PDA

View Full Version : Gas vs Electric Fireplace



88CRX
05-26-2017, 10:58 AM
What are people opinions on electric fireplaces?

Would you ever consider a house with an electric fireplace on the resale market if everything else in that price point had a gas fireplace?

Any idea on operating costs? I assume gas would be cheaper to run but apparently that's not the case.

Seth1968
05-26-2017, 11:04 AM
Consumption cost will be about 3x to 5x with electricity, and the electric simulated flame looks really cheap ass.

Kloubek
05-26-2017, 11:10 AM
There really is little comparison. Gas all the way.

With that said, in the house we just sold it came with a gas and I built a custom fireplace in the great room with an electric insert. I'm sure anyone would have preferred it was gas, but since we already had one this was just an addition rather than the sole fireplace so I think it made it more acceptable.

Perfect Dark
05-26-2017, 01:20 PM
I went with electric in my new build because I didn't want to pay 8 grand more for a comparable NG one.

The lower end ones do look tacky but if you spend some money they can be pretty nice.

dj_rice
05-26-2017, 03:42 PM
Gas

roopi
05-26-2017, 04:19 PM
Prefer the look of gas. I know I wouldn't purchase a house with the electric.

ZenOps
05-26-2017, 07:38 PM
At 4 cents per kwh electrical heating is $11 per GJ.

Still, the initial cost of gas is higher than that of electrical. Arguably, you could get two old plasma TV's and have them run the fireplace logs video for a crazy amount less than a natural gas fireplace. If you get tired of fire, you can always change it to a video of a volcano or a tropical island.

Just a red-green duct tape it together idea. You can do so much more neat stuff with electrical..

If electricity in Calgary stays around the 3 to 4 cent mark, I can probably get away with primary heating using two of these, and then spend the money saved on six 4K HDTV running a firelog loop.

https://www.amazon.ca/Delonghi-TRRS0715ECA-Radia-Radiant-Heater/dp/B01J1M61M8/

GiUn1NjIdxg

vXZM0H1jUrU < Not afilliated or trying to advertise, but this is what I would use.

Sure, it costs more per GJ - But I only use 7 GJ in the month of January anyhow, so I don't need the raw BTU's that a natgas furnace puts out. I would not suggest anyone use electrical for primary heating if they use over 10GJ in January.

No banging airducts and whooshes of air every hour makes electrical heating worth it to me.

I am still somewhat disappointed that someone has not developed full drywall sized video screens for public consumption yet.

ShermanEF9
05-26-2017, 10:17 PM
Old CRT monitor playing the shaw fire channel. it'll put out heat and look authentic. best part is someone stokes the fire for you.

but in all seriousness, electric doesn't compete with NG imo.

Tik-Tok
05-27-2017, 09:10 AM
Just get an induction one, far superior!

JJ, gas all the way if installing for yourself, for resale, I don't think I would be swayed one way or the other.