Just the other night we finally turned off our A/C unit and switched it to “HEAT”. This got me thinking of our first electric fireplace that we used in our first apartment.

A electric portable fireplace heater provides all the heat of a real fireplace, but without all the soot and smoke. It’s not like you can knock down a wall and throw a chimney up anyways, but adding an electric fireplace in your apartment will provide you a safe alternative to portable heating. There is no ventilation required that you would need in a traditional wood burning or gas burning fireplace. This is what makes a portable ventless fireplace so perfect for your apartment. Just plug it in and go!

The Selection Process:

Depending on your apartments size and space a normal standard electric fireplace would probably be big enough to heat any one of your rooms. A general rule of thumb is that an electric fireplace will struggle to heat rooms larger than 15′ x 10′. The measure of heat energy is usually scaled using BTU’s which means British Thermal Units. A British Thermal Unit is the amount of energy required to raise or lower the temperature of one pound of water by one degree F. When shopping for a electric portable fireplace you want to select a BTU range that is adequate for your apartment size. I have seen a portable fireplace with 1,000 BTU’s and I have seen them with 4,700 BTU’s. Depending on your budget and space…you should be able to get a good idea of what to look for. But, a 4,700BTU unit will heat a space of 400 square feet or a room measured 20′ X 20′.

Keep in mind that heating your whole apartment is not going to be an option. There is a point of diminishing return and the cost to run your portable electric heater becomes inefficient.

The amount of amps needed to run a electric fireplace is demanding so it is recommended that you have a dedicated circuit with no less than 15 amps. If not, you may run into overloading your breaker.

Electric Fireplace Manufactures

Affordable and basic:

  • Style Selections
  • Pleasant Hearth
  • Duraflame
  • Fire Sense
  • Estate design

Quality and Elegance:

  • Carrington Slate Convertible
  • Classic Flame
  • Fairmont Electric Fireplace
  • Ashburn
  • Regency electric fireplace

As you can see there are several manufactures of electric fireplaces. It all depends on your budget. If your wanting just a functional electric fireplace in your apartment that won’t break the bank check out Lowes or find a retailer online. I have seen some awesome deals from many of the online retailers. And heading into the holiday seasons…your bound to find something in your price range.

Bells and Whistles?

As with anything…yes, there are tons of feature on electrical fireplaces. Again, you will have to determine what you want. Of all the features that your going to find, I would recommend buying a portable fireplace that has a built in thermostat or timer. This will prevent overheating or having a unit run longer than you want. Also, an option to just have the lighted flame on and no heat. This way you can run in the summer time if your just looking for ambiance.

Some other features may include:

  • Built in media center options (comes with a TV stand)
  • Energy saver certified
  • Adjustable flame brightness control
  • Remote control
  • Elegant wood finish (oak,mahogany,pine)
  • Removable fireplace inserts

Summing It Up

Living in smaller spaces does not mean you have to go without. It means making do with what is available. Who would have thought that a fireplace in your apartment would be possible? Well with more and more people downsizing there living space it’s leading to ingenuity, creativity and functionality.

If your looking for a efficient eco-friendly way to heat your apartment, you can’t go wrong with a portable electric fireplace. It will add a cozy ambiance and provide you and your family years of comfort in your apartment.