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It’s important to weigh out the pros and cons of heating your home with electric fireplaces and electric heaters vs other heating methods. This article offers a few things to think about when trying to decide which heating device to use.

Electric fireplaces last a long time. The longevity of these devices is something to think about when comparing them to other heating methods. Combusting fuel in wood and gas fireplaces creates corrosion. Since an electric fireplace heater heats without combustion, it will undergo much less corrosion. A 30 year old electric fireplace usually looks no different that a three year old fireplace.

Electric fireplaces are inexpensive to install, but expensive to operate. This is directly the opposite of a wood or gas fireplace. Electric fireplace inserts for example can be as easy to install as sliding the new unit into the old fireplace and plugging it in. Corner electric fireplace units simply plug in and can be an easy and quick way to add some style to a small room. A wood and gas fireplace requires chimneys, vents, and plumbing (for a gas fireplace) – none of which is cheap, easy, or fast to install. Operation costs should be considered too. Fuel cost (in $/btu) is generally a lot higher for electric fireplaces than it is for gas or wood burning fireplaces.

The jury is still out on environmental considerations. An electric fireplace heater may emit zero carbon, but how much does the power company generating the electricity? If your electricity is primarily hydroelectric or solar power, then you may actually be making a difference in cutting emissions. However, most people’s power is still heavily produced by coal and gas, which can make even a corner electric fireplace emit more carbon than a modern gas fireplace. There is something to be said, however, for putting the responsibility of clean energy on the utilities. Solar and wind power generation rates are increasing at a fast pace. Growth in the power industry should be considered due to the longevity of an electric fireplace.

To summarize, here is a quick list of some of the pros and cons of owning an electric fireplace:

I hope this article has helped open your eyes to some important points to consider when buying an electric fireplace or electric heater. If you are completely new to electric fireplaces, see if a friend owns a portable one that you can borrow. Try it out first before making a costly purchase. Of course, this won’t work for electric fireplace inserts, but this is often the best way to ensure an electric heater will have adequate heat output and be ascetically appealing.