Welcome to Canadian Real Estate, Housing & Home.
Allow me to introduce myself! I’m Steve Fudge, and I’m celebrating over three decades as a realtor, property consultant, and proud resident of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Today, I’m sharing one of the recent instalments from my Dear Urbaneer blog series, where I help a dwell hunter who dreams of relaxing by the fireplace on still wintry nights.
Read on!
Dear Urbaneer:
Ask my family and the feature they know that’s at the top of my house-hunting wish-list is a fireplace. I love how it’s a warm and welcoming focal point, and the cozy ambiance it gives. I grew up with a wood-burning fireplace, and the scent and sound of a roaring hearth on a cold winter’s night evokes good sentimental memories. I was recently told they’re harder to come by and no longer permitted in Toronto. Is that true? Are there alternatives? I’m familiar with gas fireplaces, but to me, they’re the equivalent of flicking a switch. Yes, it creates fire, but it doesn’t warm my heart.
Signed,
Fireside Chat
Here is my reply:
Dear Fireside Chat,
As the days get shorter and the temperatures fall, there is nothing that cues the transition from Autumn to Winter quite like the sound of wood crackling in a fireplace while its scent tickles your nose. Like most Canadians, I love spending time beside a wood-burning fireplace or stove, either on my own with a good book, or enjoying wine, cheese and conversation with friends and family.
The fireplace and its mantle often play a key element in setting a home’s aesthetic, too. They often anchor open-space plans. They also provide unlimited options for styling your home according to the seasons or holidays.
Centuries ago, the fireplace was the hearth of the home, where heat was generated, often for the whole house, and where cooking and other household tasks were done. This underscores in part how we associate the hearth with gathering. Open fireplaces, of course, came with some design flaws regarding safety and efficiency, and so their design evolved over time alongside technological advancements to address these issues.
First, the City of Toronto has not banned wood-burning fireplaces, but they must satisfy all the guidelines in order to operate. This means for homeowners today, matters of safety, ease of use, aesthetics, maintenance, compliance & cost are significant influences on the type of fireplace they select. For example, if you live in a condo, chances are likely wood-burning fireplaces are prohibited. (But more on that below!)
Moreover, sustainability is a primary concern for today’s homeowners who want more eco-friendly choices (spoiler alert, wood-burning and gas are not eco-friendly, compared to other fireplace fuels), but still want to experience the visual appeal of a fireplace.
Here is what is trending in fireplace design, and what you need to know about each fireplace fuel type.
The Wood-Burning Fireplace
For years, wood-burning fireplaces were the de facto fireplace type in Toronto homes. In fact, you’ll still find them in some older homes, although many have had their chimneys capped or had their fireboxes converted to accommodate other fuel types.
This is true of older condominium buildings, too, where wood-burning fireplaces are usually prohibited from being used today by their condo corporations. We discovered this to be the case recently at Harbour Square condominiums – those 38 and 45 storey brutalist towers built by the Campeau Corporation in the late 1970s that overlook Lake Ontario, For decades a few dozen residents occupying the penthouses and subpenthouses had the luxe as-of-right to play with matches in their efforts to ignite the kindling in their firebox 37 stories high in the sky (or higher). Presumably, once successful, the wind coming off the lake and down the chimney could be quite intense at times, and presumably lord it over the 1100 suites situated one or more floors below.
The retirement of wood-burning fireplaces, especially in condos, is for a variety of reasons. First, permits and testing to meet the Fire Code are required to operate them. Soot, ash and chemicals from treated wood in a wood-burning fireplace negatively affect air quality. Because Toronto has high standards for air quality, operating a wood-burning fireplace must meet the strict pollution standards set by the EPA and CSA B415, as Toronto enforces both. Complying with this as a condominium board, let alone as an individual, is onerous and time-consuming.
It also increases liability, insurance premiums, and concerns over safety. Most fireplace chimneys are susceptible to having creosote, a black, flammable, tar-like substance, build up when burning wood or other fossil fuels. This means that the ongoing maintenance and repair of chimneys to prevent unexpected failure isn’t just the purview of the resident, but becomes a shared responsibility among all the owners of a condo corporation.
Wood-burning fireplaces are a risky, costly, and time-consuming indulgence, but because you love them for their scent, sound, and ambiance, it may be worth the chimney cleaning and repair, and ensuring you have the necessary WETT (Wood Energy Technical Transfer) inspection and certification for city and insurance compliance.
Moreso, from a practical standpoint, wood-burning fireplaces are notoriously poor for energy efficiency because of their ventilation requirements and the substantial amount of warm air that is extracted because of the hole in your ceiling called a chimney. You also need to transport your kindling and firewood, and then store it in a place where you’re ok with the byproduct of mess and creepy crawlers, which may be a challenge depending on your home’s design and the members of your household.
In the face of all of these functional challenges, the risks and liabilities, and that the cost of firewood is more than bread the appeal of wood-burning is nostalgic, but not practical. The good news is that fireplace technology has evolved to provide a wide range of options that offer an alternative fireside experience.
Gas Fireplaces
Gas fireplaces replaced wood-burning fireplaces as the go-to choice for Toronto homeowners over the last couple of decades, with homeowners gravitating to the relative ease of gas fireplaces: cozy, warm flames at the flick of a switch, without having to lug wood or bring in the chimney sweep.
However, in recent years, gas fireplaces are falling out of favour because – Hello! – It’s burning fossil fuel, and being sustainable means not burning gas to make the entire globe hotter. However, they’re commonly installed in homes today because they’re convenient and can be a means of heating a considerable amount of square footage. This style of fireplace requires venting and ongoing maintenance (although far less involved than with wood-burning fireplaces), but they, along with gas appliances like dryers, may negatively affect indoor air quality.
If you are keen on gas or wood burning, depending on your home, there are ways to enhance energy efficiency and reduce your environmental footprint.
- Make sure your home is well-insulated to keep heat from escaping.
- In the case of wood-burning, make the fire burn more efficiently, which may be a simple as adding oxygen by opening a window (which admittedly, may be more complicated in a condominium layout, another reason why wood-burning fireplaces are not typically permitted in a condo building)
- Put tempered glass on the fireplace to slow heat loss.
- For a gas fireplace, use renewable natural gas.
Electric Fireplaces
Electric fireplaces score points in convenience and ease of use (i.e. you are literally plug and play). Also, you don’t need venting, which is an upside, especially in a condominium. They are portable and safer if you have kids or pets. They are also more eco-friendly than wood or gas.
However, the big downside with electric fireplaces is the lack of a real flame, so for fireplace purists, the experience may feel subpar. Similarly, heat output is somewhat limited in some models, especially compared to a real flame.
If you’re considering electricity, but still want a “flame-like” fire, shop around. There are various options with more authentic-looking logs.
Bio-Ethanol Fireplaces
There is a lot to love about bio-ethanol fireplaces. They are ventless (no need for a chimney or flue), allowing for greater versatility in installation, such as freestanding, against a wall, or built-in to a kitchen island, which is a sleek option. Modern designs make this a superb option in a contemporary-styled home.
They burn cleanly, using renewable bio-ethanol fuel, usually derived from corn or sugarcane. They are also easy to use. Fill the bio-ethanol burner with fuel and ignite with a long lighter.
They emit heat, but not as much as, say, a wood-burning fireplace.
Water Vapour Fireplaces
Water vapour fireplaces resemble bio-ethanol fireplaces, but they utilize water instead of bio-ethanol fuel.
Essentially, ultrasonic technology creates vibrations that generate mist, which is illuminated with LED lights featuring fire-inspired colours, cast against the rising mist. This dynamic effect replicates the movement of flames.
Similar to bio-ethanol, water vapour fireplaces burn cleanly and don’t require venting. They are not heat-producing, but you can get a unit with a built-in heater if you choose.
Holographic Fireplaces
Holographic fireplaces are actually electric, but with a twist. Advanced tech uses OLED-screen holographic projection and produces remarkably lifelike flames.
While traditional electric fireplaces project images as well, these images are typically two-dimensional. However, with holographic styles, 3-D images bring the flames to life. LED lights illuminate the “flames,” causing them to flicker and dance, like the real thing.
These are a great choice for homeowners who want to prioritize sustainability. They are zero-emission and energy-efficient. Images aren’t just limited to flames either. You can have smoke filtering up from logs and embers for a realistic fireside experience. Many models also come with sound options, allowing you to “program” crackling fire sounds. You can also select from various flame styles and backgrounds.
What’s more, there are models that have the option of a heat-producing element so that you can “warm yourself by the fire”!
I hope this helps. Now I don’t want to raise your ire, but I was chatting to a friend about this, and they deadpanned, “Why don’t they just buy a candle?” I initially rolled my eyes, but upon further investigation, I was shocked to discover that multiple candle companies offer woodsmoke, bonfire, or fireplace fragrances. I actually ended up buying a scented candle called Weathered Tobacco, which gave me all the warm fuzzies and the ritual of lighting the wick. I encourage you to give it a shot. Look for candles with notes of woodsmoke, amber, bergamot, exotic woods, or leather, which are common in fireplace scents.
Thank you for your excellent question!
And thank YOU for reading!
~ Steven
