the established rules, but in this case, installation is much easier and does not require special permission.
Where to install a fireplace?
How to choose a fireplace stove for a house or apartment? There are different designs. The choice of location for installation depends on the characteristics of the room, its dimensions. So, if the fireplace is installed directly in the wall, there must be sufficient space in front of it. As a rule, this type of installation is suitable for spacious rooms. Moreover, it is worth noting that wood and gas fireplaces can only be installed at the stage of building a house. Otherwise, it will be necessary to carry out a major overhaul, which will require a lot of time and effort from the owners. Electric fireplaces are usually not mounted in this way.
You can install a fireplace near the wall. You don't need to cut the oven into it. This is an easier type of installation. The disadvantage is the fact that more free space is required in the room. The pipe through which combustion products will be removed will pass between the front surface of the fireplace and the wall, rising up.
Another option for direct installation of fireplaces is mounting at some distance from the floor surface. This option is only suitable for electric fireplaces. If there is relatively little space in the room, this option is preferred. An electric fireplace located in the wall in this way will visually expand the room.
Another interesting option is to installhearth in the corner of the room. When learning how to choose a fireplace stove for your home, this installation option should be considered as one of the best. For wood-burning varieties, installation in a corner allows you to visually reduce the massiveness of the structure. It will seem that there is more space in the room.
When installing a corner fireplace, the chimney will pass through the thickness of one of the walls. A solid foundation will be required for the firebox.
If the room is very large, a separate fireplace will help to harmonize the design, giving it coziness. This type of installation is quite rare, but it is preferred if you have a lot of free space.
Liner
Considering how to choose a fireplace for a country house, you should pay attention to such an important aspect as facing. This is an indispensable part of the design, which forms the style, appearance of the furnace. At the same time, the style of the interior in the room is taken into account. So, it would not be appropriate to install a high-tech fireplace in a wooden house. In such an interior, it will be inappropriate.
Fireplaces are on sale, facing which can be made in one of the 4 most popular styles. It can be a hi-tech, country, classic or modern fireplace. If the interior has a different design, you need to choose the cladding that best suits it.
How to choose the right fireplace? The lining must match its size. For a small firebox, you should not choose a portal that is too massive. It is also worth considering the dimensions of the room. Large fireplace as wellmassive cladding, will be appropriate in a spacious room. Such a stove can heat a room. But if such a fireplace is installed in a small room, it will “burn out” too much oxygen. The room will be uncomfortable and the air humidity will be low.
It is also worth considering the quality of the thermal insulation of the room. The better it is, the smaller the dimensions can have a fireplace and its lining. If the ceilings in the room are high (from 3 m), and panoramic windows are installed, it is definitely necessary to install a large fireplace. It will allow you to heat the room with high quality even if there are significant heat losses.
The best option for finishing a fireplace is an artificial stone frame. This is a rather expensive material, but the exposure will look stylish and spectacular. Artificial stone is a durable, wear-resistant and easy-care material. This frame for the fireplace will be a good addition to the interior in different styles.
It is also customary to use natural stone for cladding. You can combine different types of it, for example, onyx with granite or marble.
Another good option is to use ceramic tiles. Often it imitates natural stone. But you can also use decorative tiles, especially if the interior is created in the Scandinavian style. Slabs should be small.
Firebox
How to choose a fireplace for a summer residence, private house or apartment? Be sure to pay attention to the device and dimensions of the furnace. On sale are many fireplaces with ready-made cladding. She is perfectcorresponds to the size of the oven itself. But sometimes these elements have to be selected separately. It is important to purchase a firebox first. A frame is already selected under it.
It is important to immediately decide what type of fuel the fireplace will run on. Varieties that run on wood, gas and electricity have significant differences.
It is also important to consider the shape of the firebox glass. It must match the future lining. Glass can be straight, prismatic, rounded, angled, double-sided or rectangular.
It is important to pay attention to the choice of the material of the firebox itself. This is a fundamental question, on which the features of the equipment operation depend. Fireboxes can be produced from steel or cast iron. Each variety has certain advantages.
Considering how to choose a firebox for a fireplace, it is worth noting that cast iron stoves are more powerful. Usually the cost of such types of equipment is higher. Cast iron is not afraid of the highest heat, while it is durable and has good heat dissipation. If the task is to heat a large room with high quality, you should choose this particular type of firebox.
Steel ovens weigh less and are also cheaper than cast iron structures. Fireboxes are on sale, which differ in a variety of shapes and sizes. They have a good view of the fire, as they have a larger glazing area. However, steel is less durable than cast iron. The service life of such a fireplace usually does not exceed 10 years. Cast iron fireboxes can last 25-30 years.
A few more nuances regarding the choice of firebox
When considering how to choose a firebox for a wood-burning fireplace, it is worth considering that one of the important factors is the type of door opening. The comfort of using the fireplace depends on this. The door can open sideways or upwards. In the first case, the firebox is somewhat cheaper. If the door opens up, it has a lifting mechanism. This slightly increases the cost of the firebox.
But the appearance of the fireplace will be much more aesthetic. Not everyone will like the door sticking out to the side. However, there is one more thing to take into account. The simple design, which is endowed with a side-opening door, is reliable and durable. It will not require repairs for a long time. The upward opening door mechanism will need to be replaced sooner.
When learning how to choose a fireplace for your home, you should pay attention to the presence of additional features. For example, it can be glass blowing. This allows you to keep a good view of the fire.
It is also desirable that the furnace has the function of secondary afterburning. The vast majority of modern fireplaces are endowed with it. Work efficiency depends on it.
Double afterburning is based on the separation of the air flow that enters the combustion chamber directly from the room. One part of the air masses enters the furnace. It is involved in the combustion process. The second part of oxygen enters inside, passing between the walls of the furnace and the heating chamber. This is how the remaining fuel that remains inside is burned. So burning timefuel increases, which saves energy. The efficiency of the device thus increases. Much less combustion products are released into the atmosphere, which can be toxic.
Safety rules
When considering how to choose a fireplace stove, you should also pay attention to the proper operation of this equipment. Choose equipment that complies with fire safety regulations. You should not purchase a firebox or other elements of the fireplace if they are not accompanied by appropriate documentation. It is also worth noting that the purchase should be made only from trusted sellers.
Users must adhere to the established rules for the operation of heating appliances. You will need to install exactly according to the equipment manufacturer's instructions. It is impossible to neglect such advice, since in case of improper installation there is a high probability of fire, carbon monoxide poisoning, etc.
You can kindle a fireplace only after checking the draft in the chimney. To do this, take a burning chip or paper. If the fire and smoke are pulled up, there is a draft. Can be ignited. It is contraindicated to use flammable substances (gasoline, kerosene, etc.).
It is forbidden to install furniture or other objects near the fireplace. Do not dispose of waste in the furnace, which may pollute the chimney. This can lead to reduced traction and incorrect operation of the system. If there are young children in the house, it is strictly forbidden to leave them withoutsupervision.
During the operation of the fireplace, you must use the tools intended for this. It can be a poker, tongs. There should also be a protective screen, which increases safety and comfort of operation. These are important aspects to consider when wondering how to choose a fireplace.
Power
When wondering how to choose a fireplace for an apartment, it is worth considering the power of the unit. The choice depends on the dimensions of the room, as well as the total amount of heat loss. Heating power is calculated in kilowatts. To choose the right fireplace, you will need to multiply this figure by 20-25 (depending on the height of the ceilings, the size of the windows, the type of insulation, etc.). This is the volume of the room in cubic meters, which is able to heat the stove.
So, for example, if the power of the fireplace is 7 kW, then it will be able to heat approximately 150 m³ of the room. The more power, the more massive the furnace will be. For a small room, a steel firebox of 3–5 kW is quite suitable. If you need to heat a large space, you should choose cast-iron varieties of stoves.
Additional or full heating?
Answering the question of how to choose a fireplace, it should be noted that it can be used as a primary or secondary source of heating. If there are batteries in the room, the power should be chosen in accordance with their work. If the stationary heating system is able to heat the room with high quality, you can purchase an electric fireplace. It can turn off the heating function altogether. Onlydecorative flame in the firebox. If the batteries do not cope with the functions assigned to them, you need to choose a fireplace with the appropriate power.
Additional features
Considering how to choose a fireplace, it is worth noting that modern models can have many additional features. A popular refinement is the grill function. In this case, it will be possible to cook food on an open fire. There are also models with a barbecue function.
Some fireplaces can heat water. This greatly improves the functionality of the equipment. For such purposes, special modifications are provided in the design. Water can be used for domestic purposes or for supplementary heating.
