Choosing Between An Electrical Or Gas Fireplace

Choosing Between An Electrical Or Gas Fireplace

With all the options available for a fireplace it can be difficult to decide on the best product. Electrical and gas fireplaces are both popular choices with many people transitioning to these options. One of the main benefits in choosing an electrical or gas fireplace is convenience: less work is required to start and clean these units than a wood-burning fireplace. Whilst many people favour the appeal of a wood-burning fireplace, gas and electric fireplaces can now provide a fantastic, cost-effective and realistic alternative.

Here’s the benefits of electrical and gas fireplaces. Visit our fireplace store to see options for both electric and gas fireplaces in addition to more traditional wood-burning options.

Benefits of an electrical fireplace

An electrical fireplace is typically the most energy-efficient option when deciding on an alternative to a wood-burning fireplace. Without using real flames an electrical fireplace is both easy to maintain and intuitive to operate. As emissions are not released, installation is easier and there can therefore be more flexibility in where electrical fireplaces are installed. Gas fireplaces typically require an exhaust flue to be fitted which can be more costly.

Benefits of a gas fireplace

A modern gas fireplace will be the most similar to wood-burning fireplaces in appearance. This is because gas fireplaces use real flames whereas electric fireplaces utilise effects to generate the appearance of flames. Vented gas fireplaces require an exhaust flue to remove emissions from the home. Another option is a flueless gas stove: this uses a catalytic converter to turn carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide and water vapour. As there are strict CE regulations that manufacturers are required to meet, a flueless gas stove is a safe and effective option to heat your home.

A significant advantage of gas fires over a wood-burning fireplace is in providing continuous heat. There are also options for gas fireplaces which have blowers installed to circulate warm air around a room. Gas fires are easy to control either with a remote or with controls on the wall which can provide greater flexibility in heating a room and can save on surplus energy that would be burnt when a wood-burning fire is cooling down.

Deciding on a fireplace

Often the decision between gas and electrical options will depend largely on your individual needs for a fireplace. Both provide efficient alternatives to a wood-burning fireplace with electrical fireplaces providing the slightly more efficient option. There is an additional benefit to electrical fireplaces in that there is more flexibility in installation. Gas fireplaces provide the closest alternative to wood-burning stoves with the benefit that they are easier to use and maintain, more fuel-efficient and can often be more cost-effective.

Contact us

To discuss your next fireplace purchase or learn more about the best option for your fireplace needs, contact us on 0161 488 4991 or fill out our contact form and we will get back to you. Alternatively, to see our range of fireplaces and stoves in-person, visit our showroom.