Using a wood fireplace will save you a lot of money if you are able to get the wood for free. However, with a wood burning fireplace you will be investing your time and energy getting and splitting the wood to burn it in return for saving money.
Should you buy an electric fireplace?
You probably shouldn't buy an electric fireplace if you're looking to save money on your energy bills. They're not any more efficient than regular electric heaters (and electricity in general tends to be more costly than natural gas), but they cost more.
Are electric fireplaces worth the money?
Yes! Today’s electric fireplaces not only come in a variety of sizes and designs, but they are also available in varying heating capabilities. Electric fireplaces can also heat a room faster and more efficiently than wood-burning fireplaces, and they’re safe to use.
Do electric fireplaces use up a lot of electricity?
Electric fireplaces are in essence decorated space heaters that could use a lot of electricity when used to heat every room at the same time, but can save energy and money when used for specific purposes.
Can an electric fireplace really heat a room?
Using an electric fireplace is a great way to heat a room. From testing, an electric fireplace was able to increase the temperature within a room by 13.5°F (7.5°C) within 4 hours. I bought my electric fireplace to use both as a heater for my home, and as a way to enjoy the view of a fire without having to build and maintain a real fire.
Is it cheaper to use fireplace or heater?
Usually it is more fuel efficient to have the fireplace on because it doesn't lose any heat traveling through ductwork, but that also means the heat is localized and won't warm the entirety of a large house. So if everyone is cozied up in one room it is often better to have the fireplace on.
Is a fireplace cost effective?
However, they aren't going to save money on energy costs. Up to 80-90 percent of the heat generated by a wood-burning fireplace is lost through the chimney. The bottom line: While wood-burning fireplaces are beautiful and create a cozy atmosphere, they are the least energy-efficient option for heating your home.
Does a fireplace really heat a room?
Can a Fireplace Really Heat Your Home? Absolutely! And many houses already have a fireplace. It's just a matter of using it to bring some much-desired warmth into your home.
How much does it cost to run the fireplace?
How much does it cost to run an electric fireplaceCategoryCost per hourCost per month (5hrs/day for 30 days)Average$0.22$32.50Most common$0.23$33.75Highest$0.23$33.75Lowest$0.15$22.50
Do fireplaces save on heating bills?
Do Fireplaces Actually Save on Heating Bills? The answer is while they can, they rarely do. Because only gas-insert and electric fireplaces are energy efficient, combined with the fact that homeowners need to use them strategically, most homeowners with fireplaces end up using more energy instead of less.
Is a fireplace better than a heater?
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.
Do fireplaces make your house colder?
A fireplace can make your house colder when not in use because some warm air in the home exits through the chimney and some cold air enters in its place. As a result, the house becomes colder. When the fire is on, the chimney sucks some heated air from the house, too.
How do I keep my house warm with the fireplace?
Fortunately, there are several things homeowners can do to maximize fireplace heating efficiency:Install a Glass Fireplace Door. Installing a fireplace door is an effective and inexpensive solution to get more heat out of your fireplace. ... Use a Fireback. ... Upgrade Your Fireplace. ... Use the Damper to Turn Up the Heat.
Is it better to keep fireplace doors open or closed?
The doors should always be fully open or fully closed. Glass doors should be fully open when starting a fire and when the fire is burning strongly. The glass doors should be closed as the fire dies down to minimize the amount of room air going up the fireplace chimney.
What is cheaper to run gas or electric fireplace?
Electric fireplaces are cheaper in cost and installation compared to their gas-burning counterparts. While most electric fireplaces do not heat a room as fast as a gas fireplace, they are cheaper to run compared to other types of fireplaces.
How much gas does a fireplace use per hour?
How much gas does a gas fireplace use? A standard 20,000 BTU gas fireplace will use about 20 cubic feet of natural gas per hour. Given that price of natural gas is about $1.09 per 100 cubic feet, running a standard-sized gas fireplace will cost about $0.22/hour at 100% heating output.
Is it cheaper to use gas fireplace or furnace?
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.
What is the most cost effective fireplace?
Most Efficient Fireplace Types: Gas vs. Electric FireplaceThey require little maintenance.They convert all they produce into heat kept in the home.They are the least expensive of the fireplaces to run, costing 8 to 12 cents an hour or about $25 a year, according to Electric Fireplaces Direct.
Is wood-burning fireplace cheaper than gas?
Brick wood-burning fireplaces can cost a total of $5,500-$11,000, not including installation, according to Fixr. Installation charges can range anywhere from $2,500-$10,000 for wood-burning units. Pre-built gas fireplaces are considerably cheaper, ranging from $1,500-$3,000, for the unit alone.
Is it expensive to run a gas fireplace all day?
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.
How much gas does a fireplace use per hour?
Though the exact burn rate will vary from fireplace to fireplace, most use about one gallon of propane per hour for every 91,500 BTU. If you have a 100,000 BTU fireplace, you'll end up going through about a gallon of propane for every hour that you run your fireplace.
How to lower heating bills with fireplace?
But if you want to lower your heating bills with a fireplace, go electric, and use it to reduce the amount your furnace is running.
How to evaluate the energy impact of a fireplace?
When evaluating energy impact of a fireplace, you need to know how much natural gas and electricity cost in your area. This is especially important if your fireplace is a different energy source than your furnace. For example, if natural gas is expensive one winter and your home uses a gas furnace, an electric fireplace could definitely save you money.
How much heat does a wood burning fireplace lose?
A traditional masonry chimney and wood-burning fireplace loses 80-90% of the heat up the chimney. Plus, additional air inside your home is also pulled up and out through the chimney.
What are the two types of fireplaces?
There are actually two types of gas fireplaces: gas logs and gas inserts. Gas logs are a log set that are typically placed in an existing masonry fireplace and attached to a gas line. The front will either be open or have glass doors that open.
Is a fireplace energy efficient?
Not all fireplaces are energy efficient by nature. Each type of fireplace has a different energy efficiency rating, measured by the amount of heat the fireplace produces that is lost.
Can you run a fireplace with the door closed?
If the owners run the fireplace with the bedroom door closed, heat from the fireplace will not reach the thermostat’s sensor. Unless they manually lower the thermostat, the fireplace will heat the bedroom to a higher temperature without impacting the overall heating of the home.
Can you use a fireplace as a heating system?
One, you can use it as “ zone heating”: the fireplace heats the most-used space, like the living area, so you can turn down the temperature on the thermostat while remaining comfortable.
Fireplace Efficiency
Most experts, including the U.S. Department of energy, agree that the efficiency of a wood fireplace is only about 10 percent. That means that all of the heat created in the fireplace, 10 percent is heat output, and 90 percent is heat loss.
Fireplace Draft
It’s not just that fireplaces hurl most of the heat created up the chimney, they also steal heated air from your home that was generated by your furnace. Fires need oxygen to to continue to burn. Naturally, an open fireplace draws in the oxygen from the room to keep the fire alive.
Use a Wood Stove Instead
Wood stove technology has come a long way. They are a great option for heating your home and saving money. There are many options to choose from. They range from 70%-90% efficiency. They come in small sizes to heat a small room, or larger sizes to heat the whole house.
Pellet Stoves are Great Too
Pellet stoves use little man made wood pellets of compacted wood dust. Some pellets are made of corn, cherry pits, or other biofuels. Although it cost more to heat a space with pellets over traditional wood, pellet stoves shine where wood stoves don’t. Pellet stoves are easy to load and start.
Get the Most Out of Your Fireplace or Woodstove
If you are dead set on using your open fireplace, or you’re ready to invest in a wood stove, there are some simple steps to get the maximum efficiency out if it.
Will You Actually Save Money Though?
Although heating with wood will almost certainly lower your heating costs, there are additional costs to consider when considering money saving upgrades. You will need to consider the total cost of your upgrade including installation, and regular maintenance. Some upgrades value to the home.
The Bottom Line
Conventional wood fireplaces don’t give you much heat, or save you money. In most cases they actually take heat away from your home and increase your energy bills. Although a warm fire in the winter months can provide a warm glowing ambiance, a fireplace is not suited for home heating.
Types of Fireplaces
Electricity and Natural Gas Costs
- When evaluating energy impact of a fireplace, you need to know how much natural gas and electricity cost in your area. This is especially important if your fireplace is a different energy source than your furnace. For example, if natural gas is expensive one winter and your home uses a gas furnace, an electric fireplace could definitely save you money. Interested in controlling you…
Fireplace Use and Placement
- The location of your fireplace and how you use it are a critical factor to potential cost savings. The bottom line is if using your fireplace does not cause your furnace to run less, it will not save you money. There are two ways to use your fireplace instead of your furnace. One, you can use it as “zone heating”: the fireplace heats the most-used ...
Do Fireplaces Actually Save on Heating Bills?
- The answer is while they can, they rarely do. Because only gas-insert and electric fireplaces are energy efficient, combined with the fact that homeowners need to use them strategically, most homeowners with fireplaces end up using more energyinstead of less. But if you want to lower your heating bills with a fireplace, go electric, and use it to reduce the amount your furnace is ru…