If you’re thinking of purchasing a new fireplace you may be faced with the conundrum as to whether to go with gas or electric. Although both have their merits, gas fires uphold the aesthetic properties of a traditional fireplace whilst being extremely energy efficient and safe to use. This article explores the benefits of a gas fire when compared to electric.
You can’t beat a natural looking fireplace
The aesthetic properties of a gas fire are perhaps what contribute most to their enduring popularity. Gas fires are often designed to have the appearance of a wood burning stove or an open fire with real flames offering heat and warmth throughout the room. Electric fires do not produce flames apart from a clearly artificial glow. Humans are naturally attracted to fire. Anthropological and psychological studies have demonstrated that because throughout the age of man we have used fire to protect ourselves from predators and animals, cook food and provide warmth, staring into an open fire relieves stress and makes us feel comfortable within our surroundings.
Efficiency
In today’s society people are looking for more and more ways to decrease their energy consumption both for ecological and economic reasons. A gas fire is a very efficient way of heating a home when compared to electric. If you replace an electric fire with a flue-less gas fire you will have the advantage of 35% increased heat and 60% lower running costs. Choose high efficiency gas to reduce your heating bills further. It is even cheaper than running a wood burning stove. Furthermore, as energy companies invest more money into sourcing natural gas worldwide, gas may be a great investment as energy prices change in the coming decades.
Facility
Like electric fires, gas fires are particularly easy to install and very easy to use and can be automated so that they come on automatically at certain times of the day. Furthermore, it is very easy to control the temperature of a gas fire and they can run either at very high temperatures, generally higher than electric fires, or at very low temperatures. Unlike with wood fires there is no need for bulky storage space when using either gas or electric.
Safety
Many people assume that because electric fires do not produce any flame they are not as safe as gas fires. However, this is not necessarily true. Many accidents involving electric fires occur because people don’t realise they are turned on when there is no flame or only a moderate glow. People leave things resting against them, which often end up catching fire. In addition, electric fires are liable to electrical faults and often catch fire themselves. Gas fires are contained and provide an obvious flame and therefore it is clear whether they are on or not. Also, gas fires can easily be covered with a glass front if there are young children around who may trip into them.
