By John Ewoldt

McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

Fireplaces feed the need to take the chill off, but adding a gas or wood-burning chimney in a home can easily cost $3,000 or more. Electric models with built-in space heaters supply some of the ambience and as much heat as the real thing — for a fraction of the cost. In these turbulent economic times, "plug and play" fireplaces have become a hot commodity for people who want a looky, lower-cost option to the real thing.

Sales at ElectricFireplacesDirect.com have risen 30 percent each year since 2008, said sales manager Lori Stockset.

"The low initial price and the zone heating add up to cost savings, but a lot of people just want the ambience," she said.

Electrics solve several issues. Venting is never a problem because a glorified space heater doesn't require venting. And calling an electrician isn't necessary. With the illusion of a flame created by a simple incandescent or LED light bulb and the warmth coming from a 1,500-watt heater, only a three-pronged plug-in is needed.

Placement is flexible because all models are portable and fairly shallow in depth (about 12 to 15 inches), whether it's a small stove heater or a 72-inch-long fireplace media center.

While most people buy the electric models for the coziness factor, Stockset said that some customers claim they've saved money by turning down the house thermostat and warming only the room they're in. However, Consumer Reports magazine said that turning the thermostat to below 60 degrees and heating only one room isn't practical for most homeowners because they move from room to room frequently. In addition, electricity can cost twice as much as natural gas.

To their credit, electric fireplaces are safer and greener than most space heaters. A large electric fireplace is much less likely to be overturned than a space heater. And wood-burning fireplaces can be environmentally and physically harmful. The American Lung Association cites wood stoves and fireplaces as major contributors to particulate-matter air pollution in much of the United States.