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electric versus gas fire

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janela | 13:08 Sat 21st Jun 2008 | Home & Garden
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I am about to replace my freestanding gas fire with an inset one. I have been looking at both gas and electric but cannot work out how much the gas costs to run versus the electric. It used to be said that never heat a room with electric it is too expensive but what the ridiculous price of gas these days I wonder if it is still true. I have gas central heating so the fire is used only as extra heat on very cold days to supplement the heating, and for a little heat in the summer when the heating is not on. Any advice out there from people who have had both and which is preferred.
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hi janela

i'm a corgi registered gas engineer

we fit a lot of inset gas fires and most of them are like yours in that it will only be used for a bit of background heat on very cold days or until the central heating kicks in. we even put a lot of insets in for people who just want them as a focal point in the room and have no intention of turning them on.

i think you will find that electric fires do not kick out a lot of heat and will never look as good as a real flame.
Just to add, whatever kind you get, it is worth getting the room (the house actually) as insulated and draught free as possible.

I had my whole house done a year or so ago, and though I only have central heating, it is paying for itself as I don't need the heating on so high or for long. I too have to sometimes (in winter obviously) do a "heating burst", and in the old days I would probably have to leave it on for longer than I do now.
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I have used both gas & electric fires. Gas wins every time hands down.
i find that when i turn our central heating on for the winter that the rooms go very dry and i get a sore throat, i use the old method of a little dish of water near the radiator.

and gas fires will not dry a room as much as one of the products of combustion is water vapour, most should go up the flue but some probably keeps the room moist.
My gas CH comes on for 1hr morning & evening.

I collect my combustible rubbish..plastic milk bot, polythene wrapping, spam-mail, left overs & peelings in my fireplace and on chilly eves (like last night) I light the lot. Quick burst of heat, less rubbish in land-fill etc.

Open up your fireplaces! You're allowed a 'controlled fire'!

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