How Fireplaces Can Save Money & The Planet

fireplaces can save money

Did you know that fireplaces can save money for your household? Not only that, but they’re good for the planet, too! Here’s why

By Jody McCutcheon

Paris recently banned wood burning fireplaces. The idea was to reduce CO2 emissions, of course. But what the French don’t seem to realise is that eco friendly technology has advanced pretty far. In fact, it has done to the point where many wood-burning stoves are now so clean, they’re even DEFRA-approved. What this means is that you can burn wood and other smokeless fuels without causing pollution, making these new fireplaces suitable even for urban properties.

Not only that, but get this: by burning wood, you can not only heat your home in an eco-friendly manner, but with a little more investment, it can actually save you loads of money long-term.

How can fireplaces save money, you may ask? Well, for starters, heating just the room that you are in is certainly more cost-effective than centrally heating an entire house. Using wood as your heat source costs 2.5p per kw/h compared with gas at 4p and electricity at 11p, according to HETAS, the solid fuels industry body. And HETAS has seen an unprecedented interest in wood-burning stoves, with more than 200,000 installed last year. That’s up by more than 50 per cent in five years.

This is hardly surprising, given that there’s no question that fireplaces can save money for your household – and they can help save the planet, too!

Which Burner Is Best For You?

Several fireplace options exist. The one that’s best for you depends largely on where you live and how you employ your fireplace. Is it mostly decorative? Or is it more functional, as in places with chillier winters?

We asked the experts at Yaheetech for some advice.

Yaheetech is a cross-border e-commerce company established in 2003 with more than 500 employees worldwide. With 39 warehouses around the world, they provide a wide range of products with fast delivery to millions of customers in more than 10 countries, available on Amazon, Walmart, eBay and more.

Option #1: Wood Burning Fireplaces

You might think traditional wood fireplaces are what eco-fireplaces are meant to improve upon. But this isn’t necessarily so. Wood from certified, sustainably grown forests releases as little as one-tenth of the particle pollutant emissions than non-certified wood releases when burned.

Furthermore, wood doesn’t contribute to global warming like fossil fuels do, since burned wood releases the same levels of carbon dioxide as does wood decomposing in the forest.

And if you’re lucky enough to have a fast-growing forest nearby, using wood fireplaces can save money for your household by using that free, renewable timber!

fireplaces can save money
Cylindrical Moro Stoves are chic and rustic. Image: Moro Stoves

Option #2: Wood Pellet Fireplaces

Made of wood residue, wood pellets are loaded into a pellet-burning hopper. The resulting fire will burn up to twenty-four hours without needing stoking. Wood-pellet fireplaces offer up to eighty percent combustion efficiency (much more than traditional fireplaces) and release less than one gram of particle pollutants per hour. They keep you super cosy, even in the coldest climates!

Given these facts, this is a great example of how fireplaces can save money on fuel by being more efficient.

how fireplaces can save money

Option #3: Natural Gas/Liquid Propane

Natural gas and liquid propane fireplaces produce less carbon dioxide and particle pollutants than wood fireplaces. But burned gas and propane produce nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide, which respectively contribute to smog and global warming. Nor are these gases renewable resources, with the extraction, refinement and transportation of gas and propane leaving a significant eco-footprint.

That being said, wealthy, urban dwellers tend to prefer easy-to-use gas fireplaces. That’s mainly because minimal smoke emissions allow for their use in places like Paris, where wood fireplaces are banned. The use of bronze finishes and glass facades, making for an elegant, modern yet homely look. For more info, please click here.

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Image: Heat & Glo MEZZO fireplace

Option #4: Outdoor Fire Pits

If you’re often outdoors in the garden, even in chilly weather, a fire pit is a must. But what kind of fire pit should you choose?

You could dig a pit in your garden, but portable fire pits are more flexible to use. Most are designed in a foldable or easy-to-disassemble structure for easy transporting and storing in the garage or trunk. You can effortlessly take a portable fire pit out for camping and beach bonfire parties, or you can just simply set it up in the backyard for a backyard party or a cozy night with family and friends.

These are a much eco-friendlier and cheaper option that electrical or gas outdoor heaters.

Option #5: Eco-Friendly Logs

Salvaged from waste products like industrial sawdust and spent coffee grounds, eco-friendly fire logs save trees AND keep materials out of landfills. Many brands produce less smoke than natural wood logs, thus claiming fewer particular pollutant emissions. Keep in mind that eco-friendly logs still produce greenhouse gases (but no more so than wood logs).

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Colder climes demand hotter fires, which is where wood or wood pellets come in. In terms of emissions, wood-pellet and gas are considered cleanest. (Gas may be a fossil fuel, but its particulate emissions are lower than wood or other alternatives.) So decide what you need and go get it. The correct decision always fills the heart (and hearth) with warmth.

Now that you know how fireplaces can save money – and the planet – will you consider getting one? Let us know in the comments, below!

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