What’s better gas or electric fires? Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this, both have their own pros and cons and which one works best for you really does depend on your individual needs. To help you to make this decision we have put together a guide of all the advantages and disadvantages to both gas and electric fires.
Fire efficiency
When it comes to choosing a fire most people will opt for the most efficient choice. By this we mean a fire that uses its energy to heat the home. If a fire is 100% efficient then all the energy is uses is going into heating your home, which is fantastic. If, on the other hand, your fire is only 80% efficient, that means that 20% of the energy your fire uses is being lost.
In terms of efficiency, electric fires are more highly efficient. They don’t burn solid fuel and they don’t require ventilation or a chimney, which means no heat is being lost. With electric fires you enjoy 100% efficiency. This doesn’t mean that gas fires aren’t efficient. Most open front gas fires will achieve approximately 74% in efficiency, while glass fronted gas fires can achieve up to 90% efficiency.
If efficiency is the only thing you care about, then the obvious choice for you is an electric fire.
Environmentally friendl
One of the other things you might be considering is the impact your fire will have on the environment. There are three factors that influence how much impact your fire has on the environment:
- If it uses renewable fuel.
- If it gives off emissions, i.e., harmful gases.
- If it is efficient, i.e., how much energy it wastes.
The worst option for the environment is an open solid fuel burning fire, such as a log fire or a coal fire. Both gas and electric are much better options where the environment is concerned.
Electric fires can be highly environmentally friendly if you use a renewable energy supplier, they release no emissions into the environment and they are 100% efficient. However, electric fires do require more energy to run than a gas fire does.
Gas fires use less energy than electric ones and they don’t give off any emissions, which is great. Unfortunately, they do use a non-renewable energy source.
If your fire being environmentally friendly is the biggest concern for you, you can relax because this is a close one. Electric fires use more energy and will cost more to run. Gas fires use a fossil fuel, neither is really better than the other.
Heat output
The main point of the fire is to heat your home, so for many people the heat output of the fire is what is most important to them. It is important to remember here that the temperature of your room will also depend on its size and how well insulated it is. If your room has good insulation and maintains its temperature well, you might find you do not need a high heat output. On the other hand, if your room is large and/or is not well insulated, a high heat output fire might be necessary to keep your home the perfect temperature.
Electric fires have a maximum heat output of 2kw. They type of heat they produce is called convection heat and it works by circulating warm air around the room.
Gas fires have a maximum heat output of 4kw. They produce heat by pushing radiant heat out into the room.
The winner in this category really depends on the type of room you have. It is also worth remembering that an electric fire gives you the option to turn off the heat but still have the flame appearance, which is great for when your room is warm and you don’t want the heat, but you do want the glow of the fire.
Cost
Cost is important for everyone, in terms of buying and running the fire.
Electric fires are easy to install, so you’ll only need to pay for the cost of the fire, however, they are also more expensive to run. The price of the fire will depend on what you opt for, but electric fires are often cheaper.
Gas fires will need to be installed, adding to the cost, they are also more expensive to buy and need an annual check with a gas engineer. But they are also cheaper to run.