Can Your Gas Fireplace Save You Money?
A gas fireplace uses a source of natural gas or propane to create heat through combustion. In some ways, natural gas fireplaces are limited -- they need proper ventilation, so they cannot be moved around like portable fireplaces, and they need fans to be truly effective. But gas fireplaces also have a wide range of decorative possibilities and can help homeowners save money in several different ways, depending on how they are used and what type of units they are replacing.
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Versus Furnace System
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Most homes use both a furnace system and a fireplace. Gas fireplaces have the advantages of spot control. In other words, if you only want to heat one room of the house, you can turn off your furnace system and turn on the fireplace instead. Heating only one room this way will probably save money in heating bills. Running both at the same time can help heat a house, but not as efficiently. For heating throughout a large space, a gas or heat pump furnace will probably be more efficient than a gas fireplace.
Versus Other Fireplaces
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Some fireplaces are electric, some use pellets and some still use wood to produce heat. Natural gas tends to be a very cheap fuel, since the mining and distribution process is very simple. Be sure to check gas prices in your area, but there is a good chance it will be less expensive to heat with gas than electricity or wood. Pellets can also be very cheap, but their costs fluctuate as well, so study the two prices carefully. Propane tends to be more expensive than natural gas, so it may have tighter competition with the other fuel sources.
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Replace Gas Fireplace
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If you are replacing an old gas fireplace with a new one, carefully check the energy rating of the fireplace, which should be a percentage showing how efficient it is. Newer gas fireplaces tend to have higher energy ratings that old fireplaces, so you can still save many even if you are not switching fuels.
Money-Saving Practices
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When you use a gas fireplace, there are several things you can do to help increase your savings. First, you can tie your fireplace to a thermostat. The thermostat will be able to sense temperatures accurately and can immediately turn the fireplace on or off based on preset conditions. Also install a fan in your gas fireplace. The heat the fireplace produces will not do much good unless you can circulate it around the room. If you want to save even more money, shut off your pilot light in the summer months or when you go on vacation so you do not burn extra fuel.
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