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-kilgoretrout- t1_j7i5qre wrote

Reply to comment by very_humble in Remove the fireplace ? DIY job or not ? by ed_in_Edmonton

As someone who just lost power in an ice storm for 4 days without a working fireplace, I’d say keep it. Better to have and not need, than need and not have.

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AKADriver t1_j7idks2 wrote

There are lots of other ways to do emergency heat that aren't a big decorative permanent fireplace though.

Many high efficiency gas fireplaces have vent fans and need electricity to work also.

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Pyro919 t1_j7izi0g wrote

How exactly?

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AKADriver t1_j7j2ph0 wrote

There are portable indoor propane and kerosene heaters. Also there are wall mounted ones that vent outside but are basically just a slim box on the wall instead of a whole thing with a mantel and hearth.

And I'm not saying you can't have a whole thing with a mantel and a hearth if you want one, but if you don't want it, you can just have a blank unobtrusive white box on the wall.

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FavoritesBot t1_j7irvg0 wrote

That kind of fireplace requires electricity to work though (might be able to start it with a lighter and batteries but not run the fan

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0x600dc0de t1_j7jddf1 wrote

Are you certain? Ours is similar, has “milivolt” gas valve operation such that the power to switch it on is derived from the pilot light. And the fan was an option we never had installed, it heats the nearby space fine without it. In the pinch of a power outage, I’m sure it will provide some useful heat.

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FavoritesBot t1_j7jwjcd wrote

I’m certain about the fan. Sure you could start it but it’s not going to be very efficient

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