Fireplaces can add value to a home, and they can add resale value when they have a makeover. But this is also a feature in a house that is comforting, adds heat in the cold months to a room and ambiance. Fireplaces can have a nice sized mantel for knick-knacks, a stone, brick or other type hearth and surround. This can also be a unique part of a room with a free-standing fireplace area that is not built into a wall but rather in the center of the room. Basically, the fireplace can be a focal point of a room as well as helping create warmth. It can also be the focal point of an exterior living area. The bottom line is fireplaces never detract from the value of a house.

There are some valid reasons to change an existing fireplace; one of them is changing it from wood to direct vent. Two other types of fireplaces include electric and gel. Both have similar advantages to gas like being able to turn the unit off and it goes out immediately. This affordable remodel or fireplace replacement can raise the value of the house for three main reasons.

• There is no longer a need to procure firewood.
• A gas fireplace has no drafts like a wood fireplace when not in use.
• The cost of using gas is cheaper than buying firewood.
• There is less chance of a chimney fire using gas instead of wood that can leave creosol in the chimney that can catch fire.

The last reason a direct vent or gas fireplace has advantages over a wood fireplace is that it can easily be lit and then turned off rather than waiting for the wood to burn down, which still leaves a bed of hot coals.

The fireplace replacement can consist of replacing an existing older fireplace with a new modern unit that includes a blower which will help to circulate the heat from the unit when burning throughout the room. It can also mean installing a direct vent fireplace.

Having a fireplace means doing upkeep on the unit and the chimney and this can mean requiring mason work done, venting solutions or a custom cap to update the look of the chimney on the outside of the house. These types of caps are appealing because they are ornate giving an extra special look to the chimney. Plus having a cap can help to keep obstructions like bird nests out of a chimney during the warm months when the fireplace is not in use.

In climates that are mild to hot most of the year often have an outdoor living area and this can be upgraded with a fireplace that adds to the ambiance. At the same, this type of improvement will add to the property value. While not every home improvement increases the value of a home because it is regular maintenance or upkeep a fireplace is different. This is something that will always add to the value of the house. For more information on a fireplace replacement or remodel in Orange County, contact Southern Fireplace Distributors at (949) 837-7008.