There are few things more pleasant that curling up in front of a fireplace and relaxing. Added to that, a fireplace can really add to the beauty of your home. The question is – A which type of fireplace should you choose? Should you go traditional wood, electric or gas? Should it be inbuilt or would it look better freestanding?
In this article we focus on the pros and cons of buying an inbuilt gas fireplace for your best consideration to choose.
Advantages of Inbuilt Gas Fireplaces
Here are some of the advantages of inbuilt gas fireplaces:
- Aesthetics
An inbuilt gas fireplace gives a timeless look to any room. It becomes the focal point of that room and can fit in well with all kinds of interiors. You can choose a traditional look or a minimalist contemporary design. The beauty of inbuilt fireplaces is that they can fit into any style of décor.
- Heat Output
An inbuilt gas fireplace is one of the most effective fireplaces in terms of heat output. Since they can be quite large, they can really heat up a room nicely. Of course, you need to ensure that you buy one that proportionate to the size of your room, or it might end up overheating the place.
- Fuel and Cost Efficiency
Gas, especially natural gas, is one of the cheapest sources of energy available. And when you use an energy efficient inbuilt gas fireplace, then you can really save on energy and cost.
- Consistent Heat Source
When you have a wood-burning fireplace, it takes time for the logs to start burning, and then as the logs (or chips or pellets) burn down, the heating decreases, and you need to add more fuel to the fire.
With a gas fireplace, you will get a consistent heat source from the time you start the fire to the time to switch it off.
- Cleaner and Safer
A gas-burning inbuilt fireplace is a much safer option for your family. Firstly, if you have children and pets in your house, you can simply place a fireguard around the inbuild fireplace and they can still enjoy the warmth without the danger of getting burned.
And since there are no sparks in a gas fireplace, you don’t have to worry about it being a fire hazard.
Added to that, there are contaminants such as soot or other gases lefts behind in a gas fireplace (as there would be from a wood fireplace). Because of this cleaning this fireplace is much easier.
- Less Work
First and foremost, you don’t need a chimney to have an inbuilt gas fireplace installed. You can use a balanced flue instead. You also do not need to go back and forth to ensure you have a steady supply of fuel, like you would if you had a wood-burning fireplace.
You can also adjust the temperature of the gas fireplace, which you cannot do with a wood-burning fireplace. You can also switch on or switch off your gas fireplace with a remote control.
Disadvantages of Inbuilt Gas Fireplaces
Here are the few disadvantages of an inbuilt gas fireplace:
- Installation Cost
Since there are inbuilt fireplaces, the installation costs will be high, especially if you need to create that space for the fireplace. And if you do not have a gas line already installed, then that will be an extra cost.
- Not as Romantic as a Wood Fireplace
While you will see the flames, there will be so pop and crackle in the fire, as you would have in a wood fire. The wonderful scents created by the burning wood would also be missing.