The Benefits Gas or Wood Fireplaces

Posted by homefires on November 3rd, 2017

Is there anything more romantic than a wood burning fireplace-not likely! The charm and glow of the fire, the bouquet of burning wood and the warmth that engulfs you makes a wood burning fire seem like a real treasure. 
That dream suddenly ends when you realize your firewood rack is empty and someone has to wander out into the cold dark night to get a few logs. It doesn’t end there, some poor soul has to cut and store the wood until it’s seasoned for use.

Additionally, a burning wood comes with a few health hazards such as gasses and air pollution as well as increased incidents of house fires. Nothing is more exciting than seeinga lit log roll out of the fireplace or a spark land on the floor a few feet away. Frequent maintenance is required to be safe and allow the flue to open and close properly for ventilation. The chamber has to be managed to reduce heat loss related to updrafts that suck the heat out of the house making a wood burner less efficient. 

That being said, there is nothing like a wood burning fireplace if you are willing to put the work in. A number of the problems listed above such as the flue and chamber issues have now been corrected and thus improved the efficacy of wood burners. When the electricity goes the light from the wood-burningfireplace is a welcome site where you can make a pot of coffee and snuggle together to keep warm on a cold night.

Gas Fireplaces

Can you have the best of both worlds? Almost, a gas fireplace has many advantages over a wood burner such as realistic flames, logs or coals that don’t need replacing in the middle of the night. There is never any ash or soot to clean up and there are no concerns about jumping sparks or rolling fire starters while you are sleeping.

Gas fireplaces turn on with the flick of a switch or even a remote. They can be mounted almost anywhere including inside your old fireplace. They come with fans to circulate the warm air and they are a great way to limit your heating costs. Install a gas fireplace in each room to control the temperature and heat only the areas you use.

 The available styles are unlimited from wall mounted to free standing. They come with a full complement of ambiance and safety. In addition, they are very efficient heaters but you can’t cook on them.

 In the early years of gas fireplaces, the logs and flames were noticeably poor imitations yet the convenience of instant heating made them quite popular. Thankfully the ceramic logs and coals are lifelike but the aroma of real wood burning is not included and an annual inspection is required to ensure thesafe use of gas.

Either choice has benefits, the expediency of gas or the sound of real wood crackling in the background, a fireplace is the most requested amenity in the world.