Which costs lesss to run: A gas fireplace or a gas heater?

Question

It is getting cold now and I was wondering which is more cost efficient, to run the gas fireplace or to run the gas heater? The fireplace works good if you are right by it, but it doesn't warm the whole house like the heater does. I like using the fireplace when I am watching t.v by it, and then when I go to bed I run the heater. But if it costs less, I could just be running the heater instead the whole time.

Answer 1

Heat output is measured in BTU's, a thermal unit used as a sclae for comparison and measurement.
Your gas fireplace generates plenty of heat, but most of it goes right up and out the flue, so the BTUs are lost with little effect in warming your home. They were never designed to be a primary source of home heating, but for ' atmosphere ' of a fireplace for the flame, but safer and cleaner than wood.
Your heater, on the other hand, was designed to heat your home. It has built in systems to manage and transfer the heat from the burning gas into circulated heat for the living areas, and so most of the heat is used to warm you, not the sky above your house. Many, many more BTUs stay inside, and the newer the heater, the less gas is burned per BTU output in your home.
Even an old heater is many times cheaper for the heat you get than any firplace.
Stay Warm!

Answer 2

Gas Fireplace Heater

Answer 3

The gas heater will cost less to heat your home. Most of the heat generated from your gas fireplace is going up the flue. If you just want your tv room a little warmer in the evening while watching tv you can use the fireplace to keep the room warmer.

Answer 4

It doesn't sound like you have a "ventless" gas fireplace. If you did, there is no chimney, all of the heat goes into your house (of course you must crack a window or two for fresh air). My ventless fireplace, 28K to 34K BTU heats my whole 2000 sq-ft split level home. (Split level makes this easy, as fieplace is downstairs.)

With this scenario, a gas fireplace would be more efficient than a high efficiency heater, which still vents its steam and gases outside, albeit by a plastic pipe from the combustion process.

Answer 5

i am pretty sure that your gas fireplace is an ornament, and the vast majority of its heat, along with the heated air in your room goes right out the chimmney in the pipe. at least your heater is designed to outpiut efficiently, while the fireplace thing is probably robbing you blind, even if its not running, as most of them are open to the chimmney. unless your fireplace thing has some sort of fan and heat exchanger i would plug the chimmney right off and not use it.

Answer 6

all fire places let most of the heat go up the chimney!! they were necessary in days before heaters,, but now are mostly for looks, nostalgic or as you mention,, noice to cozy up to for a while,, but heaters are made to direct heat were it is needed and most are very efficient,,,

Answer 7

run the gas heater