subject: Gas or Electric Fire? [print this page] Gas or Electric Fire? Gas or Electric Fire?
Gas or electric?
This question has been asked many times, which should I choose a gas or an electric fire? People have tended to simply go with what has been installed in their homes and stuck with it, now it seems times are changing. Gas is becoming less popular, expensive to run and harder to control. Let's have a look at the benefits of electric fires over gas:
- easier to control
- cheaper to run
- possible to have a flame effect only mode
- easier to install
- safer
Let's dissect a couple of these points. Firstly safety, E. fires produce no carbon monoxide, they don't require a flu and are therefore much safer from potential carbon monoxide poisoning. Next, easier to install, most simple require a bracket to mount onto the wall or they sit on the hearth.
You can have an electric fire in flame only mode, this means no heat but a warming effect which costs very little to run. There are usually a couple (2 or 3) bulbs which are lit to maintain this flame only effect and these are usually halogen steer clear of other types as they will cost more and won`t last as long.
The advantages of gas must not be ignored to give a fair argument:
- quieter
- nicer, real flames
- warmer overall
The two most noticeable advantages are that gas fires are quieter than electric as they don't have a fan effect to produce heat and the flames are obviously real and therefore a better effect.
Conclusion
Considering the inherent advantages and disadvantages of the two types it would appear to be a battle between the ease of running/installing an electric fire and the more realistic/warmer characteristics of a gas fire. In a world where cost is king at the moment and everyone is trying to save as much as possible without sacrificing too much standard of living then the electric fire wins out but, it's like most things in life and down to personal preference but all things considered and looking at the fire Market it appears there is a trend towards electric fires, especially the wall mounted type.
Written by: Chris ElthamCompany - Exotic Products Limitedhttp://www.electricfirestore.co.uk/Reg No: 0712383 http://www.articlesbase.com/diy-articles/gas-or-electric-fire-4584300.html
