Compared to other forms of fireplaces, electric fireplaces can be considered safer because:

  • There’s no real flame produced.
  • The heat is generated artificially.
  • There are no byproducts, smoke or waste gases released.
  • Unlike wood and gas fires, electric fireplaces don’t require a constant supply of fresh air to keep the fire burning safely.
  • Both the heat and flames can be turned off in an instant.
  • Apart from in front of the heater, they aren’t hot to the touch.

Electric fireplaces don’t have a real fire, and any flames shown aren’t real.

Electric fireplaces can therefore be considered safer than other forms of fireplaces that have real flames because there are no risks involved with the potential for the fire to spread, produce smoke or release harmful gases.

Electric fireplaces simply produce an imitation of a real fire by using a typical LED screen or combination of lights and mechanical parts to display flickering flames (you can read more about how fireplaces work right here).

 As electric fireplaces don’t have real flames there’s no heat produced by the fires. Heat is therefore generated artificially from another component within the fireplace, either from a conventional heating element and fan or from another heat source such as an infrared heater.

An electric fireplace doesn’t produce real flames and also generates its heat using electricity. An electric fireplace therefore doesn’t produce any waste byproducts.

This means that there are no harmful emissions (such as smoke and other gases) that need to be vented from your home, and is another reason why electric fireplaces can be considered a safer form fireplace compared to wood burning or gas.