Unlike wood-burning fires, gas fireplaces are efficient and return as much as “75 to 99 percent of a fuel's energy back as heat,” according to “This Old House.” Some gas fireplaces have built-in fans which can heat an entire room quickly.
Return on Investment
A homeowner can often recover over 100 percent of the expenses associated with adding a fireplace upon selling their home. According to the National Association of Real Estate Appraisers, adding a fireplace to home can increase the resale value of the home by as much as 6-12 percent.
Yes! Gas fireplace benefits are incredibly attractive and convenient; especially for a busy family like yours. You'll get instant heat, pinpoint control, terrific safety and other things which a wood burning fireplace simply can't deliver.
Not at all. Using natural gas is one of the most inexpensive ways to heat your home. That's why gas fireplaces, gas fireplace inserts, outdoor gas fireplaces, even gas furnaces are such cost-effective heating options. Realistically, most gas-powered fireplaces will burn through about $1 worth of natural gas per day.
A Gas fireplace might cost anywhere from $556 - $1,112* per year when being used for supplemental heating with natural gas. A Freestanding Gas Stove might cost anywhere from $1,016 - $2,031* per year when being used as a zone heaters with natural gas.
In short, you really shouldn't let a gas fireplace on for too long—specifically more than three hours at a time.
Because burning wood releases about 75 percent more CO₂ than natural gas, efficient gas furnaces or fireplace inserts will emit only around half to two-thirds as much CO₂ per unit of heat as the best wood stoves, while natural gas emits far less toxic material than even the cleanest wood stoves.
This keeps those rooms warm and comfortable and reduces the amount of money spent heating rooms that aren't in use. Gas fireplaces can also help you save on heating costs by providing warmth during unpredictable or “in-between” weather when it's not cold enough for the central heat, but you still need some warmth. 3.
Gas logs are a much safer heating and aesthetic alternative to a real fire, especially if you have pets, kids, or limited space. Real logs run the danger of producing flying sparks and creosote buildup in the chimney itself, but gas logs produce a tame flame and put less matter into the air when burned.
How efficient are gas fires and stoves? Gas fires and stoves can provide heat efficiencies of up to 90% and outputs of up to 6kW, according to the Heating and Hotwater Industry Council .
Gas fireplace inserts are installed in pre-existing, wood-burning fireplaces, making the overall cost far lower than installing an entirely new system. The insert itself will cost around $1,200, with labor costs running between $500 and $3,500 depending on the complexity of the job.
The average cost of a gas fireplace insert is $1000. There are many factors to consider when purchasing a gas fireplace insert, such as size, type, and features. The average cost of a gas fireplace insert is $1000, but it is important to find the right one for your needs.
Standard gas stoves
As gas doesn't produce any heavy smoke, as a wood burning stove would, they don't require you to have a Class 1 brick chimney – though they usually can be installed into one of these without any issues.
Electric heaters and gas fireplaces both produce heat immediately once activated. However, gas fireplaces tend to be better than electric units for heating larger rooms because of their higher heating capacity. You may also feel gas heat more quickly than electric heat if you're standing further away in a room.
Will a fireplace add value to your home? According to The National Association of Realtors, adding a fireplace can raise your home value by as much as $12,000.
Vent-free or ventless gas fireplaces are a great choice if you are looking for the highest heating efficiency possible. Since they are not vented to the outside, all the heat produced is realized in the living space making them a superb supplemental heat source.
A modern furnace is more efficient in turning gas into heat than a gas fireplace. This means that although a furnace costs more to run per hour than a gas fireplace, it turns more of that energy into heat and can warm a whole house rather than a single room.
While gas fireplaces don't produce creosote, they do still need annual cleaning. Both propane and natural gas are clean burning gas fuels, so they don't produce the same byproducts as wood, but they can still produce buildup that needs to be cleaned away.
Generally speaking, you can get a good ten to fifteen years of use before you need to replace your gas fireplace.
Whenever you use a gas appliance in your home, you run the risk that excess carbon monoxide will poison your family or that an untended gas flame will cause a fire.
There is a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning when you sleep in a room where a conventional coal or gas fire, a log burner, a cooker, or a back burner is left on overnight. You cannot feel the early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, so it is important that you protect yourself.
We recommend that you turn off your gas fireplace pilot light seasonally. Turning off your gas fireplace's pilot light can save a substantial amount of energy and money. It is important to remember that not all gas fireplaces have “standing” pilot light, or, a pilot light that is “always on”.
Is it safe to leave the pilot light on all the time? Generally speaking, it is safe to leave your continuous pilot light on at all times, assuming it stays lit (more on this in a moment). While it does cost more to keep your pilot light on in between uses, it can actually have some benefits to your system.
When comparing the most efficient options in both categories (gas furnaces and gas fireplaces), it really comes down to what you're trying to accomplish. If you want to heat a single room, a fireplace is going to do a better job of that. However, if you want to heat multiple rooms, then a furnace will be better.