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Fireplaces vs. Stoves vs. Inserts: What’s Best for Me?

With lots of options out there, deciding what will work best for your own home can feel overwhelming. Fireplaces, stoves, and fireplace inserts each have a lot to offer – and there’s variety even within these types. Boiling it down to some of the pros and cons of each type of heating appliance can help you see which priorities rise to the surface for you.

Fireplaces

Pros:

• Fireplaces foster a lovely, traditional ambiance with open flames. They’re simply classic.
• Fireplaces serve as a focal point and a gathering spot, and they provide a large, inviting view of the fire.
• Depending on a fireplace’s size, it can burn comparatively large logs and provide wonderful heat in the immediate vicinity of the fireplace.
• Fireplaces come in a variety of sizes and styles to fit your preferences and the size of your room or outdoor living space.

Cons: 

• While these can be a good localized heat source, fireplaces are generally less efficient than some other options. A fair amount of heat is lost through the chimney.
• Control over heat output is more limited than with some other appliances.
• Maintenance is manageable, but it can be more involved than for stoves or inserts – although fuel type also impacts maintenance needs.

Stoves

Pros:

• Stoves are highly efficient in heating small to medium-sized areas. They have great heat output, heat retention, and heat distribution throughout the room.
• Stoves have a rustic charm that enhances a room, and are available in many sizes and styles.
• The placement options for a stove are less limited than those of a fireplace, giving you more choice in where you can have your heat source installed.
• Like fireplaces, stoves can be designed to use different fuels, allowing you to pick the fuel source that makes the most sense for you.

Cons:

• While charming in and of themselves, stoves don’t provide the same view of the fire that a fireplace does.
• Space is required for clearance around the stove, and some stoves can require more floor space than other heating options, which can be limiting in a smaller room.
• Installation will likely be more complex than for a fireplace insert.

Fireplace Inserts

Pros:

• Fireplace inserts enhance the efficiency of the existing fireplace, using modern technology to minimize heat loss and radiate more heat into the room.
• Inserts may also have features that give you more control over the heating process.
• Installation is usually relatively simple compared to putting in an entirely new fireplace or stove.
• Inserts provide an opportunity to update the look of your fireplace or convert the fuel type of your current setup to better suit your aesthetic and lifestyle sensibilities.

Cons:

• You may be either limited in options by what fits the existing fireplace opening or need to make modifications to the existing fireplace structure.
• Of the options, inserts are most restrictive in terms of where they can be installed since they’re retrofitted into an existing fireplace.
• The opening through which the fire can be viewed is reduced compared to your traditional fireplace, and some homeowners prefer the more traditional ambiance.

Any of these options will bring a new level of warmth, comfort, and ambiance into your home, and there’s a great deal of variety in each category of them. To start getting an idea of what’s possible, we recommend visiting our showroom or speaking to one of our specialists. It’s remarkable what a fireplace, stove, or insert can do to transform a home!

Which Fuel Is Best? Wood, Gas, or Electric?

Choosing the best fuel type for your stove, fireplace, or insert depends on several factors.

Wood

• Pros: Wood fires bring ambiance with flickering flame, crackling logs, and a homey aroma. If you have a supply of wood available, this is a cost-effective option and can be renewable with thoughtful planting. They’re also reliable in power outages, providing a measure of independence from the grid.
• Cons: Wood burning appliances require more maintenance – like cleaning ash, chopping and storing wood, and feeding the fire. It’s also not as efficient as gas or electric options.

Gas

• Pros: Gas-fueled units are convenient and easy to use. They turn on and off with a push of a button, don’t require tending and feeding like a wood fire, and burn cleanly with minimal emissions. Many offer a high level of control over the heating experience with thermostats and flame settings.
• Cons: You need a gas line installed, which can be more expensive upfront than other options, and while beautiful, some prefer the traditional sensory experience of a traditional fireplace.

Electric

• Pros: Electric units offer lots of flexibility and convenience. No venting or chimney is required, allowing for versatile placement even in rented spaces. Electric appliances provided consistent heat output and increasingly exciting possibilities in mimicking an authentic fireside experience.
• Cons: Depending on your local utility costs, it can be more costly to operate than gas or wood, and may lack the ambiance of real flame.

When selecting an appliance, the fuel type you choose should be informed by your own priorities. What matters most to you – a particular ambiance, convenience, cost-effectiveness, environmental impact…? With the options available, you should be able to find a winning combination that most fully satisfies your needs. Be sure to consider local availability and prices of wood, gas, and electricity.

Our technicians can help you understand installation requirements and costs in relation to your home’s infrastructure, as well as what will work best for your space. Ultimately, the best choice will be the one that best aligns with your lifestyle, budget, and heating needs.