Improve
the
functionality
and
style
of
your
fireplace
with
these
clever
upgrade
suggestions.
There is something
beguiling about a fireplace that makes it a staple feature and
amenity in most homes. Having your own fireplace not only increases
the value of your home but also allows you to make yourself
comfortable even during cold, dark nights. Nonetheless, its imposing
and beautiful features are what make it an ideal focal point for any
space.
However, due to
constant use and exposure to heat during winter months and lack of
usage during hot summer days, a fireplace can eventually lose its
appeal and probably its functionality. So before you spark up the
logs again this winter, try upgrading some of the parts of your
fireplace to improve its functionality and style and make it look
good as new with these suggestions.
Integrate glass
fireplace doors
There's nothing
quite like a cozy fire and a cup of hot coffee on a chilly night.
However, an open wood-burning fireplace left unattended is not safe.
So to ensure that your fireplace is safe, consider retrofitting it
with glass fireplace doors. Integrating such safety feature to an existing
fireplace requires minimal elbow greasing on your part since it comes
in a standard size that easily fits in any flat fireplace opening.
Likewise, you will not have a hard time attending to its upkeep as it
requires little maintenance.
Get your brick
fireplace in tip-top condition
If your fireplace is made out of brick, it is likely that its mortar
is starting to fall out, crumble and crack due to years of exposure
to searing-hot blazes. Broken mortar joint not only make your
fireplace less appealing, they can also become a precursor for the
entire bricks to become susceptible to damage, which can cost you
more money for future repairs. Hence, to avoid problems later on,
take the time to evaluate the condition of your brick fireplace,
including the mortar. If you find any damaged parts, replace them
immediately.
Fit it with an
insert
While a fireplace is a beautiful feature for your home, it also
happens to be a major energy waster. By nature, fireplaces, including
yours, is not efficient as they pull out warm air out of the room and
send a huge portion of valuable heat out of the chimney. Therefore,
when temperatures significantly drop, your fireplace uses up more
energy than it makes, which in turn increases your monthly heating
bills. So to make your fireplace efficient, consider fitting it with
an insert.
An fireplace insert is a fireproof box surrounded by cast iron or steel and an
insulated glass front. The surrounding cast iron or steel traps the
heat and keep it in the room, thereby making an open fireplace
draft-proof. Although an insert may be expensive upfront, it is
actually a good investment as it pays for itself for the long term by
significantly reducing the cost of your heating bills.
Tile the hearth and surround
The mantel on your fireplace does the job at keeping it aesthetically
pleasing. However, the hearth and surround are also prime spaces that
offer you a lot of creative opportunities to further increase the
visual prowess of your fire feature. One of the best ways to dress up
the buffer between your fireplace and flooring as well as its
surround is to cover them with colorful tiles.
There are numerous masonry products from which you could choose from
to jazz up your hearth and surround. Some are decorative while others
are more formal looking. Just make sure that you pick something that
can withstand heat and possible log drops every now and then. The
great thing about tiling a hearth and surround is that you can change
up the entire look of your fireplace within a week or two.
Nonetheless, the tiles will also make it easier for you to clean up
your fireplace, since they are stain-resistant.
The
article
above
was
contributed
by
one
of
the
writers
of
We
Do
Boxes
<http://www.wedoboxes.co.uk/>,
a
company
based
in
the
UK
that
supplies
high
quality
cardboard
packing
and
moving
boxes
at
affordable
rates.
No comments:
Post a Comment