The Benefits of a Gas Fireplace

Gas fireplaces have become increasingly popular as a low maintenance alternative to the wood burning stove. This is because the gas fireplace does not require chimney maintenance or any other kind of heavy labour in order to keep it running. Gas fireplaces are relatively easy to control and maintain when compared with its traditional wood burning counterpart. People will often choose a gas fireplace in order to eliminate the upkeep required and the mess that a wood burning fireplace can bring. Wood burning fireplaces are often troublesome to use as they require more in-depth knowledge of how the fire works, how to get it started, how to clean the firebox properly, ash control and the wood required. They also need a large area for storing wood and the soot, ash and wood can create a mess in the fireplace room, damaging the carpet. It can also be too much work for some people to continuously carry wood, stack it and to have to fetch more especially for the elderly.

Gas fireplaces therefore became very popular very quickly and many homes come with a gas fireplace installed rather than a wood burning one. Gas fireplaces are also very efficient burners making them much more beneficial for the immediate environment. However, it is important to remember that gas is not renewable source of energy so if you are looking for an environmentally friendly fireplace you should consider a wood burning fireplace. With a wood burning fireplace you can obtain wood from a sustainable source or the cast offs from a local timber yard that would otherwise be tipped.

Lighting a gas fireplace is also much easier than lighting a wood burning fireplace. With a gas fireplace it’s as easy as turning on a switch which makes it ideal for people who do not have the time, or energy for manually lighting a wood burning fireplace. It is important to remember that a gas fireplace is not completely devoid of maintenance requirements. If you are looking for a gas fireplace you should remember to get it checked up every 6 months to ensure it is in working order and it is safe to use. You should also ensure you keep a carbon monoxide detector nearby to the fireplace and always turned on. You can get this device as either an electronic alarm (that looks much like a smoke detector), or as a sticky patch. With an alarm you need to ensure the batteries are regularly changed when required and that the alarm is the correct distance from the fireplace. It should be close to the fireplace but not directly on it, check the instructions for your monoxide alarm if you are unsure. With a sticky patch, the patch needs to be placed on the wall next to the fireplace. The patch will change colour if monoxide is present so you need to keep on checking the patch before use of the fireplace as well as after use and during use if it’s on for a long time. This is not as effective as an electronic alarm because you need to keep an eye on the patch. It is also important to note that the patch will naturally discolour over time as it’s only a temporary measure. If it starts to slowly discolour it is time to change the patch, if it changes colour quickly and becomes dark you should turn off your fireplace immediately and call in an expert to check it over.