Like anything else built into the structure of a home, a fireplace can become dull-looking and outdated over time, particularly when it's in a room with modern decor.

Everyone enjoys the warmth created by having a fireplace in their home. Instead of having to run their furnace more often, they can use their wood burning fireplace to save money on their energy bills.

When you want a modern style of fireplace but already have an existing unit, there are a few different options available. You could rip out your old fireplace and replace it with a brand new energy efficient design.

When choosing a model or particular style of fireplace you will need to decide between wood burning and gas designs. While gas fireplacescan cost more to operate they do provide many features and conveniences not found with wood burning models.

Misplaced embers from a cozy fireplace were the cause of the sad news everyone received on Christmas Day from Stamford, Conn. A beautiful three-story victorian home on the waterfront  set on fire because embers were not taken outside.  Five lives lost, three of them only beginning.

More than 2,000 children ages 5 and younger suffered burn injuries from gas fireplaces from 1999 through March 2009, according to research conducted by Carol Pollack-Nelson, Ph.D., an independent safety consultant.

The CSA - America Vented Heater Technical Advisory Group met in Cleveland on Dec. 13, 2011 and approved language mandating certified barriers to protect children and other at-risk people from the glass fronts of gas fireplaces.

Fireside Chat

By Larissa Lytwyn/Life@Home

As nights sharpen from brisk to downright cold, it’s time to move inside for warmth. “You can’t beat the feeling of curling up in front of a big crackling fire with someone you love,” says Matt Thornton of Saratoga Fireplace and Stove. But with all the options out there — inside, outside, wood-burning, gas and pellet — what is the best, most economical choice?

To transform an inefficient existing wood burning fireplace or zero clearance fireplace, have fireplace inserts installed. Fireplace insertscan add the warmth and ambiance of a traditional fireplace back to your home, but with a reliability not found in traditional wood burning fireplaces.

Unlike traditional wood burning fireplaces, a direct vent fireplace does not require a chimney ran through the entire home. Instead this type of fireplace only requires that a direct vent be placed on the exterior wall where the fireplace is installed to allow toxic fumes from the natural gas to escape outdoors.