Is a Gas Fire Cheaper than Central Heating?

With gas fires growing in popularity due to their aesthetic appeal, and with the autumn and winter months creeping in, one of the most frequently asked questions here at Phoenix fireplace.

Fireplace is, How does a gas fire compare to central heating, and ultimately, which one is the most cost-effective. 

A valid question and understandable in the current cost-of-living situation, as we understand that households are looking at ways to reduce their bills and cut back as much as possible. 

In this post, we look at central heating vs gas fires and whether it is more cost-effective to heat your home with a gas fire compared to a central heating system.

Central heating or gas fire?

A gas fireplace is a stand-alone heating system that burns natural gas to generate heat. 

There are various styles and designs available, making them suitable for all homes.

A central heating system is a lot more comprehensive and works to heat an entire property. From the boiler, hot water circulates through the pipes to distribute heat to various rooms via radiators or vents. Providing constant warmth, homeowners can use thermostats to manage temperature control.

There are differences in efficiency when we start to drill down into a gas fire vs central heating; however, it is not always as cut-and-dry as it seems, and several other factors should be taken into account. 

Factors such as:

Are you looking to heat the entire house or just one room? 

Central heating systems can heat an entire house, as well as individual rooms, as radiators can be turned off or turned down depending on your needs.

In comparison, gas fires can only heat the room within which they are placed, which, if one room is what you’re looking to heat, gas fires can prove more cost-effective. 

Maintenance 

Boilers must be serviced annually as a minimum; it is also recommended that you insulate pipes, bleed radiators occasionally, clean and maintain your boiler, and top up the boiler pressure when required.

With a gas fire, annual servicing is recommended; however, there is minimal maintenance required after installation. 

Type

Central heating costs will depend on the boiler’s age, the fuel type, if the home has any other form of insulation in the walls, pipes, etc, and the size and type of property.

Gas fires now come in a range of styles and energy-efficient types, such as conventional flue fires, balanced flues, and flueless – allowing them to generate more heat for lower prices, especially as they also use less gas than boilers. 

Central heating vs gas fire 

Benefits of central heating systems: 

• It can be used to heat an entire property.
• Smart meters can help you control energy consumption.
• Up-to-date and modern central heating systems are more efficient.
• Central heating distributes heat evenly, whereas gas fires only heat one room.
• You can zone central heating systems to only heat certain rooms, saving money.

Benefits of gas fires:

• Offer high heat efficiencies.
• Have low running costs.
• Gas fires are cheaper to install.
• It has a great aesthetic appeal with real flames.
• Can heat spaces quickly.
• Gas fires have lower maintenance costs.
• They are easy to operate.
• They still function when/if the boiler breaks down.
• They are clean with no ash or residue.

Types of gas fires

There are various types of gas fires now available to choose from, for example:

High-efficiency gas fires ensure that a significant amount of heat is retained within the system, as these types of fires are sealed with a glass front, allowing more heat to be pushed out into the room.

Flueless gas fires – a chimney or flue is not required with this type of gas fire system, meaning no heat is lost.

Balanced flue gas fire – an efficient option where you don’t require ventilation, and these types of fires can be cheaper to run. The only downside is that they can be more expensive to purchase.

Central heating or gas fires, which is cheaper?

The running costs on central heating systems are based on the power output of the boiler, the heating system efficiency, the size of the property, insulation in the home, and even down to whether you have thermostatic valves on radiators.

A smart meter can provide homeowners with a more accurate account of the costs associated with their homes power usage, including central heating.

Alternatively, the running costs for gas fires can be worked out as the kW power output of the gas fire multiplied by the unit price per kWh, which will provide you with the hourly running cost of the gas fire.

Gas fires use minimal heating solutions compared to central heating systems, making gas fires more cost-effective in this instance.

Gas fires are also cheaper to run and operate compared to electric fires.

Gas fires for sale

With the colder months on their way, we know that you will be looking to keep your home warm, cosy, and cost-effective.

Both central heating systems and gas fires have their own advantages and disadvantages, and the choice comes down to what you want and your preferences. No one fire suits all tastes.

For fireplace gas and a range of stunning fireplaces, make sure to pop down to our showroom and take a look at what’s on offer.