Gas Fireplace vs Wood Fireplace
Gas fireplaces are much more energy efficient than wood fireplaces. Even though there is a very romantic and cozy feel to a wood-burning fireplace, you may want to take a look at the total costs and decide which one, a gas fireplace or a wood fireplace, is the best choice for your home. If you would like to install an energy-efficient gas fireplace or replace your current wood burning one, contact the fireplace experts at Draft Control today.
Energy Efficiency
Both wood-burning and gas fireplaces lose up to 60% of their heat in the air that escapes up the chimney. However, wood-burning fireplaces can also suck warmer air that is inside of your room up the chimney as well, which makes them less efficient than gas models.
Environmental Friendliness
Gas fireplaces are much more environmentally friendly than their wood-burning counterparts. This is because gas burns more cleanly than wood and it produces fewer polluting emissions. According to Project Greenify, wood burning fireplaces give off 28 lbs of particulate emissions per MM BTUs of heat output (soot and ash). Natural gas, on the other hand, produces only about .28 lbs of particulate emissions per MM BTUs of heat. That’s about 99% fewer emissions. As a result, if you install a gas fireplace, you have a much smaller risk of in-home air pollution.
Gas fireplaces burn clean and are more environmentally friendly than wood-burning ones
Maintenance
A gas fireplace is much easier to maintain than a wood burning one. With a gas fireplace, you have no ashes or soot to remove regularly. Gas fireplaces only require a regular yearly service by a trained technician.
In addition, wood-burning fireplaces need to have an annual cleaning to ensure that your chimney doesn’t have an excessive amount of creosote built up inside. Creosote is a by-product of burning wood. If the oils in your wood aren’t completely burned up when you have a fire, they travel up your chimney in the smoke. When the smoke cools as it rises, the oils and other chemicals condense with water and accumulate on the inside of your chimney and flue. This residue is known as creosote.
Cost to Run
A gas fireplace is usually less expensive to operate. Depending on the type of fireplace you own and how often you use it, a gas fireplace can cost anywhere from $103 to $178 per year. A similar wood-burning fireplace would cost you anywhere from $187 to $375 per year to operate. Wood is more expensive to burn in your fireplace than gas is. These figures come from Union Gas and are based on gas rates as of November 2017 and the cost of wood at $150 per cord.
A wood-burning fireplace requires extra work such as gathering and splitting your wood
Convenience
With a wood fireplace, you need to be able to find the wood to burn in it. If you are on a property where you are allowed to get your own wood, you have all of the extra work in cutting the wood, splitting logs into smaller pieces and kindling, and finding a convenient and dry place to store your logs until you want to burn them. If you live in an urban center, you will need to purchase your wood and also have someplace dry to store it. A gas fireplace is much more convenient; simply turn it on and enjoy.
Safety
A gas fireplace is generally safer if you have children or pets. They are usually cool to the touch and there is no risk of escaping sparks or open flames to hurt little ones who venture too close. A wood-burning fireplace is also more susceptible to chimney fires, especially if they are not properly maintained.
A wood-burning fireplace is also more susceptible to chimney fires
Switch to a Gas Fireplace Today with the Help of Draft Control
A gas fireplace is a sensible and smart alternative to a wood-burning one. They are easy to operate and more energy efficient. A gas fireplace insert is a great choice to replace your existing wood fireplace. They fit perfectly into the wood fireplace and are vented to the outside through the chimney or a special pipe. Contact Draft Control today to find out how economical it could be to have your own beautiful gas fireplace installed today. You can trust the professionals at Draft Control to install and repair any gas fireplace efficiently and at an affordable rate.