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We are thinking about having a fireplace installed in our home. We are trying to figure out if we should go with a wood burning fireplace, or a gas fireplace..or both? We aren't planning on moving anytime soon but we want to make the best investment as well...What is better for resale? Is there anything we should avoid while searching? Any input or suggestions would be much appreciated!
The "return on investent" of any add-on fireplace is VERY VERY hard to determine as the majority of homes that have fireplaces as part of the floor plan tend not to have a direct comparison with homes having a "blank wall" in the same spot.
That said, there are some factors to consider. Firstly the "design aspects" of the whole home should match the style of the fireplace / surround / mantle. Ideally if you already have a nice "traditional style" home with the kind of large wood trim that generally is most attractive to buyers that prefer fireplaces you could get a wood burning fireplace that has a similar theme.
In some climates a wood burning fireplace would be BIG net energy hog -- modern dampers / fireplace doors would be a must. The "direct vent" style gas fireplaces generally come standard with these type things...
For many buyers a "direct vent" type gas fireplace signfies a kind of "fake" fireplace, and if you are in a area where that might be a problem you are probably wise to get a wood burning fireplace.
Technically all wood burning fireplaces can be equipped with a "gas starter" which is generally a nice convenience factor AND you can use the gas line to install some pretty realistic "gas logs" to get most of the visual appeal of a real wood burning fireplace w/o the mess / hassle of wood logs / ash...
Few, if any, "direct vent" gas fireplaces can be converted to safely burn wood --- you'll never get the "pop" and other time honored traditions of "tending a live fire" with something that "you push a button and it goes on"...
If your room is big enought, placement of the fireplace isn't an issue. But if you're in a smaller area, consider placing the firplace/woodburning stove in a corner. That way it won't take up wall space for future furniture placement. I've heard so many people on HGTV say that the fireplace should be the focal point. I disagree. Depending on the room and what you intend to put in the room, the fireplace should be in a location where you can enjoy the ambiance, heat and beauty of it, but not so that your furniture isn't placed in a functional layout.
I removed my wood burning stove 3 years ago and had a gas fireplace insert put in instead. I love my insert! No messing with wood, cleaning out the ashes, cleaning the chimney and the heat stays inside my home. I do miss the crackling wood and the smell of the fire, but I quickly get over that when I can easily just flip a switch. Gas fireplaces & inserts have come a long way. They don't look as fake as they used to. And an added bonus is you don't need a hearth so it allows for more usuable space in the room.
In my area, we are subject to winter inversions (unhealthy winter air (smog) gets trapped in the valleys) so on the coldest of winter days, there were times where I couldn't burn wood. Now I just flip a switch and I'm nice & toasty.
We have wood burning. I would not use gas, but it would be useful for starting the wood. Keep in mind thought hat you need different kinds of chimney liners for gas or wood, or for a combination. You cannot just burn wood in a gas fireplace or install a gas line in your wood burning fireplace.
We replaced the "Builder installed" FP in our home and went with natural gas. No cleaning and buying/storing wood, no hassle at all compared to wood or wood pellets, aqnd works just as well.
Builder installed F/P's are just for looks, so if you get one, make sure it is a high efficency model or you're wasting your money.
I hit a switch in the morning when I get up, and the F/P fires up and maintains a constant heat via thermostat, which a wood F/P can't do.
After the main room warms up a little, I crank on the forced air furnace. When the whole house warms up, the F/P will maintain the proper temp all day. The cost of heating went way down as the F/A unit doesn't get much use.
Oh yes, thermostat controlled gas fireplace insert. I now know I should've invested in a thermostat. I didn't think it was worth the added expense....but I was wrong. Several nights I've fallen asleep on the couch with the fireplace on only to wake up sweating at 2am with a horrible headache from being overheated.
Last edited by eggalegga; 10-17-2011 at 03:48 PM..
As an owner of a wood fireplace I'd tell you to get a gas one. Stacking wood, planning ahead to buy it, carrying it in, keeping it dry, etc. becomes a pain as you get older. It's worse if you're also the one splitting it prior to doing the above.
I would tell you to not get a pellet stove, you lose power snd they go dark when the battery backup dies.
Thanks everyone for their input! Does a fireplace that is wood burning AND gas burning produce the same heat as say just having one or the other? Wouldn't it be beneficial to have both? We definitely want a fireplace wear you can actually open the fireplace glass doors or shut them..not one that is behind glass that you cannot open...
Depends on where you live? How cold is it? Do you have a inexpensive source of good dry wood? What kind of roof do you have? Do you have high winds? Can the chimmney be put ok without a problem from winds.
Did you consider a Pellet stove?
Propane/gas can get expensive (I know).
How big an area are you trying to heat?
Is there a "reputable" installer around?
Just some things to consider as I learned the hard way and now redoing the gas stove to a pellet stove.
HW
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I didn't think it was worth the added expense....but I was wrong. Several nights I've fallen asleep on the couch with the fireplace on only to wake up sweating at 2am with a horrible headache from being overheated.
