Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I keep finding different information. I have gas logs, the closed setup, that heats the house quite nicely. Neither upstairs nor downstairs unit heat turns on at all once fireplace warms, except for the very coldest nights. I just moved in and initially was running the fireplace for 8 hours a day, but no use at all from both HVACs. I read somewhere figure between .45-.75 an hour but I'm not quite sure.
If I had to guess I'd say it costs about the same, running a gas fireplace constantly vs heat cutting on periodically.
If I had to guess I'd say it costs about the same, running a gas fireplace constantly vs heat cutting on periodically.
Likely the fireplace is less but overall this can be complicated calculation. The first place to start is efficiency of the units, if they are the same then they will cost you the same with all other things being equal including the fuel type used which is going to be huge factor in determining cost.
Other things are never equal, your primary heating source may for example be putting heat into areas you don't necessarily want it. Typically in basement they will have duct work and some of that heat will go into the basement. That is fine if you want heat there but not so fine if you don't. Another major considerations is the gas fireplace is a space heater, you can keep warm one part of the house and leave the rest of it colder.
Location: God's Gift to Mankind for flying anything
5,921 posts, read 13,855,132 times
Reputation: 5229
Would it not be as *simple* as trying to figure out the cost of the fuel, each source needs for a certain period ?
Looks to me that the calculating part is easy but the way to get the info might be complicated.
Each heat source should have some initial testing done and the results might be available to the public ?
Compare those costs per hour and than the total hours used should give you the result to find out what is more costly or not.
I have a wood burning fire place, *and* a house which happens to be built in a way that the *heat* (generated by the burning wood) kind of automatically disperses over most of the parts of the house.
The fireplace does have a *hot air* circulating system (I put in afterwards) that is powered by a bunch of very low power, and very quiet, computer fans.
So it produces two kinds of heat, one is hot air and the other is radiant heat.
The wood is free for me (never have to pay for it !), but it takes time and a bit of money (gasoline , - about 5 gallons a year - for the wood splitter, not much physical work there !) - to split a year's supply of fire wood).
My house is all electric (no gas available) so easy to figure out what that cost !
If you know the BTU/hour of the log and how much you pay per therm then it should be pretty easy to figure out. A therm is 100,000 BTUs or 1 cubic foot (CCF).
Lets say the log is 33k BTU an hour and you pay $2 per therm then it costs about 66 cents per hour to run. You'd need to look these up.
The best way to warm a house is to use your heater. It will warm the house faster and use less gas doing it. A fireplace is a nice visually appealing heat source but it's not effective as a whole house heating unit.
Location: God's Gift to Mankind for flying anything
5,921 posts, read 13,855,132 times
Reputation: 5229
Quote:
Originally Posted by Electrician4you
The best way to warm a house is to use your heater. It will warm the house faster and use less gas doing it. A fireplace is a nice visually appealing heat source but it's not effective as a whole house heating unit.
I agree, but if the heat source is almost free or way cheaper, then ... ?
In my case I have electric ceiling heat. I can heat up only those rooms which are used.
Heat always *on* in the most often used bath room, the *office*.
Bedrooms only heat when needed determined by individual thermostats.
Seems to work pretty good ...
The fireplace is stoked with wood that is totally free. It is located at the lowest part of the house.
The heat generated by that fireplace can now go *upstairs* and warms up the upper part of the house.
So yes, it may be an eye appealing implement, but if properly used and fired with a free source, then it is probably cheaper.
I am just lucky I guess.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
