When buying and installing a new wood burning appliance, the things we focus our attention on are typically its dimensions and design. Sure, experienced users will also make sure the appliance comes from a trusted brand with a stellar warranty. And environmentally-minded people will also look for the Ecodesign label to make sure it’s as energy-efficient as possible.
But that’s about it.
Very few of us even think about the hearth that will surround our new appliance, even though it’s just as important.
In this article, we will show you why your hearth is so much more than just a mandatory safety element. And how spending just a little bit of extra time building it can pay serious dividends.
Additional Storage Space
If you live in a cold part of the country that gets a lot of snow, then the daily trip to your outdoor wood store is probably your least favourite thing about wood heating.
But a well-designed, functional hearth can help you mitigate that by giving you ample indoor storage space for your beloved premium Lekto briquettes or home-seasoned firewood. Many available solutions will allow you to store as much three days’ worth of wood fuel, allowing you to stock up when the weather is mild and stay inside during the freezing cold.
If you live in a milder climate, your hearth can also be used as storage space for various tools and accessories, such as stokers, ash buckets, bellows, ash rakes, brushes, as well as an emergency bucket of water.
Draw Attention to Your Wood Burner
If you’ve ever owned a premium wood burner or an open fire, then you know that it’s so much more than just a source of light and heat. It’s also an important decorative element that can help set the mood of the entire room.
And after you’ve spent thousands of pounds and countless hours choosing the right appliance, you no doubt want your new appliance to become the focal point of the room. Unfortunately, a wood burner, no matter how beautiful, typically can’t draw attention to itself. At least not on its own.
But the right hearth can solve this. Choose a shape that draws the attention of your guests to the crackling fire and they’ll notice your design efforts ten times out of ten.
Add a Feeling of Luxury to Your Property
With the proper use of hearth tiles and other decorative elements, your wood burner and hearth combo can add an additional dimension to the room’s design and play an important part in setting its tone.
And if you’re seeking ways to add value to an apartment you’ll be selling soon, a well-designed and effectively-decorated open fire hearth can add a lot of luxury feel for comparatively little money.
Health & Safety
All this being said, the most important function of a hearth is protecting you from an accident.
Having a crackling fire at home is, without a doubt, very calming and relaxing. But it also introduces the possibility of a fire hazard into your life.
And this risk should not be taken lightly.
Being made out of a fire-resistant material, such as brick, marble, or natural stone, your hearth provides a buffer zone to protect the easily-flammable parts of living room (such as carpets and wood furniture) from burning logs and embers.
