Choosing Between Gas and Wood Burning Fireplaces

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

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

Aesthetics and Efficiency 

• Wood: A wood burning fireplace typically wins in the experience category. You get the crackle. You get the pop. You get the ability to roast marshmallows indoors. Something you don’t get is an effective heating source. Wood fires typically receive up to a 15% efficiency rating, much lower than a furnace that has regular service performed. They do generate a lot of heat, but most of that heat disappears 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 home up and out the chimney.
  
  
• Gas: There have been many artistic advances in gas fireplaces. The flames have become more realistic and some designs offer various heights. The logs used in gas fireplaces now have the look of the real thing and come complete with flickering embers, which don’t need you to wait while they go out. You can simply switch your gas fireplace on and off, providing you more control over room temperature and frees you from having to look after 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 get when you combine that with a well-maintained furnace. 

Air Quality and Maintenance

• Wood: Air quality is crucial to homeowners and homebuyers. Burning wood produces air pollution in and outside your family’s home and the smoky wood aroma that a wood burning fireplace gives off could be a health hazard. Wood also creates a byproduct called creosote that lines the coating of the chimney and must be removed by a professional chimney sweep. Much like furnaces that should have furnace service completed consistantly, gas fireplaces also require periodic cleanings of embers and spent logs.
  
  
• Gas: Gas fireplaces only require a bit of dusting every now and then and are practically maintenance free. It is advised that you get your gas fireplace cleaned and adjusted every 12 months by a specialist to keep it functioning both safely and efficiently.