How do I choose the right wall-mounted electric fire for my home?

Are you planning to install a wall-mounted electric fire in your home? For any heating appliance that you choose, it’s important to make sure you’ve selected a type and model that will work for your home. Every home is different and sometimes that means choosing a different type of fire.

If you’re thinking of purchasing an electric fire, there are a few things to consider in advance. Here’s our list of starter questions that will help you choose the right wall-mounted electric fire for your home.

01. Where do you want your electric fire to go?

A wall-mounted electric fire is a versatile heating option and can work in many more places than fires that rely on other fuel sources like gas or wood. That’s because, with an electric fire, you just need to be able to plug it in and you don’t need to worry about a chimney or venting.

One thing that is important to consider with an electric fire is where you want to place it in a room. The ES Series of wall-mounted electric fires from Rinnai increase in size from the ES750 (glass front 750mm) up to the ES2200 (glass front 2200mm). For any fire you choose you’ll need to make sure you have sufficient wall space available to insert the full machine of the fire into your wall.

02. What size of wall-mounted electric fire do you want?

Which will you decide first - where you want to put your electric fire or what size of fire you want? Either way, you need to measure up carefully before you make a purchase. It’s also a good idea to consult with an installer, or your builder and/or an electrician, to make sure you’re aware of the cost of installation and connecting to your power supply.

03. What area are you heating?

All Electric Fires from Rinnai have the same heat output of 0.9-1.8 kW. If you’re heating a small, well insulated space you might decide that’s enough for you. Most homes in a New Zealand Winter would also require a main heat source like a heat pump in addition to the electric fire, so you have the most efficient heating solution for your space.

Your ES Series Electric Fire may only generate 0.9-1.8 kW of heat but it does create an easy-to-use and beautiful focal point for a room. Electric Fires are a great solution to supplement “invisible” heating solutions like ducted heat pumps or central heating and deliver the easiest fire option possible.

04. What style of electric fire do you want?

For most people, an electric fire is a style choice that also brings the benefit of some efficient warmth into your home. The Rinnai ES Series of Electric Fires have been designed with this in mind. The fire itself is beautiful to look at, can be customised to the style and type of fire display you want to enjoy, and is incredibly easy to operate.

You can further customise the look of your electric fire by adding shelves above or below it, going for a traditional look with a mantelpiece, or even cladding the wall around your fire in stone, tile or wood.

05. How much money do you want to spend on an electric fire?

For any heating purchase it’s important to be sure it will work for your budget - today and tomorrow. That means it’s a good idea to do some upfront research to understand the cost of your fire, the cost of installation, and the ongoing cost of running your fire. Once you’ve worked out these costs you can check that your electric fire is not just going to meet your heating expectations but will also be a feature you can afford to enjoy for years to come.

Snug are your local suppliers of the ES Series of Electric Fires from Rinnai. If you need help understanding which Electric Fire will work best for you - you can contact our friendly team. We’re experts in all the fires we offer and will be happy to help you make the best choice.