Newest electric fireplaces look realistic, and heat nicely
Q. During cold weather, I need some extra heat in the living room. I would like a real wood-burning fireplace, but installing one is too expensive. How much heat do electric ones produce and do they look real?
A. Electric fireplaces are coming more popular as people learn about the energy (and money) savings from zone heating their homes. Energy loss from a house can be reduced by lowering the furnace thermostat and then using an electric space heater in a room where the family congregates.
These electric fireplaces are different from the expensive electric space heaters that some companies call "furnaces" and claim huge savings. The exterior of electric fireplaces actually look like real gas or wood-burning fireplaces and the flames look realistic. I was sitting by one in a coffee shop just last week and I thought I was watching real flames.
Electric fireplaces basically have a small built-in electric space heater. Most plug into a standard 120-volt electric wall outlet so they can produce a maximum heat output of about 5,100 British thermal units per hour. If you need more heat, Dimplex offers models which operate on 240-volts and produce a maximum of about 10,000 Btuh. As a reference, a typical gas furnace produces from 80,000 to 120,000 Btuh.
If you like the ambience of fires, electric fireplaces are great because they can be used year-round. The flame portion of the fireplace can be operated with or without the electric heater. Some models are even sold without the heater. A heater can easily be installed later if you want one.
When not in the heating mode, most electric fireplaces use a couple of cents worth of electricity per hour. This does still create a little heat as does any electric appliance. The most common design uses several colored light bulbs and a motorized rotating drum to create the simulated flames.
A hand-held control makes it easy to change the fire image and the heat output. For example, the Lennox remote control allows you to adjust the height of the flames and their intensity (brightness of the bulbs). The heater button has settings of 64, 75 and 86 degrees. On the 75-degree setting, when the temperature reaches 75 degrees, the heater shuts off.
As with most appliances, LED (light emitting diodes) are also now being used to create the flame image. LED's are extremely energy efficient and literally last a lifetime. These fireplaces are only several inches deep and lightweight. Bionaire also makes a very lightweight model which can be mounted on a wall or in a typical fireplace mantel surround.
Another fireplace option is one which burns small cans of jelled alcohol. The jelled alcohol is made from homegrown grapes or corn so it does not add carbon to the environment. The vapors from it are not harmful.
The following companies offer electric/gel fireplaces: Bionaire, (800) 253-2764, www.bionaire.com; Dimplex, (800) 668-6663, www.dimplex.com; Heat-N-Glo, (888) 427-3973, www.heatnglo.com; La Flame, (952) 933-5828, www.laflame.com; Lennox Hearth Products, (800) 854-0257, www.lennoxhearthproducts.com; and Uniflame, (800) 762-1142, www.uniflame.com.
Q. Our house has old triple-track storm doors and the sashes and latches are stuck in place. I have tried spray lubricants and everything I can think of, but they are still stuck. What should I try next?
A. This is a new one to me. It sounds as though the side latches are corroded in place. Aluminum expands a lot with temperature increases so use an electric heat gun, such as a paint stripper, to heat the latches.
Once they are hot, use a punch and a small hammer to tap on the thumb recess in the latches. Hopefully this gets them to move. If the sashes are still stuck, use the heat gun on the tracks and LIGHTLY tap the top to make them move. Wear heavy shoes and work gloves when working around glass.
• Write to James Dulley at 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visit dulley.com.