Sure Signs It's Time To Ditch The Real Fireplace In Your Family Home

If you’re a person who enjoys characterful property features, then a home with a large fireplace will hold undeniable appeal. These additions certainly add a cosy vibe to any space, while also functioning as a great central feature. Without any need for decor efforts from you, your open fireplace will draw the eye, and tie the whole room together.

There’s just one problem – fireplaces of this nature are quickly going out of style, and not just because of ongoing legal limitations on their use. In family homes, in particular, owners are simply realising that there may be preferable, and more family-safe, alternatives.

Admittedly, you’ll want to talk with a local estate agent before you go ripping your fireplace out as, in some areas, a sizable fireplace can help home value. If that’s not the case where you are, however, it might be worth looking out for these sure signs that you could benefit from ditching the real fireplace in your family home. 

Sign # 1 - You Never Use it

The most obvious sign that you should scrap the classic fireplace is the fact that you never use it. Open fires are a fair amount of work to both maintain and start, after all. Not to mention that all of those flames present a significant safety risk for younger children. Before you know it, a couple of years might have passed without you lighting that fireplace once.

If this is the case, then you’re not benefiting from having a real fire in place. You’d likely be far better off with alternatives like an inset electric fire that’s safe for family use and switches on at the click of a button. Simply get rid of that real fire to make room for something that’s going to warm your room at last!

Sign # 2 - You’re Limited on Space

Space is also tight in a family home, and toy-based clutter, in particular, has an annoying habit of taking over every room. Worse, you’re probably limited on storage if a large open fire is taking up an entire wall in your home.

Getting rid of that fireplace could see you installing a sizable storage cupboard that’s better than any of the make-do storage you’re dealing with right now. You may also find that the more practical modern application of storage over a fireplace actually adds value to your home, or at least helps to convince other buyers to opt for your property over others.

Sign # 3 - Someone has Asthma or Allergies

Open fireplaces that burn real wood release tiny air pollutants into your home, which can exacerbate existing conditions like asthma or allergies. If an adult or child in your house is dealing with these conditions, then it’s always safer to avoid real fires.

In this instance, an alternative like an electric fireplace, or opting for alternative uses like storage as mentioned, is always the safest option.

Do these signs sound familiar? Maybe it’s time you ditched that real fireplace once and for all.

K Elizabeth xoxox

*Collaborative Post