As the mercury dips and fireplaces flicker back to life this month, many will be tempted by that new addition or upgrade to their hearth. Local specialists Chris Becker of Twin City Fireplace (TCF) and Andy Hoffman of Fireside Hearth and Home (FHH) offer shoppers a little fuel for thought.
Fiery Fish Tanks
“What’s been trending for the past 10 to 15 years are long, rectangular [gas] fireplaces. We call them ‘fish tanks,’” Becker says. “It’s a look you used to see in swanky restaurants. Instead of logs, you have twigs, river rocks, driftwood or a simple ribbon burner with reflective glass. The effect is very sleek and sexy.” Other decorative elements such as LED lights, colored glass and glass beads are also possible, though Becker notes that “beachy driftwood combined with reflective glass” is his customers’ top pick.
Hoffman notes that the trend toward modern or “linear” units has been “going up and up each year” since first hitting the showroom floor back in 2009, with see-through and multi-side designs gaining traction. “People are installing them in places where it wasn’t common to have a fireplace before, like between the kitchen and dining room, and between the master bedroom and bathroom,” Hoffman says.
Tradition Wins
While the linear look does seem to be catching like, well, fire, Becker doesn’t expect it to overtake traditional fireplaces anytime soon. “It’s true that there are more and more options, but it’s still just 20 percent of our market,” he says. A majority of his sales still come from traditional fireplaces: square-shaped units featuring ceramic logs which give off the most heat relative to their size. “The ‘clean-faced’ design [which evokes a simple brick-and-mortar installation] is far and away the most popular,” Becker says.
Wood, Wood Not
Wood-fueled fireplaces hold appeal for customers outside of the metro, many seeking high-efficiency units that can burn for up to 20 hours. Becker also reports a rise in wood-burning fireplaces among affluent suburbanites. “Usually [we install these in] luxury homes, where [the owner] is looking for old-world authenticity,” Becker says. Of course, it’s not efficient whatsoever.”
This type of fireplace accounts for just 10-15 percent of TCF’s sales and a mere 2 percent of FHH’s. As Hoffman says, “Natural gas is the cheapest and most efficient way to heat your home. Plus, most don’t want to deal with the mess of wood.”
Converting with Inserts
For both companies, wood-to-gas conversions (also called “inserts”) account for the bulk of their business. “With all the older homes in this area, I’d say that makes up 65 percent of our business,” Hoffman says. “People always say they wish they’d done it sooner; [with a gas-powered unit] they can have a fire every night without having to do anything but push a button,” says Becker, who views convenience as the main reason to make the switch. “You can sit on your couch and control every feature with a remote [or you can] wire it into your ‘smart home’ system.” He adds that fireplace manufacturers are currently working on smartphone compatibility as well.
Safety First
This year, statewide safety regulations went into place requiring that all gas fireplaces manufactured after January 1, 2015 include a safety screen. “Gas fires are not, as some people call them, ‘fake fires,’” Becker says. “It’s real fire, just a different fuel. They can get extremely hot, and yes, it’s true that your skin can stick to the glass.” Becker also stresses the importance of upkeep, especially when it comes to wood-burning fireplaces. “Chimney fires are really ugly; they can ruin a home,” he says. With any type of fireplace, Becker advises having it serviced at least once a year.
