Sitting in front of your fireplace creates a cozy and relaxing ambiance, but does running it save on your energy costs?
If you’re looking for alternate ways to lower your energy costs this winter, Thomas Hoffmann Air Conditioning and Heating can help. We’ll answer your questions regarding your fireplace and help you determine other ways to heat your home efficiently and save on energy costs.
Our St. Louis HVAC technicians are available 24/7 for heating services for your home.
Can Running Your Fireplace Save Money?
Everyone loves sitting in front of a toasty fireplace on a chilly night. A warm fire creates a cozy atmosphere and heats your living room. But can the extra heat help you save on your energy bill? Some fireplaces are energy efficient, and others are not. So to answer this question, we need to look more closely at the type of fireplace you have in your home.
Wood-Burning Fireplace
A classic wood-burning fireplace provides the most traditional source of heat. However, they are also the least cost-effective for your heating bill. When using a wood-burning fireplace, 80-90% of all the heat generated escapes from the chimney. Also, when your fireplace dies down after use, you must leave the flu open until the fire stops smoking, typically overnight. During this time, your home’s heat is sucked right out of your chimney.
Gas Fireplace
Gas fireplaces burn natural gas instead of wood. While they are similar in structure to a wood-burning fireplace, they generally contain ceramic logs that create the illusion of burning wood. They are very convenient to use, as they can be switched on and off at the touch of a remote or button. While they preserve more heat than a wood-burning fireplace, they still lose around 75% of the heat they generate. The cost of the natural gas you burn can increase your heating bill.
Gas Insert
A gas insert is a metal box that sits inside another metal box, usually fitted over a wood-burning fireplace. The air between the two layers of metal is heated and emitted outward. It’s similar to a traditional gas-burning fireplace, except it retains significantly more heat. With a gas insert, only 20-30% of the heat produced is lost because it’s not escaping out of the chimney. However, the downside to these fireplaces is, once again, the cost of propane or natural gas.
Electric Fireplace
An electric fireplace doesn’t require wood or gas to operate. They draw cool air inward, heat it with coils, and then pump the warm air back out. Many units can change the color and ferocity of the artificial flames, making them highly customizable.
Of all the different fireplaces we’ve considered, electric fireplaces are the most cost-effective and heat-effective. Only about 1% of the heat they produce is lost. There’s no smoke or gas to worry about, either. However, while this option may lower your gas bill, it may increase your electric bill. You would need to determine the cost difference between the two to decide which choice is best for you.
In Conclusion
In short, having a fireplace can be cozy and inviting during the cold winter months, but they aren’t a good option when saving money on your utility bills. It’s more cost-effective to use your fireplace to enjoy on occasion, not as a supplemental heating source for your home.
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FAQs
Most of the time a homeowner will not end up saving money with a fireplace, but if you can use an electric fireplace in a strategic way, the furnace will potentially be used less and may just reduce your bills.
Is it cheaper to run fireplace or heat? ›
Usually it is more fuel efficient to have the fireplace on because it doesn't lose any heat traveling through ductwork, but that also means the heat is localized and won't warm the entirety of a large house. So if everyone is cozied up in one room it is often better to have the fireplace on.
Does a fireplace reduce the electric bill? ›
In short, having a fireplace can be cozy and inviting during the cold winter months, but they aren't a good option when saving money on your utility bills. It's more cost-effective to use your fireplace to enjoy on occasion, not as a supplemental heating source for your home.
Will an electric fireplace save me money? ›
Save Money
Electric fireplaces are also more cost-efficient, thanks to supplemental zone heating. By lowering the thermostat by 10-15 degrees and adding electric heat to the room that you're in the most, you can reduce the use of wasted energy and save up to 10% on your gas bills.
Do fireplaces use a lot of energy? ›
Most electric fireplaces use between 1,000 to 2,000 watts of power. If we take the average electricity cost in the U.S., which is about 13 cents per kilowatt-hour, running an electric fireplace for an hour would cost somewhere between 13 to 26 cents.
Does a fireplace increase heating bill? ›
Most of the time a homeowner will not end up saving money with a fireplace, but if you can use an electric fireplace in a strategic way, the furnace will potentially be used less and may just reduce your bills.
Is it worth using a fireplace? ›
Yes, regions with colder climates often place a higher value on fireplaces, as they serve both functional and aesthetic purposes, providing warmth during colder seasons.
Do wood-burning fireplaces save money? ›
Up to 80-90 percent of the heat generated by a wood-burning fireplace is lost through the chimney. The bottom line: While wood-burning fireplaces are beautiful and create a cozy atmosphere, they are the least energy-efficient option for heating your home.
What are the disadvantages of an electric fireplace? ›
The main downside of an electric fireplace is its lack of an authentic fire experience. It doesn't produce the real flame, sound, or smell of a traditional wood-burning fireplace. Additionally, it's dependent on electricity, so it won't work during power outages, and it may not effectively heat large spaces.
Is it okay to run an electric fireplace all day? ›
While these devices are safe, many manufacturers recommend turning the heating element off overnight. To make it easier, many electric fireplaces feature a timer that allows you to set your electric fireplace to turn off after running for a while.
These prices might also dictate how long you'd like to run your space heater. On average, you can expect to pay about 20 cents per hour to run an average space heater that's 1,500 watts and can heat a standard room. If you run it for eight hours per day, you'll pay about $1.60 per day.
Do electric fireplaces really warm a room? ›
In general, electric fireplaces can warm a room up to 400 square feet. Here are some of the other benefits of an electric fireplace when it comes to heat. This Scion electric fireplace creates a built-in flush design, allowing for a clean look with no visible heat vents or mesh screen.
Is it worth getting an electric fireplace? ›
You have more control over the heat output than with traditional fireplaces. You can increase or decrease the level of heat to ensure maximum comfort. Electric fireplaces are not usually designed to be the central heating source in a home, but they can heat a small room much more efficiently than a wood fireplace.
Do electric fireplaces make your electric bill high? ›
Using the average price of $0.1319 per kWh and the typical wattage of electric fireplaces (1500 watts), you'll spend about $4.75 a day if you run your fireplace for 24 hours. Meanwhile, running an electric fireplace for a month will add about $142.45 to your power expenses.
Is it cheaper to heat house with fireplace? ›
Efficiency. As previously mentioned, fireplaces can help you save money when you turn your thermostat down and use them for zone heating. However, if your goal is to heat your home and not just a room, your fireplace won't be nearly as efficient.
Is it OK to use the fireplace every day? ›
Burning wood in your fireplace all winter may feel cozy and keep you warm, but smoke from those fires can also cause health problems. Wood fires release tiny particles that get into the lungs and can harm people with underlying health conditions. This can affect the lungs and the heart as well.
What uses more gas, a fireplace or heater? ›
A well-maintained furnace will have an efficiency rating of approaching 95%, while a gas fireplace is likely to be below that (though some are in the 90% class) and will therefore cost more per therm. Bear in mind that a real wood fireplace has an efficiency of just 30%.
Is it cheaper to heat a house with a wood fire? ›
The verdict. Our expert friends at The Money Edit say that gas central heating is the cheaper of the two options, as burning wood can be expensive, plus you have the initial outlay to consider on top. This may come as a shock if you thought wood was cheap.
Is it cheaper to run an electric fireplace or space heater? ›
Electric fireplaces use approximately the same amount of electricity as the average space heater. Since most fireplaces operate on a standard household outlet, they use 120 volts to power the internal heater and draw about 1,500 watts at 12.5 amps.
Is a fireplace better than a heater? ›
While furnaces are the most efficient way to heat a whole home, fireplaces (and particularly, electric fireplaces with heaters) offer warm ambiance and a bit of direct heat— perfect for a smaller space. Furnaces provide greater comfort, but nothing beats the golden glow and toe-warming power of a crackling fireplace.
