Few additions to an Atlanta home add more to your main gathering space than an Atlanta stone fireplace. There's just something about firing up a stone fireplace on those cool Atlanta nights that makes families and friends want to gather around the warm flickering light. Choosing the right stone fireplace in Atlanta, however, isn't as cut and dry as you might think. There's deciding which material to use (natural stone, natural stone veneer, or simulated stone veneer), as well as which type of fireplace to install (wood burning, vented gas, vent-less gas, or electric). The only way to make the right choice for you and your home is to be educated on the possibilities.
Atlanta Stone Fireplaces and Pollution
The Atlanta metropolitan area grew more than 20 percent between 2000 and 2006, making it the fasting growing metropolitan area in the country. That kind of growth has a lot of advantages, including increased wealth, diversity, and prosperity. It does have a downside, however. Stretching back into the 1990s, and continuing into the boom years after the millennium, Atlanta can also claim to be one of the most polluted major cities in the country when it comes to air quality. While most of Atlanta's pollution is attributed to automobiles and coal burning factories, every bit of pollution counts. That's exactly why choosing the right fireplace for your home is so important from an environmental perspective.
A Few Other Considerations When Installing an Atlanta Stone Fireplace
Settling on the type of fireplace is just the first step. After that, your most important decisions are whether to go with natural stone, natural stone veneers, or simulated stone veneers. Natural stone is the cream of the crop, and with Stone Mountain sitting off in the distance, a granite stone fireplace is the perfect option for those who want to bring the natural world just outside metropolitan Atlanta into their home. Stone veneer consists of thin-cut natural stone applied as an aesthetic product, and gives you real stone looks at a much cheaper price. Finally, there's simulated stone veneers. These veneers are made from molds of natural stone using colored polyurethane or concrete. They're almost indistinguishable from the real thing, and are your best option if you're on a tighter budget. If you think that an Atlanta stone fireplace is the right fit for you home, talk to a contractor with experience building stone fireplaces for Atlanta metropolitan area homeowners.
