The chill in the air and the frost starting to accumulate on the window sent a shiver down my spine. I wanted to wrap the blanket around me and never get out. It wasn’t freezing, but it was chilly. I wished I had a fireplace to curl up in front of, but I live in an apartment and I thought I was out of luck.
One day, though, I happened across the website of a company called Clean Flames. To my amazement, they have fireplaces of all shapes and sizes. But better than that, these fireplaces are vent-free. They don’t need a chimney, vent, flue or other hook-up. They burn bio ethanol fuel and produce real fire, unlike an electric fireplace.
In looking through the pages of their site, I saw models that were small and placed on the table, those that were floor models and even fireplaces you can hang onto or build into the wall. Because they don’t need to be hooked up to pipes or electrical outlets, you can put them pretty much wherever you please!
You see, an ethanol fireplace only gives off heat, water vapor and small amounts of carbon dioxide when it’s used. Ethanol fireplace fuel is a renewable energy source made from derivatives of plants and then, when it’s burned, plants process the carbon dioxide through photosynthesis. So, it’s like a never-ending cycle that makes it Eco-friendly!
Because they’re environmentally sensitive, ethanol fireplaces don’t produce smoke, ash nor soot. Plus, there’s no smell! They’re so easy to use! Some of them you simply take out of the box, fill with fuel and light – it’s that simple! The best part is that there’s no cleanup involved and you don’t have to wait for embers to smolder before leaving the fireplace unattended when you’re finished – simply close the burner’s lid – Period.
Very stylish, these fireplaces won’t heat your whole home, but they certainly add style and give added warmth to a space. I chose a see-through floor model and it looks great. We place it in the middle of the room and everyone can enjoy the real (and clean) flames produced by the ethanol burner. It’s even a beautiful piece when we’re not using it.
If you’re lucky and already have a wood-burning or gas fireplace, Clean Flames also offers ethanol burners, grates and wall inserted fireboxes separately. To convert your existing wood-burning or gas fireplace into an Eco-friendly hearth, simply make sure that the floor is level and set the burner or grate inside. They can be decorated with ceramic pebbles, fire glass or ceramic logs to give it the look of your choice – from traditional to contemporary.
So, if you’re like me and you’re already tired of the chilliness of winter, you may want to check this type of fireplace out. My friends think I’m the hippest gal in town – what they don’t realize is that I’m helping out the environment at the same time. For me, that’s a win-win situation and I feel warmer even without the fireplace being lit knowing I’m doing my little part for the world. Warm Wishes.