The fireplace has long been a place around which families gather to tell stories, read books, and have conversation. Before television, before radio - there was the fireplace. And today's fireplace continues to act as the centerpiece of the home - drawing families close and creating an ambiance of coziness and charm in a room. But when the real thing isn't available, fake fireplaces make a wonderful alternative.

Fake fireplaces generally refer to anything but wood burning fireplaces. They are alternative heating sources - that which gives you all the coziness of the in-home fireplace without the drawbacks of burning wood - including the escape of warm air through the flue, the chopping and keeping of wood, and the ash and smoke created by real wood.

Included in fake fireplaces are those fireplaces powered by gas rather than real wood. A gas fireplace must be installed by a professional but uses a line to deliver controlled amounts of gas into the fireplace. When the owner wishes to start a fire, they simply turn on the power switch, igniting the gas in the fireplace. Most people who are looking for an alterative to wood burning fireplaces choose to go with gas because of its similar look to wood burning fireplaces and the heat that it is able to give off without the messiness and inconvenience of wood.

Another of the popular fake fireplaces is electric fireplaces. Electric fireplaces are generally stand alone units that can simply be plugged into a standard outlet. They are clean, efficient, and provide the ambience of a wood burning fireplace. While an electric fireplace does not give off the intense heat provided by a wood burning or even gas burning fireplace, they do provide some heat - enough to warm a room.

Gel fireplaces are also included in the category of fake fireplaces. Gel fireplaces are portable, and while they do not give off any heat, they do provide the ambience you expect from traditional fireplaces. Fireplace gel is held in canisters and can be ignited when you want the look of a fire. The canisters can then be placed behind logs in a fireplace where they will illuminate the room and cast a warm and cozy glow.

Fake fireplaces can be purchased everywhere from large retail stores to home improvement stores. For the portable electric units you need only pick a spot and plug it in. For the gel units it is simply a matter of igniting the canisters. But for gas fireplaces, it is necessary to have a skilled professional install the unit and instruct you on proper operation.

Nothing lights up a room - literally and figuratively - like the fireplace. It can bring warmth, charm, and mystique to an otherwise ordinary room and it's for this reason that many people looking to purchase a home desire a fireplace as part of the layout. But when a wood burning fireplace can not be a part of the home, fake fireplaces can be a terrific alternative - bringing light and love to a room.