Benefits of Propane Fireplaces
Those Connecticut late Autumn nights are starting to turn a bit chilly, which probably has you considering the benefits of propane fireplaces versus the more traditional ones. No doubt most of us would welcome sitting around a glowing fireplace to warm our hands and feet – and everything in between! But maybe you don’t have any wood handy. Or maybe you hate the messy cleanup of ashes from a wood fire. If so, it’s time you considered the benefits of a propane fireplace.
Propane fireplaces offer warmth and ambiance and can be installed either indoors or outdoors. They are more cost efficient, environmentally friendly, and easier to use than wood or electric models.
There are two basic types of propane fireplaces – direct vent and vent free.
Direct vent units draw in outside air to keep the flame burning and exhaust all combustion gases and water vapor released by burning gas. Direct vent fireplaces don’t require a chimney and are vented directly through a wall or roof. They are the safest option, but don’t heat your home as well as vent free inserts.
Vent free inserts, have a higher efficiency rating because no heat escapes through an exhaust.
Let’s look at the benefits of propane fireplaces in more detail.
Propane Fireplaces are Safer
Propane fireplaces are safer for your home and family. Unlike wood burning fireplaces, propane fireplaces don’t have an open flame. And a direct vent fireplace has glass protection. Which prevents children and pets from accidental burns.
Wood fireplaces shouldn’t be left unattended – even when it looks like the fire is completely out, because there’s a danger of stray embers hitting your carpet or smoke filling up the room. With propane fireplaces, you simply push a button to light or extinguish the fire, so there are no embers or smoke to worry about.
Fireplaces that burn wood are known to emit particles into the air that could cause health issues for family members. If someone in your home has allergies, asthma, or other breathing-related problems, a wood-burning fireplace could aggravate their health issues.
But propane burns cleanly and doesn’t emit particles into the air. And the glass casing surrounding the fireplace prevents byproducts from being released into your home.
Propane fireplaces are also safe for the environment. They release less pollution into the air than a conventional wood-burning fireplace.
Propane Provides More Warmth and Burns More Efficiently
A wood fire is great at setting a cozy or even a romantic mood. But it isn’t very effective at warming you up. According to the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency, wood fireplaces are an extremely inefficient way to heat your home. Drafts from the open flue pull the warmer air up the chimney, making the room colder.
A propane fireplace is about 80% efficient, which is about four to five times more efficient than a wood-burning fireplace. And, as a rule, propane fireplaces can burn forty times as long as a conventional wood-burning fireplace. They also produce five to six times the heating capacity as either wood or electric. And according to HGTV, a one-pipe vent propane fireplace can provide a 50% efficiency rating, and a two-pipe vent model has a 70% efficiency rating. That’s a lot of warmth!
Propane Fireplaces Require Less Maintenance and Work
A big difference between propane and wood fireplaces is in the maintenance it takes to run each of them. Wood fireplaces require you to gather or purchase the wood, and to work to get your fire started by placing and adjusting the size of the logs to keep it burning. And if the wood is wet or not seasoned properly, it can take a while to get the fire going. You also need to shovel out the ashes after the fire is out and the embers are cool.
Propane fireplaces easily light every time just by pushing a button or flipping a switch. There’s no need to constantly add different sized logs and there’s no soot to clean after every use. There’s also no need to haul wood or clean up the mess dirty logs leave behind. And though an electric fireplace also provides instant ambiance, electric fireplaces don’t have real flames.
Propane Is Cleaner
Another important fact to consider is the cleanliness of your fireplace. Wood burning fireplaces release smoke, soot, and ash into the air. This can soil the area directly surrounding your fireplace. Without proper and regular cleaning, your chimney could become clogged, causing smoke to back up into your house.
The electricity required to run electric fireplaces is produced by coal or nuclear power plants. These methods of producing electricity are not as clean and safe for the environment as propane.
Propane is a non-toxic gas. When burned, it does not produce significant carbon dioxide. It is an approved, clean fuel listed in the 1990 Clean Air Act and the Energy Policy Act of 1992. Its nontoxic and nonpoisonous, so propane doesn’t contaminate groundwater or soil if it leaks. And, it will not cause health issues for you or family.
Learn More About Levco’s Propane Services
Levco is a leader in helping customers understand and adhere to industry standards for the safe LP-Gas storage, handling, transportation, and use of propane. Get in touch with us today to learn more about our propane services for automatic delivery, tank installation, propane tank exchange, and more!