Today, there could be hardly anybody who is unaware of fireplaces. Although fireplaces were discovered hundreds of years ago, still they are proving to be great utility and elegance items, even in the modern times. One of the major reasons behind this is fireplaces have molded themselves according to time and they never remained rigid. At present, various types of modern fireplaces like gas, electric, wall-hanging, ventless, and portable fireplaces are in use. It doesn’t mean that the traditional fireplaces have become extinct, they are also manufactured because they are still demanded by many. Anyway, the contemporary fireplaces or warming equipment can be divided into two major heads according to their area of operation. They are indoor and outdoor fireplaces.
As the name suggests, indoor fireplaces are the warming equipment which are usually installed in the living room, dining room, bedroom, or any other enclosed space within a house or a building. They are, in fact, one of the most demanded types of fireplaces.
The outdoor fireplaces are those which are installed in open spaces, usually in a garden or near the patio. They are meant for outdoor warming purposes and are generally used at the time of dusk. These warming equipment also witness a good demand.
You must have got an idea about the nature of the indoor and outdoor fireplaces by now. So, let’s discuss some interesting and major differences between the two:
- Outdoor fireplaces are generally less expensive then the indoor ones.
- There is no need of a damper in an outdoor fireplace because there is no issue of heat loss while an indoor fireplace usually possesses it.
- Outdoor fireplaces are comparatively larger in size and have a voluminous firebox in comparison to their indoor counterparts.
- Outdoor fireplaces are usually equipped with chimney caps to prevent spreading of sparks on windy days. This is not necessarily true in the case of indoor warming equipment.
- The design choices are much more in case of indoor fireplaces than the outdoor ones. The reason is that not all materials and designs are suitable for outside application, hence comparatively less variety in outdoor warming equipment.
- Indoor fireplaces include log burning, gas, and electric fireplaces while the outdoor ones are mostly the log burning type. The outdoor gas fireplaces are also available nowadays, but outdoor electric fireplaces are hard to find, as they are not considered feasible for outdoor use.
- While fabricating the outdoor warming equipment, special heed is given to its durability and robustness. This is because they are meant to work outside, thus they should be durable enough to withstand climatic exposure. On the other hand, in case of indoor fireplaces, more focus is on elegance than durability.
- The use of precious metals like silver, gold, and platinum is also made sometimes in making indoor fireplaces owing to the expectation from these units to complement the interior decor. On the contrary, the outdoor units are basically utilitarian and no such embellishment is present in them.