How Much Energy Does a Gas Fireplace Use?
Gas Fireplaces As the name might suggest, gas fireplaces run on a steady supply of natural gas. These fireplaces have a pilot light, much like a gas powered oven does, which will ignite the gas and create the fire. One advantage gas fireplaces offer is that they can be used in times of electrical failure. These types of fireplaces are being installed with greater frequency in new homes, and wood-burning fireplaces are also being converted to gas burning fireplaces by many homeowners who want to save energy and money on their heating bills. Gas vs. Wood Comparatively speaking, gas burning fireplaces are a great deal more energy efficient than wood burning fireplaces are. Due to the nature of a wood-burning fireplace, most of the heat and energy created by the fire is sucked up the chimney instead of going into the room. Gas fireplaces deliver this heat into the house with much more efficiency–only 20 percent of the energy is wasted, compared with 60-percent wasted energy in wood-burnin