Dear Jim: Lately, I have been hearing more about electric fireplace kits to help heat my home. Do they produce enough heat to warm a house and do they require new wiring? Do the flames look realistic? – Nick B.

Dear Nick: As homeowners’ heating bills are skyrocketing, there has been strong interest in electric fireplaces. The newer technologies create simulated flames of real burning logs which are quite realistic. Many are available with complete matched fireplace surrounds and mantels. You can unpack one from the box and be enjoying the fireplace in just 30 minutes.

The majority of electric fireplaces plug into a standard 110-volt electric wall outlet. For this reason, the maximum output is only 1,500 watts, about 5,000 Btu of heat. This is the equivalent of using a typical electric space heater. One can warm up a medium-size room, but cannot heat an entire house. Most models have an adjustable thermostat to control the room temperature.

Several companies offer models which operate on 220 volts to produce about twice as much heat, but these require a new electrical outlet and wiring. The energy advantage from using either one is its heat allows you to set the furnace thermostat lower while you are relaxing in front of the fireplace.

There are quite a few technologies for producing the realistic flames. The most realistic one, by Lennox Hearth Products, uses a DVD to create a high-definition 3-D simulation of a real fire along with a realistic log set. You are basically watching a real wood fire and listening to its high-quality sound.

Most other technologies use lights to create the image of the flames. Lights in the ember bed inside the simulated logs glow red as do real burning embers. Since there is no actual fire, some companies use real logs for an authentic appearance. Some also include sound simulation devices.

The dancing flames can be created in several ways. Red and amber lights hidden behind the ember bed reflect off of a screen in the back of the fireplace. The movement of the flames can be created by reflecting the light off foil ribbons. A small fan blows air on the ribbons to make them dance. The fan speed can be controlled from lazy flames to a raging fire.

Another design uses a rotating colored wheel through which the lights shine. By adjusting the speed and light intensity, the image of the fire can be changed. Any of these designs can be used during the summer by just switching off the heating section.

Still another option is a gelled-fuel fireplace or logs for your existing fireplace. These typically burn gelled alcohol made from grapes or grains. The fuel comes in small cans which fit into the special ceramic logs.

The following companies offer electric-gel fireplaces: Dimplex, (800) 668-6663, www.dimplex.com; Heat-N-Glo, (888) 427-3973, www.heatnglo.com; Heatilator, (800) 927-6841, www.heatilator.com; Lennox Hearth Products, (800) 854-0257, www.lennoxhearthproducts.com; and Readybuilt Products, (800) 626-2901, www.readybuilt.com.

Dear Jim: I hear people talking about how they try to alter their electric meters. I was wondering about how much energy is stolen from utility companies and does that have much impact on our utility rates? – Liz N.

Dear Liz: On a national average, about 1 to 2 percent of the energy is stolen from utility companies. This does increase utility rates for everyone because rate increases are often based upon the utility company’s return of investment. The Cincinnati Gas & Electric Co. estimates that theft costs its customers millions of dollars each year. Trying to tamper with an electric meter is very dangerous and illegal.

Send inquiries to James Dulley, Bangor Daily News, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visit www.dulley.com.