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azwildcat's avatar
azwildcat
Explorer
Oct 15, 2015

Fireplace

I see many of the newer RVs are coming with fireplaces. Just wondering if they are only for aesthetics or do they function as a significant heat source. For those who have one--are they worth the cost, any issues with them (pro or con), would you get another one, etc. Thanks for your comments.

37 Replies

  • +1 for what Dutch said. The heat output is significant, but no more so than a cheap space heater. So chose it for aesthetics for sure as you are likely giving up some cabinet space.
  • Love ours, heat on high or low, or no heat just for the ambience.
  • Buy the fireplace for the aesthetics. The heat output is the same as a $10 space heater from Walmart.
  • We purchased a park model with an electric fireplace this year. I don't know what BTU it puts out, but down in the 40's at night, the furnace didn't kick in once. We do have extra insulation though.

    We typically set the thermostat on it to 71 degrees (it has 5 settings - 99, 85, 80, 75, and 71, plus bells and whistles we never use, like 5 animation settings and light levels). It puts out more heat than the old fireplace in our destination trailer, for sure.
  • Worth it if you always hook up to electricity. I miss the one we had in another rig. It's a QUIET heat that can heat up the whole rig....:) :) QUIET is the key word.
  • On the 5'r we ordered back in 2008 , we passed on the fireplace because of the cost and what heat it put out.. They have gotten better.

    The 5'r we just ordered this summer now has a 5100 BTU fireplace...

    This weekend will be the first chance that we have had to camp and use it.. I will know after the weekend if it was worth it or not . .
    But all the folks we know who have one and use it , LOVE it..
  • Worth it in my opinion. We don't run space heaters anymore on those chilly mornings when the furnace is just too much. Fireplace works great. When its real cold out you can turn the furnace down low, and let it supplement the furnace so you don't waste your propane. Bad thing is depending on campground electric it can drag down pretty good. At alot of older state parks our Autoformer will run the entire time to keep up with the draw.

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