Stabilize, Prevent Wobbles to Improve Safety and Aesthetic Appeal
If you’re wishing for the cozy comfort of a wood stove in winter, but don’t have a working fireplace, electric fireplaces are a great alternative. They are very economical, on average converting 99% energy to heat, and can give the warm, cozy glow of “fire” without any of the drawbacks of traditional wood burning. But what to do when you get your brand new electric fireplace home and find that it is listing to one side? Wobble Wedge® plastic shims can help you install and level your electric fireplace safely.
Leveling an Electric Fireplace Insert in an Existing Fireplace
There are many factors to consider when purchasing the right electric fireplace insert for your home, but the key is to get the right size that fits into the space you have. Many models will have adjustable feet that allow you to level your electric fireplace without anything else. But if the model you’ve chosen doesn’t have adjustable feet, you can use hard plastic Wobble Wedge® shims to bring your new electric fireplace insert to perfect level.
After inserting your electric fireplace into position place a level on the top of the insert. Keep one corner of the level on the insert and tilt the level up to bring the bubble to the center. The side that you’ve lifted up is the side that needs to be shimmed. In some cases you might have to remove the insert to place the hard plastic Wobble Wedge® shims under the feet.
To make this easier use the level to determine how much of the wedge must go under the fireplace’s foot. Slide the hard plastic Wobble Wedge® under the level until it shows level. Mark the point on the wedge, this will tell you how much of the wedge needs to go under the foot of the insert. Now move the fireplace insert out and position the wedge under the location where the foot will rest. Return the electric fireplace insert into position and check the level again. Adjust the placement of the wedges as needed to achieve level.
Leveling a Freestanding Electric Fireplace
Freestanding electric fireplaces are by far the easiest to install, typically just unpack, plug it in, and it will work great. But if you are placing it in an area with uneven flooring this might cause it to lean or wobble. Since these fireplaces are usually decorative, they typically won’t have adjustable feet. Leveling and securing it in place is very important since electric fireplaces can range in weight from 20lbs to over 200lbs. Even though there is no flame, they can cause real injury if they are unsteady and fall over.
To level your freestanding electric fireplace position a level on top and check it lengthwise and widthwise. If the fireplace is on soft flooring, like carpeting, use hard plastic Wobble Wedge® shims to bring it up to level. The hard plastic shim will give stability on the soft flooring. If your fireplace is on hard flooring like tile or wood floors use soft/flexible Wobble Wedges® which will grip the floor and keep the unit in place. The patented interlocking ridges on Wobble Wedges® allow you to stack the plastic shims safely to fill any sized gap. Our Wobble Wedges® come in three colors clear/translucent, white, and black, so you can level your fireplace and no one will be the wiser.
Please Note: Wobble Wedges® should not come in contact with any part of the unit that would reach a temperature higher than 200℉. Consult the manufacturer’s instructions about the location of heat vents on the unit, Wobble Wedges® should not be placed in contact with the area(s) where heat is vented.
