Is A Gas Fireplace Cheaper Than Electric Heat

Electric fireplaces have an output that is based on the electric current.

Is a gas fireplace cheaper than electric heat.

Some may be convinced that gas is the cheaper alternative while others think that electricity is the cheaper option. This and the cheaper cost of natural gas make gas heat a better option for colder climates. Only 11 states appear to have gas cheaper than electricity using 82 ng furnace and 250 ductless heat pump. Ground source heat pump possibly air source heat pump average cop of 2 2 5 in uk costing more than gas and lastly i would personally rather spend 5000 installing a good gas central heating system than 16000 25000 for a ground source heat pump system offering similar returns in cost.

Additionally a gas furnace will heat the home faster because the heat produced is hotter than the heat produced by electric coils. Gas furnaces are not always more efficient than heat pumps however. A 20 000 btu gas fireplace will cost more than any electric fireplace to run for one hour but the gas one will heat up a 900 sq ft space in an hour while the electric one may not heat more than 200 sq ft. Throwing out the wacky utility markets of ak and ca the 9 states with lower gas than electricity heating costs had only a 6 7 average advantage in fuel costs.

You can t compare efficiency between electric and gas fireplaces without stating the heat output of each fireplace you re comparing. Another advantage is the ability to turn the stove or fireplace s burners down and sip gas to keep the temperature. Warmth another point where electric heat and propane differ dramatically is the warmth that they offer. However for a gas fireplace the actual amount of heat can be measured because it delivers heat directly into your home.

Myth 4 gas furnaces are always more efficient than heat pumps. Information from the executive office of energy and environmental affairs about last winter s projected home heating costs shows lower costs were expected for electric heating rather than natural gas. Also much of the heat produced by a stove or fireplace is radiant heat which is absorbed directly by the body and warms it much faster than the convected heated air heat produced by a forced air furnace. An electric heat pump produces heat below the temperature of your body while a propane gas furnace keeps the air at a temperature of approximately 140 degrees fahrenheit operating in short intervals so that it doesn t boost operating.

Gas is cheaper than electricity in most cases which makes furnaces more cost effective than electric heat pumps in areas that experience colder temperatures. But what do the numbers say.