Electric fireplaces are a great to way heat your home, while also providing the look and feel of a real fire without many of the downsides of having a real fire.

Although electric fireplaces don’t have a real flame, they do produce heat.

So how does an electric fireplace work?

An electric fireplace works by using a mains electrical supply to power a heating element and blower to provide warm air to a room, and by using an LED screen or rotisserie-style light effect to produce the look of real flames.

I’ve used my own electric fireplaces that I have in my home as examples of how an electric fireplace works, including:

  • How an electric fireplace flame works.
  • How an electric fireplace heats up a room.
  • How electric fireplaces look real.

There are a few different types of electric fireplace, all of which provide the same two main functions of providing heat and the effect of looking like a real fire. They’re typically used in your home in different locations and so provide the main functions slightly differently.

The three main types of electric fireplace include:

  • Freestanding electric fireplaces
  • Wall-mounted and recessed electric fireplaces
  • Electric fireplace inserts

I’ll be explaining how each type electric fireplace works to give an insight into how they differ from each other.