Fireplaces in the home conventionally appear in the living room for many practical reasons. Living rooms tend to have a lot of space to accommodate a fireplace and the chimney to exhaust the fumes and pollutants unleashed by a firewood. While it sounds like a romantic idea to have a fireplace in the bedroom, often enough that fantasy quite never leaves up to expectations in reality.
For one, in addition to space, one has to factor in how to do a chimney in the bedroom as well to exhaust the smoke from the fire. This can be quite an undertaking that begs the question of whether having a fireplace in the bedroom is worth the trouble as well as the cost?
Wood Burning Fireplace in the Bedroom
For a bedroom that is wanting space, it is not a good idea to incorporate a wood-fueled fireplace. During architectural planning, not as much room is allocated for the bedrooms as is for the living room. So more often than not the bedroom is too small to integrate a wood-fueled fireplace. However, if there is plenty of room in the bedroom, then structurally speaking and from a layout point of view, a fireplace in the bedroom is technically feasible.
While the idea of a fireplace in the bedroom seems novel, some homeowners wanting to execute the project often fail to do a cost-benefit analysis. The thought and picture of you relaxed in your bathrobe and sipping wine over the warmth of a log fuelled fire in the comfort of your bedroom can take precedence and overshadow whether the benefits surpass the cost to justify your decision.
Also, the thought of cuddling with your significant other on a cold wintry night may be too hard to suppress. But the reality of things is that life tends to get in the way and you often end up not using the fireplace in your bedroom as often as you would like to. That being the case, the attention required in maintaining your bedroom fireplace to keep it safe and functioning at optimal does not take a break.
The service, maintenance, and repair bills keep mounting yet you barely use that facility.
That is what we mean when we say that doing a cost-benefit analysis before building a fireplace in your bedroom should be a vital part of your decision-making process. There are other factors to consider. For instance, wood-burning fireplaces are known to produce air pollutants such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide.
These poisonous gases when consumed in large quantities are harmful to human beings. These gases have a negative impact, especially on children, the elderly, pregnant women, and those suffering from respiratory-related issues such as asthma and allergies.
A fireplace in the bedroom means that one has to observe extra caution and always make sure that the bedroom is very well ventilated during the use of the fireplace. The younger generation is more conscious about the health of the planet and is keen to protect it. They are tending to shy away from having log-burning fireplaces. They have a valid argument given wood fireplaces generally lose 80% of the heat to the chimney and out of the home. As such their efficiency rating is low at about 20%.
Most people who want a wood-burning fireplace in the bedroom such as the one they had in their home as kids are usually out of nostalgia. While there is nothing wrong with this desire or want. A good number of people forget that the fireplace was operated by their parents and may underestimate the effort that goes into getting the fire going and the cleaning involved afterward.
For a more efficient fireplace in the living or the bedroom, gas fire pits and electric options may be a better option.
Gas Fireplace in the Bedroom
Just like the wood-fueled fireplace would need a thorough cost-benefit analysis so too would a gas-powered fireplace in the bedroom. Space is always a factor and the maintenance cost versus how much you use the fireplace should be justifiable.
A gas fireplace in the bedroom is less hazardous and offers a clean flame. Since the fire does not produce smoke or ash also means that you do not have to contend with cleaning up afterward. Ignition is quick and instant saving you plenty of time when you come home from work tired. A downside though, is you would still need space to build a chimney for exhausting fumes from the bedroom to the outside of the house.
The efficiency rating of a standard gas fireplace is much higher at about 70% when compared to that of a wood-burning fireplace. While gas fireplaces lack the authentic character of a wooden fireplace, they compensate for it with convenience and efficiency. In today’s fireplace sphere it is almost impossible to talk about wood-burning and gas fireplaces without giving a mention to electric fireplace options.
These can work for a bedroom and quite well too. That’s because they are do not require an external vent to function and are extremely easy to install and therefore much cheaper in the long run. They also have an outstanding efficiency rating of 99%. They come in numerous designs, sizes and can easily be incorporated into any bedroom décor because of their small footprint.
Conclusion
Other than the question of preference, what all the above-mentioned fireplaces have in common if installed in the bedroom, is that they do an excellent job of providing zonal heating. A major flaw of central heating is that it heats all the rooms of the house simultaneously including the ones not being used. That is not only wasteful but costly as well. One of the advantages of having a fireplace in the bedroom is that you can give the central heating a break while still keeping warm, staying comfortable, and saving a pretty penny.
However, while this 2 types of fireplaces can be used in the bedroom, electric fireplaces still remain the best and most convenient option for bedroom use.
