Choosing Between Gas and Wood Burning Fireplaces

A fireplace adds personality and value to your home. When homebuyers imagine their dream home, it typically includes a cozy home that keeps you and your family warm in the winter, either with a smoothly running heating system or gathering around a cozy fire.

It’s hard to resist the charm of of a toasty fire, but how do you decide between a gas or wood burning fireplace? There are many aspects to consider when deciding how to keep your home nice and toasty.

Aesthetics and Efficiency 

• Wood: A wood burning fireplace typically wins in the sensation category. You get the crackle. You get the pop. You get the ability to roast marshmallows indoors. Something you don’t get is a powerful heating source. Wood fires normally receive up to a 15% efficiency rating, much lower than a furnace that has consistent service performed. They do reach high temperatures, but most of that heat is released up the chimney. Wood burning fireplaces not only lose the heat coming from the fire, but it also pulls warm air from other parts of the house up the chimney.
  
  
• Gas: There have been many artistic advances in gas fireplaces. The flames have become more realistic and many designs offer varied height adjustments. The types of logs used in gas fireplaces now have the look of the real thing and come complete with glowing embers, which don’t need you to wait while they go out. You can easily switch your gas fireplace on and off which provides you more control over the temperature of you home and frees you from having to tend to your fire. The lack of fire stealing oxygen gives gas fireplaces a 75% to 99% efficiency rating. Just picture the level of comfort you could achieve when you incorporate that with a well-maintained furnace. 

Air Quality and Maintenance

• Wood: Air quality is critical to every homeowner. Burning wood causes air pollution in and outside your family’s home and the smoky wood aroma that a wood burning fireplace emits could be hazardous to your health. Wood also creates a byproduct called creosote that lines the coating of the chimney and must be removed by an expert. Much like furnaces that should have furnace service completed regularly, gas fireplaces also require periodic cleanings of soot and spent logs.
  
  
• Gas: Gas fireplaces only require some dusting every now and then and are virtually maintenance free. It is recommended that you get your gas fireplace cleaned and adjusted every 12 months by an expert to keep it working both safely and effectively.