A fireplace creates a cosy atmosphere and pleasant warmth in the house. So anyone who can call a chimney their own can count themselves among the lucky ones. Nowadays it is no longer necessary to own a house or a chimney to be a fireplace owner. There are now many alternatives to the traditional wood fireplace.
In recent years, ethanol fireplaces have become more and more relevant and you can already see them in many rented flats. What is an ethanol fireplace, what are the advantages and disadvantages and for whom is it worth investing? We will show you in this article!
How an ethanol fireplace works
Let’s get it straight from the start: Ethanol fireplaces are mainly for decoration and not intended as a source of heat. They spread a pleasant atmosphere in the room and also give off a little heat, but this heat is not enough to heat the room.
In the ethanol fireplace, there are stainless steel fire boxes or other boxes that are filled with bioethanol. This is then ignited and flames are created. These are real flames, not like those of electric fireplaces, for example.
Ethanol fireplaces are available as free-standing, flexible versions, but also as built-in versions.
Many ethanol fireplace owners also place fake wood in front of the fireplace to give the impression of a real wood fire.
What are the advantages of an ethanol fireplace?
An ethanol fireplace has many advantages, which we would like to explain to you in this section.
On the one hand, you do not need a chimney and this makes it possible to place the fireplace in rented flats.
Also, no soot or smoke is produced when burning bioethanol, so the fireplaces are easier to clean than “real” fireplaces.
In addition, many ethanol fireplaces are very flexible to transport and can be placed anywhere in the room, so those who like to move their rooms have advantages with a flexible ethanol fireplace.
Furthermore, no dangerous gases are produced when burning, but only water and carbon dioxide in very small quantities. At the same time, it is very easy to use. All you have to do is go to the nearest DIY store and buy a litre bottle of bioethanol, or simply order it online from a bioethanol fireplace shop.
The ethanol is simply poured into the burner, ignited and in a few seconds a beautiful fire spectacle develops and you can spend the evening comfortably in front of the ethanol fireplace.
What are the disadvantages of an ethanol fireplace?
However, an ethanol fireplace does not only have advantages. The disadvantages should not go unmentioned either.
For one thing, the fireplaces cannot be used as a heat source, as it is not possible to heat the room with an ethanol fireplace as the only heat source. In combination with another heat source such as a heater, however, the heat is perfectly sufficient for a cosy evening.
It can also happen that unpleasant odours form when bioethanol is burned. Sufficient ventilation can solve this problem.
Furthermore, you must always make sure that you are dealing with real flames and do not keep adding ethanol unmolested. This can be dangerous and should of course be avoided. Even if the burner is still warm, you should wait until it cools down. Otherwise, the bioethanol could deflagrate. However, if you approach the matter with common sense, an ethanol fireplace is very safe.
For whom is the investment worthwhile?
If you live in a rented flat and do not want to do without the cosy atmosphere that a fireplace can create, an ethanol fireplace is a good choice. Those who move often, are flexible and like to move rooms around will benefit from the flexibility of an ethanol fireplace.
However, if you are looking for a primary heat source, an ethanol fireplace is not the right choice.
