Traditional wood fireplaces use wood to elevate the surrounding temperature, whereas gas fireplaces use gas to achieve this goal. Gas and wood fireplaces both have their advantages and disadvantages and unique traits that can either benefit or act as a drawback, depending upon your needs. You need to know the positives and negatives to make an informed decision when choosing to buy a Wood or Gas Fireplace.
Wood-Burning Fireplace Positives:
• Contributes greatly to the room’s ambiance due to the real wood sound and smell
• Is less expensive to operate than a gas fireplace
• Is cheaper to install than gas fireplaces
Wood-Burning Fireplace Negatives:
• Emits more gases into the environment than gas-fuelled units
• Has less flexibility in terms of customization
• Requires more cleaning and maintenance
Gas Fireplace Positives:
• Requires much less cleaning and maintenance than wood-burning units
• Releases fewer harmful gases into the environment
• Has a wider range of customization options
Gas Fireplace Negatives:
• Can be expensive to operate
• Doesn’t offer the full sensory experience that traditional wood-burning units provide
• Is more expensive to install
Wood-burning fireplaces hold a special place in many people’s hearts. The sound of wood quietly crackling in the firebox, accompanied by the gentle glow of a tame fire, creates a vivid & cozy evening by the fire with loved ones. The nostalgic pleasure one gains by sitting in front of a wood fire are now being replaced by the advent of a gas fireplace. However, a gas fireplace is also capable of supplying a gentle blaze that is just as warm and inviting as a traditional wood fire.
Convenience:
Gas fireplaces are certainly much more convenient than traditional wood fireplaces. A major feature that separates them is that gas fireplaces do not require wood to burn, which has elements of transportation, chopping, stuffing, and igniting. Whereas with a gas fireplace, all that is needed to do is turn on the gas, sit back, and enjoy the warmth. If you operate your gas fireplace by remote, this can be as easy as flipping a Television channel.
Safety:
Gas fireplaces are comparably safer than a traditional wood fireplace. Wood units might be considered more hazardous for those not keen on physical maintenance. Ash and soot can also accumulate without regular cleaning, which can lead to out-of-control fires.
Moreover, a Gas fireplace can be left running unattended and won’t expose you and your family to the pollutants that a wood-burning unit might, such as:
• Benzene
• Formaldehyde
• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
In any case, both of them require good ventilation to operate with optimal efficiency.
Cleaning:
Gas fireplaces by their very design and fuel requirements come with significantly fewer cleaning responsibilities mainly due to the different combustion by-products that accumulate in their gas and wood chimney. This necessitates maintenance depending upon its use and may require an annual clean up. On the other hand, gas units should be dusted more frequently and cleaned by a professional at least once a year. Other than that, there’s not much for you to do to keep these units functioning perfectly.
Sensory Experience:
Generally, most people will agree that a wood-burning fireplace is a standard for the sensory experience derived by settling down by a gentle flame on a chilly day. The sound of the logs crackling and popping, the smell of the smoldering cedar, fir, or other firewood, and the soft radiance are unique characteristics of a real wood fire. But, as long as warmth is your primary concern, a gas fireplace works just as well.
Resale Value:
A notable benefit of installing a fireplace in your home, whether wood or gas, is that the unit will almost certainly enhance the market value of your home by a good percentage.
This potential applies to both styles; doesn’t matter what kind of fireplace it is, these features create a focal point and gathering space for friends, family, and guests.
Environmental Impact:
Human activities impact the environment and there is a growing concern for environmental footprints. Your choice of a gas or wood-burning fireplace can influence the impact you have on the earth due to the following factors:
• 75% more CO₂ is emitted in wood vs. natural gas units.
• Acquiring natural gas for fireplaces can involve fracking, which releases similar pollutants as burning wood.
• Generally, 99% fewer pollutants are emitted from natural gas vs. wood-burning fireplaces.
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