HOME SWEET HOME: STAYING COSY AND STYLISH

In this age of self-driving cars and automated machines that replaced everything, are freestanding wood heaters the replacement for a fireplace?

A fireplace instantly enhances the aesthetic appeal of a house. A fireplace, at first, was just a pragmatic addition to homes. Their purpose was to keep people warm during the winters. It essentially helped people stay warm indoors, while not choking on the smoke, as the fireplace was attached to a chimney. The inclusion of a fireplace became a necessity in many houses’ floorplans. Fireplaces spruced up the interiors of the living room, reading room, or wherever they were installed. With it came many architectural developments as well. One example would be the mantel, a beautiful addition to any home.

The mantel is a small shelf-like structure built above the fireplace. Over time, the mantel became an integral part of Christmas traditions, as people hang stockings full of cookies for Santa there. The mantel became the centrepiece of the room as it began sporting embellishments and engravings, usually to accentuate the opulence of a room.

While the fireplace is a commendable inclusion, it could cause adverse environmental impacts. Additionally, the invention of electronic heaters and thermostats rendered the fireplace unnecessary, as the former were more convenient to use.

While these tools did what the fireplace could, they did not add to the interior’s aesthetic appeal and were hidden in the construction as they were considered eyesores. What interior decorators needed was an amalgamation of the two. They wanted a heater which could heat-up spaces using firewood, while not harming the environment. And thus, the freestanding wood heater came into existence.

FREESTANDING WOOD HEATERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Climate change, pollution, carbon footprint, greenhouse gases; these terms have become commonplace today. As the impact of environmental degradation stares at the human race, countries world-wide are setting more environmental-friendly standards. The awareness of the necessity to curb activities that could potentially harm the environment is known globally.

Few of the powerful nations contributing to environmental sustenance are Australia and New Zealand. Together, these governments set standards to regulate industries, factories and other large-scale activities, which would impact the environment adversely. These standards are globally accepted and are the baseline for testing products. Freestanding wood heaters are tested on the same standards – 4013/4012. They measure particle emissions and their efficiency, and these heaters have exceeded the standard requirements. Therefore, these heaters are entirely safe for the environment and homes.

THE FREESTANDING WOOD HEATER: WORKING

This wood heater is of two types, and each type works on a different principle. One variant is similar to the fireplace and looks just the same, but without installation. These heaters come with a stand and can become the focus of a room, as one can place them anywhere. They have a chamber to burn the wood and an attached chimney, which filters harmful particles from smoke.

This heater comes in many sizes and shapes. It has a chamber for the wood, which can be closed-up if needed, and an attached chimney outlet on top. At the bottom is a stand whose style depends on the shape and size of the heater. Some of these wood heaters also come with an additional storage option for the firewood and cost slightly higher than the regular ones.

The other variant is a convection freestanding wood heater and works on the same principle as the conventional barbeque. It burns firewood and dissipates the heat all over the house, similar to a hooded barbeque grill. This heater covers more indoor area than the former variant.These heaters too have a chimney which filters the smoke before letting it out. Both come in various sizes and shapes, so there are appropriate freestanding wood heaters for every kind of space.