Gel fireplaces are now popular mainly due to the benefits you get with them, including no need for vents and also no fumes are generated. This means you get a cleaner home, and setting it up is less costly.
Gel fireplaces are mostly prefabricated. You only need to assemble it on-site, or sometimes it might come already assembled. It depends on the manufacturer. Now on to the question of how does a gel fireplace work? The fireplace works by burning gel fuel to ensure that you end up with the heat in the room.
They work like other fireplaces, only that the fuel source is different. As such, these gel fireplaces would be good for your home, apartment, condo, or office. They would be able to create a warm environment without the harmful fumes or ash. Who would not want such peace while using fireplaces?
As suggested earlier, a gel fireplace uses gel fuel. This type of fuel is mostly alcohol-based and will light with ease. Once you light the fuel, it is able to produce some good heat. Well, it might not be as good as wood, but it is enough for most applications.
What Of Maintenance And Ventilation?
One thing about gel fireplaces is that you never have to worry about ventilation. This is because the gel fuel does not produce fumes that might need venting. Also, there is no ash left behind after burning gel; thus, you have less mess that needs cleaning. As a result, maintenance is relatively easy for such a product.
We can now gather that gel fireplaces are safe, easy to install and use, and a great addition to a living space.
Are Gel Fireplaces Any Good? (Pros of Gel Fireplaces)
Yes. I can confidently say that gel fireplaces are good, thanks to how they operate. One of the benefits is that you do not need a chimney to keep them vented also the maintenance is low. To top it off, you will get just as good a heat source as the other types. It might be slightly lower, but it will keep you warm.
We can also look at the pros of owning a gel fireplace below to see more reasons for investing in such a device.
- The biggest pro is that you have cleaner-burning fuel. It will not produce fumes or smoke. This will make it clean and also safe for those who need to enjoy the fireplace warmth and ambiance without pollution.
- You are not restricted on where to place the fireplace; this is because it will not need ventilation. As such, you can put it anywhere and light it for the heat.
- The fireplace produces real flame, unlike what electric fireplaces do. The real flame is what most people also want in a fireplace to make the experience better.
- No need to keep tending to the fire. Let us say you are using a wood-burning fireplace, it will require continuous addition of logs. However, gel fuel does not have additional input once you light it.
- Fireplaces no longer look boring. Right now, you can find some amazing designs for a fireplace. Take your time to check various options available before deciding which would be the best for you.
- This can be a good fireplace during winter. This is because there is no need to have it vented. This feature also leads to less heat loss. You can have a good home with no heat losses.
How To Extinguish Gel Fuel
Extinguishing a gel fuel is simple. You just need something to smother the fire. In most cases, all you have to do is cover the can with its lid to put out the fire. Replacing the lid will cut the oxygen supply, and the fuel flame will extinguish. Now it is ready for storage.
Cons of a Fireplace
- There is no flame regulation. Unlike what you might get with electric and gas fireplaces, this feature is unavailable with gel fuel.
- The heat output is not the best when you compare it to conventional methods such as wood-burning fireplaces.
- You may need a lot of fuel to burn over a long time. It might be cheap to buy, but the costs can easily catch up with you in the long run.
Conclusion: Are Gel Fuel Fireplaces Safe?
Looking at how a gel fireplace works above, we find that it is a safe piece of kit to have in your home. One of the things to note is that it will not have fumes. No one wants to deal with the fumes in the house. Also, it does not produce soot and ash, unlike wood-burning fireplaces. So, maintenance is also easier. As you can see, it is safe and does not need much maintenance to operate it.
