Gas or Wood Burning? Which Type of Fireplace is Best for Your Future Home

A fireplace is a beautiful addition to a home. It instantly adds character to a room and is a centerpiece that you can enjoy for years to come. The question then becomes, “Which type of fireplace is the right one for my home?” At Hansman Custom Homes, you have the choice between a traditional wood-burning fireplace or a more modern gas fireplace. No matter your decision, you can rest assured that your fireplace will be installed with the utmost care and will add immediate value to your home. To help decide which type of fireplace would make the most sense for your home, we’ve compiled a list of the pros and cons of each type of fireplace.

The Best Fireplace for your Mid-Missouri Home's Style

Traditional Wood Burning Fireplace

A traditional wood-burning fireplace is a desirable addition to your home. Nothing beats the sound of the crackling wood, the smell of the fire, and the comfort that it can provide you and your family on a winter’s night. With that in mind, this is one of the few advantages a wood-burning fireplace would have compared to a gas fireplace. Wood burning fireplaces require you to have firewood readily available. You also need to be sure you are using the right type of firewood. Greenwood is firewood that has only recently been cut from the tree. You should be using seasoned wood, which has been cut, dried, and stored for at least six months. This type of firewood is low in moisture and will burn cleaner and create less soot to clean up afterward.

Wood burning fireplaces also require a significant amount of maintenance. To start a fire, you need to prepare a bed of ashes, make sure that there is nothing blocking the chimney to avoid the risk of starting a fire, and the flue has to be primed. Your chimney should be inspected and cleaned by a professional at the end of every winter.. They will look for any buildup in the chimney, and any cracks that could allow smoke to enter your home and present a fire hazard.

The efficiency of heating is another factor that should be considered. Wood burning fireplaces can lose somewhere between 80%-90% of their heat as it escapes up the chimney. This is compared to the efficiency of a gas fireplace, which comparatively loses only around 50% of the heat provided by the fire. With that being said, let’s move on to the pros and cons of a gas fireplace, and the different types of gas fireplaces.

Different Types of Gas Fireplaces

Gas fireplaces offer several distinct advantages over wood-burning fireplaces. There are also different types of gas fireplaces, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.

B Vent Fireplace

A B vent fireplace vents the air directly out of the roof, making them somewhat similar to a wood-burning fireplace. By venting the air outside, these fireplaces allow the air in your home to stay clean, something that other gas fireplaces do not offer. With this design, they are not as heat efficient as other gas fireplaces listed below.

Direct Vent Fireplace

A direct vent fireplace is the type of gas fireplace you will most commonly find, and there’s a reason for that. Direct vent fireplaces are easier to install and less expensive than a wood-burning or B vent fireplace. They are also heat efficient, retaining somewhere around 70% of the heat they produce.

Vent-less Fireplace

As the name suggests, this type of fireplace does not require a vent. This means that all of the air is staying inside of your home, but manufacturers insist that it is safe. With this design, all of the heat remains inside of your home, giving this type of gas fireplace the highest heat efficiency.. Because of its vent-less design, this type of fireplace can be installed almost anywhere.

Hire Columbia, Mo’s #1 Home Builder to Install a Fireplace in Your New or Current Home

Hansman Custom Homes is the most trusted custom home builder in Columbia, Mo. We have decades of experience, and we are proud to be a part of the Columbia, Mo community. We are dedicated to staying in touch with our clients and offering full transparency during the building process so that you know exactly what is happening with your future home or renovation. If you are looking to build a custom home in Columbia, give us a call or fill out our contact form today to get the process started