Zone Heating Featured Guest Post

Considering Switching to An Electric Fireplace?

With temperatures nearing zero and significant snowstorms in the forecast, the days of putting off winter preparations are long gone. Home heating needs to be a top priority to keep your family safe and warm, free from frozen pipes and chilled toes.  Does your winterization plan includes an electric fireplace? If not, we strongly urge you to consider it as a viable form of home heating. Is switching to electric something you’ve been thinking about?

If you answered yes….

Woohoo! Let us reaffirm your beliefs that electric fireplaces can save you significant money. Gas bills are no one’s friends, but they don’t have to be necessarily an evil. Electric fireplaces are a great way to increase your home’s energy efficiency by zone heating, turning down the central thermostat and only warming the rooms you use most. This action alone can save you up to 10% on your energy bill each month. Please consult your local energy company to see how much zone heating can save you.

In general, electric fireplaces cost much less to run. Gas fireplaces typically operate at 17 to 24¢ per hour (varies by location), but electric fireplaces provide warmth and LED technology that can save you up to 10% on your energy bill. With heating options that can warm rooms from 400 square feet to 1,000 square feet, electric fireplaces are a vibrant and affordable way to keep your family comfy and cozy this winter.

Worried they don’t look realistic enough? New technology including LED lights, glowing logs and ember beds ensure the effect is as convincing as possible. You have to see it to believe it.

If you answered no…

Isn’t it time to start? What are you waiting for?

Twin-Star manufactures a number of the leading brands of electric fireplaces including Duraflame, ClassicFlame and ChimneyFree. With many styles and designs to suit any décor, Twin-Star offers several options from mantels to media consoles and wall mounts. Let us find the perfect unit for your home.

 

For more information on electric fireplaces as an alternative to gas or wood, check out our resources center full of articles, videos and infographics from people who have made the switch.

Guest post provided by Lauren Monitz of ElectricFireplacesDirect.com, the #1 online source for electric fireplaces and a major distributor of Twin-Star products.

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Guest Post by ElectricFireplacesDirect.com

Twin-Star Best Sellers and Why They're So Popular

Twin-Star International has long been one of the biggest manufacturers of electric fireplaces that we sell. Parent company of ClassicFlame, Duraflame and Chimney Free brands, it’s no wonder why these are some of the most popular electric fireplace lines on the market today. With a focus on quality heirloom furniture and state of the art engineering, Twin-Star products seamlessly combine form and function to deliver stellar aesthetics and unmatched supplemental heating. Let’s take a look at some of their best selling electric fireplaces.

Duraflame 550 Black Electric Fireplace Stove with Remote Control - DFS-550-7

With over 600 reviews, this powerful, space-saving little heater packs quite the punch. Weighing only 25 lbs., it is portable enough to move anywhere your home is feeling drafty, yet can heat up to 400 sq.ft., as impactful as a much larger model. Controllable by remote, run the heat or flames independently for year-round comfort and ambiance.

See what our customers say:

“I am 84 years old and on blood thinners. It heats the living room wonderfully. Without it I am freezing all the time. It was very light and easy for me to set up. I like the remote to turn it on and off as it saves me from getting up.” -Charlie, Newville

“Our house is nearly 100 years old with high ceilings and is very hard to heat. This stove is doing a great job in area heating. I am about to order another one for the kitchen and possibly one for the bedroom.” -Donna, Ashland

“I was looking for something small for a property that I manage and we needed something with a fan that could circulate the heat. This is just the ticket. It creates a conversation when my friends enter the room to sit down like its a real fireside chat.” -Donna, Longmond

Brookfield Electric Fireplace Entertainment Center in Premium Oak - 26MM2209-O107

If you’re looking for a contemporary media console that will match just about any decor, 100s of people have found the Brookfield to be the perfect entertainment center option. Proudly display your TV and components while gazing at the roaring fire provided via a 26” built-in firebox. LED technology allows for greater energy efficiency and zone heating and there is even a sleep timer for “set it and forget it” mode.

Highlights:

“We had been looking for an electric fireplace with three main wishes -- 1) a well built piece of furniture, 2) able to house a 55" TV with surround sound equipment, and 3)have a realistic flame. We had been shopping for nearly 18 months because there wasn't one that satisfied all of our needs. I can assure you, this one did!!” -Dan, Rockford

“Purchased for comfort, relaxation and entertainment. I love the realistic flames and I was surprised by how well it heats the entire first floor. Thinking about purchasing a second one for the bedroom.” -Beckie, Philadelphia

“The unit is cosmetically flawless. The wood is beautiful and was meticulously packaged to avoid any damage during shipping. The fireplace itself is very nice--one of the best I've seen.” -Roger, Fenton

Duraflame 20-Inch Electric Fireplace Insert/Log Set - DFI020ARU

If you have an existing gas or wood fireplace you’re considering retrofitting with electric, but are worried about how real it will look, the Duraflame Insert will put your mind at.  Compact logs project LED lights and high efficiency flames off the back of your firebox to create an illusion that’s second to none. An ember bed rolls and pulsates to add to the visual effect, and the entire unit can be used with or without heat for year-round enjoyment.

735 people can’t be wrong:

“After moving to a warm climate from the cold north, I have been in my home for a year with a fireplace that wasn't being used. I needed something to give the living room some atmosphere. This log inserts are wonderful; adds just the touch I needed.” -Karleena, Altamonte Springs

“Best when reading, meditating and kicking back with spouse for a night of TV and movies. Helps to relax after a long day without the clean up that follows with the old traditional wood fires. Instant pleasure without all the necessary logistics of firewood and the knowledge of the trees saved. Time is now spent on more home and family projects.” -Woodman, Hattiesburg

“I purchased this product to have a fireplace in my bedroom...AND I LOVE IT. It heats my room just enough, is nice to look at and don't have to fool anyone with fuel gel cans which would bother my asthma.” -Anonymous, Los Angeles

Whatever style of fireplace you’re looking for, Twin-Star has a product to fit your needs. We can’t wait for you to see the difference for yourself.

Guest post provided by Lauren Monitz of ElectricFireplacesDirect.com, the #1 online source for electric fireplaces and a major distributor of Twin-Star brand products.

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Halloween Mantel Decorating Tips

Halloween Mantel Decorating Tips

When it comes to Halloween, there are so many themes that you could emulate when decorating your mantel and your home. We chose to go with a creepy, haunted mansion theme. All the items shown in this post were purchased at local stores such as Big Lots and through an online bulk wholesaler, saveoncrafts.com

We took our inspiration for this theme from movies like, “The House on Haunted Hill” and “The Woman in Black.” Using items to create a neutral black and white theme with subtle pops of color.

Here is how we accomplished the look, with a few shopping tips to help make your decorating fun and stress free.

* Shopping tip: Before you go shopping, search online for rooms, styles and decorating ideas that inspire you, on websites. Pinterest is one of our favorite sites that can help you create a visual shopping list so you can design a similar look.

With haunted mansions as our inspiration, we used antique like items such as, distressed and rusted picture frames and candelabras to add to the older look and feel of the décor.  

** Layered Look Tip: To create our layered look, we used items of different sizes and simply leaned them on the wall against one another to create this desired effect. We used a black frame mirror, centered on the mantel, and layered it with a smaller rectangular, distressed, white frame to give an added multi-dimensional look on top of the mantel.

Some key elements of our theme were spider webs and black ravens. Horror movies often contain these classic elements. We also incorporated a black owl peeping out from in front of the candlesticks. Webbing was placed on most of the mantel, including the mirror, candlesticks and picture frames, adding to the haunted, decrepit look.

           

We continued to build on our theme by adding décor of different heights and textures in order to give the mantel more depth and dimension. Shredded black cheesecloth and spider webs provide creepy textures. A silver mercury glass skull and vintage book tie together our haunted theme, while our scary tale of “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” and distressed glass potion bottles add in festive pops of color.

Start decorating your mantel today! Share photos of your finished look with us on our Facebook page and Twitter account @TwinStarHome

Did you know that all our products are designed and engineered in the USA?Twin-Star International manufactures world-class brands such as ClassicFlame, ClassicFlame PRO, Tresanti, LUXE Bath Works, Duraflame heaters, Black & Decker heaters, Antiqua, Chimney Free and now Twin-Star Home.

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