The electric type fireplace built into the wall is an excellent solution for apartments in multi-storey buildings, where there is no possibility of mounting the standard version on wood. The electric version will give heat, while creating coziness and emphasizing the originality of the interior. In addition, such variations are safer than wood 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, characteristics and installation options.
Features
The built-in electric fireplace in the apartment building will replace the real stone version, heated with wood. Such a model does not require additional fuel, takes up little space, does not fad. At the same time, you can choose a modification to any style and design of the room. The considered modifications are cheaper than other analogues; for operation, special permissions are not required.
Benefits
Electric fireplaces have a number of objective advantages:
- The integrated unit does not require special skills during installation compared to the wood version, the installation of which should 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.
- There is no need to buy firewood and look for a place to store them.
- All that is needed 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 recharge, 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 able to heat a room up to 20 square meters.
Types and device
By type, electric fireplaces are divided into models that are built into the wall, and modifications mounted close to the wall. Both options include a pair 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 decisions, which allows you to choose the version that is best suited to the interior of your room.
The hearth is the central part of the structure, in which decorative elements are imitated that simulate an open flame on wood. These parts are divided into two groups:
- Classic variations that are compatible with any portals of a standard form.
- Wide foci, which are distinguished by the presence of decorations resembling curtains, doors and other frames characteristic of fireplace structures.
A fireplace built into the wall can perform a purely decorative function without heating. These modifications are thin-walled, do not have heating elements, are equipped only with internal lighting that simulates a flame. Models with heating parts that supply heat to the house look more realistic.
Mounting
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, its dimensions must be precisely determined, including the dimensions of the focus. A niche can have a depth of 55 to 310 millimeters, depending on the modification of the electric fireplace.
Make a niche in the finished room will help a specialist. You can do these jobs yourself, but the risk of marriage is high, especially if you do not have the appropriate skills. As a rule, shops selling the goods 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 combined with the neighboring apartment. The best option would be a partition between the bedroom and the living room. It is not suitable for installation a niche located under the window, or above which there is a large TV.
Installation and connection require a separate outlet. In this case, you should consider masking for wires and plugs. Otherwise, the visible wire will spoil the entire "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 acquisition of a decorative hearth and portal.
Criterias of choice
When choosing a fireplace built into the wall, you need to pay attention to several factors:
- Know the exact size of the object, excluding the increase or decrease in size in relation to the room.
- Take into account the compatibility of the decorative heating device with the interior of the room. It is unlikely that the ultramodern version will organically fit into the classic style.
- Decide on the functionality of the purchased device.
Prices for realistic built-in electric fireplaces with the effect of a live flame vary from 20 to 100 thousand rubles, depending on functions, materials and size.
Built-in wood structures
These devices are a fireplace, the structural elements of which are built into the wall partition. It has a chimney and a furnace niche. A similar design can be frontal or angular.
The firebox is mainly arranged with a recess and goes into a single design with a base, arch and three walls. The flame can only be seen from the side of the facade, equipped or not with a special glass door. Some models are equipped with a firebox, which protrudes slightly forward, providing better visibility of the flame.
External design
Built-in fireplaces on wood have a base for the portal, which serves as a platform, based on the ceiling. If the mass of the portal exceeds 0.4 tons, the platform is arranged on top. It can be laid out of brick or made of concrete screed. This site is also designed for the safe operation of the fireplace, plays the role of a pre-furnace zone.
The standard fireplace portal is made in the shape of the letter "P". In this configuration, the window of the furnace niche fits perfectly regardless of the shape. It can vary from a round variation to a polygonal design. The portal may not even rest on the floor, but simply be installed in the wall. The considered parts of the fireplace are made and sold separately from the furnace. As an option, it can be done independently.
Decoration
Since the fireplace is almost completely hidden in the wall, the portal serves as a decorative decoration from the facade. It can only be made of non-combustible materials. Mostly it is granite, brick, stone.
If the smoke container of the structure 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 rectangle, it can be additionally decorated with stucco molding or decorative inserts.
Pros and cons of built-in wood-burning fireplaces
Let's start with the advantages of this design:
- Explicit saving of usable space, as the whole structure is placed in a wall niche.
- There is no need to build a foundation.
- The unit is adapted for heating 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.
The disadvantages and features of the considered heating devices are also many:
- The internal fireplace involves its construction at the construction stage of the building.
- The arrangement of the chimney channel weakens the structural strength of the structure. This is especially true for corner models that are aggregated simultaneously with two adjacent walls.
- The thickness of the ceiling in which the fireplace is mounted must be at least 600 mm.
- In the case of incorrect determination of the size of the chimney, there is a high probability of a malfunction of the device. To avoid such a mistake, it is recommended to create not a chimney, but a mine for it at the construction stage. After finishing work, a pipe of the desired diameter is simply inserted into it.
In conclusion
If we draw comparative characteristics between the built-in electric fireplace and its analogue on wood, the first option wins in many respects, including safety and complexity of installation. If you do not want to put up with an artificial flame and the lack of a characteristic aroma, the wood model is for you. It is worth recalling that in the apartments of multi-storey buildings, installing a fireplace on wood is a priori impossible in any design.