FIREPLACES Newest models kill chill, look good

Small sizes, outdoor and see-through models are hot in fireplaces.
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
Your fireplace burns brightly, but you notice the room feels cold. You throw another log on the fire. Still chilly.
If you have a traditional wood or even an older gas fireplace, the big chill is nothing unusual. It's caused when a fireplace burns oxygen from the room, forcing cold outside air inside to fill the void.
But it doesn't have to be that way. The latest innovations in fireplaces let you reap the heat you thought they should have provided all along.
That's not all they have going for them, however. The newest fireplaces are masterpieces of design and technology, made to do away with chimneys, fit into tight spaces and go where no fireplace has gone before.
Think about:
UA fireplace with a window on the other side, to take in the great view from your home.
UA fireplace small enough to fit in a bookcase, an entryway, a dining room, a bedroom or master bath.
UA fireplace fronted entirely by glass, with no ugly black vents on the periphery -- the look of a wood hearth with the cleanliness of gas or electricity.
UA fireplace so efficient, it's rated like a furnace and connected to thermostats.
UA fireplace that can heat an outdoor area to extend your use of the patio or deck.
Ask for an estimate before you start, but expect to spend several thousand dollars for one of these hot new fireplaces. And then there's installation, which can run $500 or more, depending on where you want the fireplace, how difficult it is to install and how you want it finished.
But expect a new, efficient fireplace to add value to your house and possibly save on heating bills.
And maybe you could just ask Santa for one next year.
HEATING THINGS UP
The Escape is part of Heat-N-Glo's line of ceramic gas fireplaces that can be molded into shapes. The arched fireplace is popular. The ceramic radiates heat back into the room, rather than sending it up a chimney.
It is "probably the biggest innovation in fireplaces in recent years," says Matt Schulte of Western Fireplace Supply, because not only is it a sealed direct-vent fireplace, it looks like an open hearth. "Most people can't even tell there's glass on it." The cost is $3,288 to $3,647 retail.
PICTURE PERFECT
One of the coolest innovations is the clear glass front, found on the Town & amp; Country Fireplace. No screens or doors are needed. No mess or exhaust enters the room -- just penetrating radiant heat, says Judy Norton, a sales representative at Stone Image in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Not only is it appearing in new homes, it is also being added to homes that never had fireplaces.
"Because it's direct-vented, it can go almost anywhere in a house," Norton says. The super-clear, glare-free tempered glass front makes it seem like the open fire is right in the room.
The base price for a 42-inch unit is about $3,100.
EXTRAORDINARY
Fireplace Xtrordinair produces an energy-efficient, wood-burning unit that re-burns fireplace waste, so it creates few emissions -- 2.3 grams per hour, compared with 47 grams per hour for a traditional wood-burning fireplace.
Fireplace Xtrordinair can heat as much as 3,000 square feet of house. The manufacturer calls it "the furnace that looks like a fireplace."
Depending on the size and face of the unit, it retails from $3,347 to $4,458.
A BREATH OF ...
Heatilator's patented FreshAir Fireplace burns efficiently and brings heated fresh air into the house.
This is important, Heatilator spokesman Roman Blahoski says, because air in the typical American home is fairly stagnant.
"The average home only receives one-third of a whole house fresh-air exchange per day," he says. The FreshAir Fireplace ventilation system creates eight whole house fresh-air exchanges per day.
"That not only eliminates carbon dioxide buildup, your house just smells better," he says.
The cost is $5,500 retail, which includes the six to eight hours of installation.
UNEXPECTED PLACES
Fireplace Xtrordinair's Bed & amp; Breakfast gas fireplace is so compact it can be installed in a space as small as 20 inches across.
It's popular for bathrooms, bedrooms and kitchens. The cost is $1,484 to $1,995 from Fireplace Xtrordinair.
ELECTRIFYING
Looks real, but it's not. Some new electric fireplaces, such as the Reflections model from Lennox Hearth Products, don't look like they're electric.
The company's new FX Flame Technology uses a realistic-looking, 3-D projected digital image of a roaring fire to create a comforting effect.
It's ash-free, smoke-free and can go practically anywhere in the house. It costs $2,195 from Lennox Hearth Products.
FIRE WITH A VIEW
The Twilight gas fireplace from Heat-N-Glo is like a picture window and fireplace combined. Its two glass faces allow occupants of the house to see outside through the fireplace.
Plus, it doesn't require a chimney, according to Matt Schulte of Western Fireplace Supply.
With its direct-vent system, exhaust goes directly outside, and air is drawn directly from outside.
The fireplace can go on any wall in the house. It is also weatherproof, so little heat is lost to the outside.
The cost is $3,349 from Hearth & amp; Home Technologies.
BETTER THAN CAMPING
If you want to take your fireplace time outdoors, there are several options, including the new Ring of Fire from Travis Industries.
The circular gas fire pit includes a fountain, and flickering flames make the sprinkles sparkle for an enchanting effect.
"You can build it right into the floor of a deck, or set it on a pedestal on a patio," says Schulte. "It really extends the outdoor season. In fact, it warms the whole area, so you can use your patio almost all year round."
The base price is $2,399 from Travis Industries.
REFLECTING ON FIRE
The new Lopi Looking Glass fireplace, from Travis Industries, becomes a mirror when not in use as a fireplace. It is popular in bathrooms. The cost starts at $1,977 from Travis Industries.