Traditional, Gas, and Electric Fireplace: Making the Right Choice

So you’ve decided you’d like a fireplace in your home but have heard there are some major differences in cost and usability between traditional wood burning, gas and electric fireplaces. You are left with a question: which is better? Well, here at ElectricFireplacesDirect.com, we may seem a little biased, but we firmly believe electric fireplaces are the preferred choice for several reasons.

Because we want you to make the best choice for you and your home, however, we have provided a brief explanation of each of the three types of fireplaces.

Traditional Wood-Burning Fireplaces

Traditional wood-burning fireplaces provide heat through burning cut wood. Hard and soft woods differ in how fast they burn, and it is recommended hardwoods be used for the best results with the smoke and fumes from the fire are then transferred up through the flue and out of the chimney.

While traditional fireplaces can keep your home warm in the event of a power outage, the overall cost and lack of efficiency will quickly end any charming, quaint qualities. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “most traditional open fireplaces lose over 90 percent of the heat of the fire out of the chimney along with much of the heated air in the room.” This means that any heat energy created by the wood is ultimately lost during the burning process and leaves you spending more money than necessary to heat your home.

Moreover, a wood-burning fireplace demands upkeep year-round. Not only can water and ice potentially harm a chimney and flue, but small animals and birds can also serve as threats. If you’re planning to use your fireplace more than four times in a season, experts recommend a certified chimney sweep check your chimney and fireplace once a year. If a chimney goes unchecked or a fire is started with a clogged flue, it can result in a chimney fire or cause smoke damage to occur within the interior of your home. Finally, if a chimney is damaged, replacement costs can range between $4-5,000, depending on the area.

Gas-Burning Fireplaces

Gas fireplaces are easier to operate than wood-burning fireplaces because they provide clean and conventional heating with the simple touch of a button or turn of a key. In addition, gas fireplace owners do not have to deal with log storage, but maintenance costs and air pollution issues are still major considerations for this type of heating.

Some of the maintenance costs associated with gas come from keeping the fireplace safe. Proper venting must be maintained and the pilot light kept lit properly to avoid safety issues like gas emission and fire that could threaten your home’s occupants as well as the structure itself. On average, gas fireplaces operate about 23¢ an hour.

Air pollution is also a threat while operating gas fireplaces. Since gas fireplaces tend to produce more heat than needed for the size of the room a lot of heat is automatically emitted into the chimney and out into the atmosphere.  Though gas fireplaces are easy to operate, their maintenance costs and the pollution they generate make them a less-safe choice for your home and family than an electric alternative.

Electric Fireplaces

Electric fireplaces use the electricity from your home to generate heat and create realistic flame effects. Because of the unique heating technology, all electric fireplaces are able to provide flame effect with or without heat so you can enjoy them year-round. Electric fireplaces can use either fan-forced or infrared heating technology to quietly generate heat. In addition, electric fireplaces are available as full mantel packages, built-in, plug-in and portables designs.

Electric fireplaces are a much safer, more economical choices than wood-burning or gas fireplaces because they do not contain a pilot light and do not require ventilation. Electric fireplaces are also cost efficient with an estimated cost of 8-12¢ an hour for operation with heat and 3¢ an hour without heating.

Perhaps the biggest advantage of electric fireplaces is that they are 100 percent energy efficient. Using zone heating, electric heating can heat one room at a time without losing any heat in the process. In addition, electric fireplaces do not pollute the air, so your home and family can stay safe.