Media units with a built-in electric fire have become a common living room purchase, and they combine two things that each have their own requirements.
What an Electric Fireplace Actually Is
A visual effect and, usually, a fan heater. The two functions are typically independent: the flame effect can run without heat, using very little power.
The heating element is a conventional electric heater, generally rated somewhere around one to two kilowatts, which is a significant electrical load.
It produces no combustion, so there is no flue, no carbon monoxide and no real flame. That is the main safety advantage over any fuel-burning appliance.
Anchoring
Televisions falling from furniture are a recognised cause of serious injury to children, and a media unit is exactly the height a child reaches up to.
The television anchored or wall-mounted, and the unit itself strapped to the wall. Manufacturers supplying anti-tip hardware, of the kind included with the media units at t4tream.net, provide the bracket; the wall fixing must suit the wall, and a plastic plug in plasterboard holds nothing.
The Electrical Load Matters
- Plug it directly into a wall socket, never an extension lead
- Never into a multi-way adapter shared with other equipment
- Check the rated wattage against what the circuit is carrying
- An extension lead that feels warm is being overloaded
- Never run the lead under a rug or carpet
This is the point that gets ignored most often, because a media wall is already full of low-power devices on an extension block and the heater goes onto the same block by default.
Clearances
The manufacturer states minimum clearances around the heater outlet, and they exist because the air coming out is hot.
Nothing should sit in front of the vent. Furnishings, curtains, blankets and anything fabric need to be kept clear, and the unit should not be enclosed in a way that blocks airflow.
Heat and the Television Above It
The specific consideration with these units. Rising warm air is not good for electronics.
Most designs vent forwards rather than upwards for this reason, and the manufacturer’s stated minimum gap between the heater and the screen should be respected rather than treated as guidance.
Children and Hot Surfaces
The glass front of an electric fire gets warm, though far less than a real fire. It is still worth knowing, particularly with crawling children.
The flame effect is attractive to small children, which is a reason to think about a guard rather than to assume electric means entirely cool.
Running Costs
Worth being clear about. Electric heating is expensive per unit of heat compared with central heating, and a two-kilowatt heater run for an evening uses a substantial amount of electricity.
Running the flame effect alone costs very little, which is how most people use them most of the time.
Not a Primary Heat Source
These are supplementary heaters for a room in use, not a substitute for heating a house.