How much does it cost to run a gas fireplace. To determine the energy costs, it is best to calculate your gas fireplace’s energy consumption in either a BTU or therm. One BTU or one British Thermal Unit is a quantity of energy that can raise the temperature of one pound of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit. A therm is equal to 100,000 BTUs or 0.293 therms = 1 therm.
How much does it cost to run a gas fireplace
There are many factors that go into determining the average cost to run a fireplace, and it’s worth noting that the calculations of usage for natural gas and propane-fueled fireplaces are different. Usage is measured in kWh (kilowatt-hours).
For example, if you have a natural gas fireplace with a BTU output of 12,000 and an IPI (initial power index) of 800, then your KWH usage per hour would be 1.146; this would yield an annual usage of 640KWH.
Natural Gas has an average cost per kWh in the US currently of approximately $0.097 which would give a rough annual expenditure – $112/year.
Factors Affecting Price
According to the Energy Information Administration, gas furnaces cost an average of $960 per year to operate.
While different factors such as geographic location, season, and market conditions will result in variations in prices, a good rule of thumb is that the locational cost of operating a gas furnace in the summer could be up to three times greater than that experienced during winter months.
One example is with Alabamans who are experiencing almost triple the rate of natural gas costs when compared to their Illinois counterparts at just 72 cents per therm during this time period (15 March 2015).
Cost per hour calculation 
To calculate the cost per hour of operating a gas fireplace use the following formula: A x B /divided by C . Where, A equals BTU rating in the owner’s manual and on the fireplace box or unit itself, B equals local gas per therm price, and C equals 100,000.
If for example, you were looking for the cost of running a 32,000 BTU firebox. If your gas was 89 cents a therm and this equaled out to $100 a therm at 6.8 therms needed to operate this particular unit that equals out to 31 cents an hour (32k x .89)/100000.
Compared to electricity
To compare the cost of operating a gas fireplace to the cost of electric heat, you must determine how much electricity costs per therm so that you can compare the two appliances directly.
The cost of electricity is typically given in kilowatt-hours, and one-kilowatt hour is equivalent to 3,413 BTUs. To convert the cost of electricity to therms, multiply the kilowatt-hour cost of electricity by 100,000, then divide the result by 3,413.
Therefore for example in March 2015 it was about 12 cents per kWh meaning .12 x 100K = 12000. 12/3.413 = 31213 or 313.13 therefore each KWh equates to 313.
Finally 100K / 313 = 32 therms. Therefore 1 therm is $0.031 * 6 [heating hours] = 1.96 So Natural gas would be roughly 80cents versus Electric being over $2.
A comparison to gas central heating
There are different aspects to consider when comparing the cost of operating a gas fireplace and a furnace. Considering that both appliances use the same fuel source, the fuel cost is about the same.
A furnace typically consumes more fuel than a fire (they can run for hours!) but they’re also usually much more energy-efficient, so you get back most of what you spend.
As an example, a furnace with an input rating of 100000 BTUs will consume 90 cents worth of fuel per hour at a gas price of 90 cents per therm.
To run a 32000 BTU fireplace at the same energy output would cost 1.51. It would only require the furnace.
While the fireplace would need to continuously burn wood to produce heat and produce 19200 BTUs, it is only producing 19200 BTUs, meaning that you are constantly heating your house.
You’ll only have to heat your home when it gets too cold, as our thermostat-controlled system won’t cost you any more than what you were already paying for your original heating and cooling system.
In addition, insurance companies love our age prevention technology because it saves them time and money by not having to pay out on old policies.
Are gas fireplaces expensive to run?
Natural gas prices in the US rose 34% per therm between 2015 and 2016, and a recent EIA report 2Â estimates that they will continue to rise to $1.12 per therm over the next two years, putting it closer to the price of electricity than at any point since 2010.
Natural gas prices in 2018 averaged $0.99/therm or 3 cents per kWh according to EIA, so a realistic price for your average gas fireplace would be $0.13/hour or $0.26/GB of disk usage (assuming GB represents gigabytes).
Do gas fireplaces need cleaning?
All the crevices of your gas fireplace should be cleaned at least once a year to make sure any debris from the previous season is removed in time for you to enjoy an entirely clean home for your next holiday.
We hope you take as much pride in your chimney as you do anything else.
