A Comparison of Fireplace Options for Home Heating

FIREPLACE COMPARISON WHICH TYPE OF FIREPLACE IS BEST FOR YOUR HOME? WOOD BURNING Up Front Cost Installation Cost Fuel Cost $$$-$$$$$ $$$$-$$$$$ $-$$$ Costs vary based on the size of your home and efficiency of your fireplace, but hourly cost is often comparable to gas. Efficiency Older fireplaces lose much of their heat through the chimney. Inserts can help. Maintenance Chimneys should be cleaned annually by a professional. Safety A Use a heatproof safety gate to keep kids and pets away from the fire. Make sure the damper is open from when you light the fire to when the ashes are cold. Aesthetics Traditional fireplaces have an advantage over all other options in providing the scent and sound of burning wood. A wood burning fireplace is a classic choice that can come in a variety of styles; just make sure that you take steps to maximize its efficiency and keep it safe for your family. Design Details Available in a huge variety of styles and materials, from traditional to modern. GAS (DIRECT VENT) Up Front Cost Installation Cost Fuel Cost $$$-$$$$ $$-$$$$ $$ Costs vary widely, from around $600 for a basic version to $5000 or more for a unit more closely resembling a traditional open fireplace. The national average cost to run a gas fireplace is around 20 cents per hour. Efficiency Retain around 70% of heat generated. Maintenance Clean off dust, soot and carbon buildup regularly. Safety A Be aware that the glass panel will become very hot, so keep flammable decorations and materials a safe distance from the unit. Easy to install and vent, a direct vent gas fireplace includes imitation logs for the appearance of a wood burning fireplace with the convenience of remote control operation. Aesthetics Homeowners have full control over the way the fire itself will look while burning. Design Details " Commonly used in more modern, streamlined design schemes. GAS (UNVENTED) Up Front Cost Installation Cost Fuel Cost $$-$$$ $$-$$$$ $$$ Costs vary based on the size of your home and efficiency of your fireplace, but hourly cost is often comparable to gas. Efficiency * Because they are unvented, they are nearly 100% efficient. Maintenance Clean off dust, soot and carbon buildup regularly. Safety A Unvented units should come with onboard monitoring components that shut the unit off in a depleted oxygen situation. By using a clean burning, high efficiency gas log set with built-in safety modifications, an unvented gas fireplace is the perfect solution when a wood burning or direct vent fireplace Aesthetics O Aesthetics will vary depending on budget, from small, almost television-like units to full stone mimicking the look of a traditional fireplace. can't be installed. Design Details Unvented gas fireplaces should be used in larger rooms with good air flow. ELECTRIC Up Front Cost Installation Cost Fuel Cost $ $-$$ Professional installation usually costs $200-$300. When used strictly for decorative purposes (i.e. not generating heat) cost is around 3 cents per hour to run. When generating full heat, the cost increases to about 18 cents an hour. Efficiency Maintenance The only common maintenance need is changing light bulbs. Safety A Because they do not produce actual flames, electric fireplaces are, in general, very safe. Keep children, pets and flammable materials away from the glass screen. Electric fireplaces require only space on a wall near an electrical outlet and no chimney, making them cheap to install and cheap to maintain, especially when only used for decorative Aesthetics There is not any fire created by an electric fireplace, meaning that the unit itself, and not the heat it produces, has the aesthetic value. Design Details purposes. Because they come in so many sizes and styles and do not require any chimney or venting, electric fireplaces can typically fit anywhere. ETHANOL Up Front Cost Installation Cost Fuel Cost $$$$-$$$$$ $-$$$ Cost varies greatly depending on size - usually from around $100 - $1000. $-$$ Average cost is around $1.98 per hour. Efficiency Maintenance Stainless steel should be polished every month or s. Safety /A If any fuel spills, be sure to clean up immediately. Aesthetics e Ethanol fireplaces tend to be smaller and sleeker. Flames produced are odorless. Design Details For a low cost, versatile option, an ethanol fireplace will complete any room or area. The lack of a vent or need for a gas line means that they can be placed virtually anywhere that they will fit, with many models available to be hung on walls. PELLET STOVE Up Front Cost Installation Cost Fuel Cost $$$-$$$$ $$-$$$ $$$$-$$$$$ Installation typically costs $1000 - $3000, depending on venting, chimney, and flue needs. Costs vary, but on average, heating with pellet fuel costs around $1-$1.50 per hour. Efficiency Maintenance More difficult to clean and maintain than other types of stoves and fireplace, as there are a variety of moving parts involved in their operation. Can be cleaned by a homeowner once per week, with at least one professional cleaning annually. Safety ! Pellet stoves themselves remain relatively cool while burning fuel, reducing the risk of accidental burns. There s also less osote buildup in flues and vents than in wood burning stoves. Aesthetics O Odorless, but they do produce a 'rumbling' sound whenever the stove is running. Design Details Pellet stoves tend to be designed after the fashion of traditional heating stoves. Most often found in living rooms and kitchens. A fireplace alternative that uses compressed wood pellets for fuel.