How a $200 Faux Fireplace from Home Depot Soothed My Soul

When I first Turbro Suburbs TS25 Smart Electric Fireplace Without Box, I was annoyed that it didn’t come with the recommended 6-inch Phillips screwdriver needed to attach the fireplace’s freestanding legs. I dug through my toolbox and found a shorter screwdriver, which made screwing in all 16 screws a real hassle. Still, I persevered and placed the white polished enamel fireplace in my living room.

I pressed the power button and an LED version of a light, almost cartoon-like, appeared. I sat on my couch and opened my laptop to work. An hour later, I woke up to the sound of my dryer going off. I had taken a rare and unintentional hour-long nap.

Good to shine

I wouldn’t describe myself as someone who takes naps. After my three children were born, I never took a nap when they were napping. I also struggle with the basics: rest and relaxation. Which is why, when I got up at seven in the evening, I looked at the electric fireplace and wondered if its simulacrum of fire, the flickering orange and red flames, the glow of the burning logs and the crackling sounds had lured me into this restful nap. I admit that sometimes my suspension of disbelief can be a strength. I fall for the ventriloquist illusion that the puppet is able to speak simply because the ventriloquist’s mouth doesn’t seem to move. Maybe the fake fireplace is exactly the illusion my nervous system needs.

The suburb of Turboro is not the first fireplace without ventilation that I testedbut it was the first model that truly promoted rest and eventual recovery, the kind of model that lowers blood pressure. The 32-pound Suburbs is light enough that I can pick up what is essentially a 2-by-2-foot box and move it around my house myself. When I opened the SmartLife home app, which was already on my phone for another smart device, the suburb was already there on the dashboard.

The app remote is easier to maneuver than the bulky and confusing physical fireplace remote. There are three brightness settings for the flame, and it comes with a realistic crackling fire sound that can be adjusted to three different volume settings. Finally, the Suburbs white enameled wood stove model has infrared heating which can also be programmed on a timer. It managed to effectively warm my 200 square foot living room.

It’s only natural

As I tested the Suburbs, I began to think of it as my chill box. Regulating my mood, decompressing from stress and seeking a real moment of rest are all priorities in my self-conscious life. What if mimicking a real fireplace was responsible for reducing very real stress? As forest bathingcould simulating a fire elicit a calming response because a wood fire is natural?

The researchers studied the psychological benefits of watching a fire. Christopher D. Lynn, professor and graduate director of anthropology at the University of Alabama, studied the impact of viewing a fire on blood pressure. His research found that “blood pressure decreased consistently in conditions of fire accompanied by sound, particularly with longer stimulus duration.”

I contacted him by email to ask if he found similar results to a real fire and a simulated fire, like a televised Yule log. He responded that he “reproduced our original study using an electric fireplace with funding from Cheminées Napoléon and found results similar to the original study.” Lynn is working on publishing this article. Earlier research linked viewing a real fireplace flame to higher cognitive function.

And while some research differentiates between the benefits of a real flame and a fake flame, simulated fireplaces do not. cause indoor air pollution. A simulated fire is the healthiest choice and may even help brain function. This entire piece was written in a quiet, stress-free environment, in front of the Suburbs electric fireplace. It comes with a two-year warranty (once registered) and costs around $200, money that I think should be paid into one’s Flexible Spending Account (FSA).