Gas Fireplace Vs. Central Heat

Heat Coverage

• The heat from a gas fireplace is normally limited to one room, while central heat covers the whole house. A gas fireplace with blowers that force the heated air into a room is more efficient than one without, but the heated air takes time to move to other areas, and may never reach another floor of the home.

Efficiency

• Gas fireplaces, at their best, are still an inefficient way to heat a home. Much of the heat escapes up the chimney and is wasted. A central heating system conserves the heat by forcing it through duct work to ensure that it arrives where it is needed.

Building

• Central heat is almost always found in a home in moderate and colder climates unless it is an much older dwelling. While a gas fireplace is easier to build into a new home, it can also be retrofitted into an existing home.

Resale Value

• A newer central air system may slightly add resale value but in most areas of the country it is expected that a home will come with one. A gas fireplace adds beauty and heat to a home and adds to the resale value as an optional feature.