With a fireplace, homeowners will benefit from increased comfort, soothing ambience and a boost to their house's value.
In the past decade, around 5 percent of all new homes have featured two or more fireplaces, according to HGTV. Part of the reason fireplaces are popular is because they can increase the value of a home due to the numerous advantages they provide to homeowners. They look good, they save money, they provide heat – there is so much to gain from installing a fireplace in your home that it's hard to find a reason not to.
"It's not just the fireplace – that whole part of the house is much nicer given the ambience," Steve Melman, an economist for the National Association of Home Builders, told HGTV in regard to the home value hike that fireplaces can provide.
Fireplaces sell themselves, Paul Zuch, president of design and build company Capital Improvements, told HGTV. Even in the South, people seek out the pleasant aesthetics of fireplaces. The multitude of benefits fireplaces provide are wide-ranging. Where else can someone find a home improvement that they can describe as both energy efficient and romantic? There are a number of reasons to install a fireplace beyond the home value jump it will provide. Other reasons to build a fireplace in your home include:
1. A unique kind of warmth
No other heating source offers quite the same type of warmth as a fireplace, Nayaug Chimney Services noted. The relaxing heat is more then just comforting to feel, it is also nice to watch the flames flicker away. The crackling the wood makes as the flames eat away at it, the glow the fire emanates and the comforting warmth that fills the room make a fireplace a no-brainer in terms of relaxation.
In addition, this is a heat source that can keep burning away, even when those powered by electricity stop. In the case of a power outage, a fireplace can continue to provide the same warmth it always does, unlike other heating systems. In the dead of winter, during the harshest of storms, when your power gets knocked out you will likely head straight to the fireplace.
2. Energy efficiency
The heating bill can be tough to face during the winter, which is just another reason why a fireplace will come in handy, according to Tech & Science. Wood-burning fireplaces exude plenty of heat, and should be enough to significantly lower your bills, since you won't have to heat as often through other means.
It costs less to purchase wood than it does to pay high utilities bills every month, Nayaug Chimney Services explained. As a result, you will be much less dependent on energy companies during the colder months if you have a fireplace. This means that you can take control over your own heating, including the price. If you live in a heavily wooded area, you can heat your home for free.
3. Keep the yard clean
In keeping with the free heating theme, using a fireplace will help you keep wood debris out of your yard, Nayaug Chimney Service noted. As the weather gets colder and branches snap and fall to the ground, they will begin to litter your yard. Some may find this to be an upsetting detriment to their home's allure, but the smart fireplace owner will see this as an opportunity for free heating. Whether you'd like to chop a few trees down to free up space, or a recent storm scattered branches all over the lawn, collecting wood for your fireplace is a great DIY home project that kills time and saves money.