You want a fire that’s warm, doesn’t cost too much to buy and is economical to run. Yes, you want low maintenance and big ambience too of course, but the running costs are inevitably going to be a big factor for any household budget. So let’s look at gas fires and find out what makes them so popular. (Spoiler - economical running costs is part of the answer.)
Gas fires are more of an investment upfront than electric fires. That's a safe bet. You can pick up an electric fire for next to nothing if you shop around, especially if you don’t need something too big or flashy. A gas fire needs more careful consideration. If it’s out of warranty, your heating engineer isn’t going to want to go near it because gas is a serious business. Once you’ve sourced and bought the gas fire of your dreams, professional installation is your next outlay. There are regulations involved with gas fires to ensure everyone’s safe and sound, so it’s another thing you’ll need to budget for.
The actual running costs of gas is where this fuel source comes into its own. Some gas fires are more fuel-efficient than others though. If you choose a model with an open front, the efficiency is going to be around 74%. Not bad, but not the best. Choose a convection model, with a living flame and a glass frontage, and the cold air will be drawn in as the heat radiates out. Efficiency, in this case, is more like 78%.
If you’re looking for efficiency above 80%, you might want to consider a gas fire with ceramic plates, where the heat naturally continues to warm the air in the room even after the fire has been turned off. These might not look as modern as some of the others, but if you're looking for heat efficiency, they are a definite option.
You could go one better though. A glass-fronted gas fire that’s housed in your wall is very efficient. Around 89%. Radiation and convection work together here, with the chimney only taking a small percentage of the heat you’re paying for.
A balanced flue gas fire is around 94% fuel-efficient. If you have no chimney, this kind of fireplace is perfect. But if you’re going for the best, consider a clueless gas fire. You get total, 100%, efficiency with this kind of gas fire. In other words, absolutely all the fuel you pay for gets turned into heating. Sadly, they’re no good for tiny spaces, but in a larger room, you can hardly go wrong.
Whichever kind of gas fire you go for, the range of designs and features is impressive, and you should be able to find the model that enhances the look of your living space as well as warming the place up for the autumn and winter months.
We’d always suggest gas fires for those looking for top fuel economy because gas is a tried and tested affordable household solution for most people. So if fuel costs are your main consideration, have a look at our range of gas fires and get your imagination fired with what’s available.