Choosing Between Gas and Wood Burning Fireplaces 

A fireplace adds personality and value to your home. When a person imagines their perfect house, the home typically includes a comfy home that keeps you and your family warm in the winter, either with a smoothly running heater or snuggling around a cozy fire. 

It’s hard to resist the enticement 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 sensory category. You get the crackle. You get the pop. You get the opportunity to roast marshmallows indoors. Something you don’t get is an effective heating source. Wood fires usually 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 lost 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 the chimney. 
  • Gas: There have been many style advances in gas fireplaces. The flames have become more realistic and some designs offer varied adjustments in height. The ceramic logs used in gas fireplaces now have the look of the real thing and come complete with glowing embers, which don’t force you to wait while they burn 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. Picture the level of comfort you could achieve when you pair that with a fully serviced furnace.  

Air Quality and Maintenance 

  • Wood: Air quality is critical to homeowners and homebuyers. Burning wood generates air pollution in and outside your home and the smoky wood smell that a wood burning fireplace emits 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 consistant cleanings of soot and spent logs. 
  • Gas: Gas fireplaces only require a bit of dusting every now and then and are just about maintenance free. It is suggested that you get your gas fireplace cleaned and adjusted once a year by an expert to keep it functioning both safely and efficiently. 

If you are interested in finding out more information about converting your wood burning fireplace into a gas fireplace or you simply need to schedule your yearly furnace service, please call us at at 614-334-3192 or schedule an appointment online. Our experts will have you cuddled up by the fire in no time. 

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