How Much Does It Cost to Run an Electric Fireplace?

When it’s cold and rainy outside, there’s nothing like curling up next to a nice, warm fire. Whether it’s in your favorite chair immersed in a good book or cuddled up with your partner and a bottle of wine, a good fireplace creates an atmosphere that’s hard to beat for relaxing and getting comfortable.

But wait—what about the Earth? Traditional fireplaces aren’t comfortable for the Earth, especially wood-burning fireplaces. Burning wood or coal sends a surprisingly large volume of harmful pollutants into the air. Thankfully, there is a way to have the pleasing ambience of a fireplace without the guilt of harming the Earth.

An electric fireplace in Seattle, WA may be just the solution you’re looking for. There are many different forms of electric fireplaces, including built-in and portable models. In addition to being more versatile and more Earth-friendly than traditional fireplaces, they can also cost less money to use.

Cost of running an electric fireplace

The cost to run an electric fireplace in Seattle, WA depends on how often you use it, but in general it will cost less than a gas fireplace. It will also be less than a traditional wood-burning fireplace, since you never have to buy fuel for it.

Most electric fireplaces run at 1,500 watts. With the average electricity rate at 11 cents per hour in Seattle, WA, the cost to run an electric fireplace like this at max power is about 16.5 cents per hour. That means every six hours will cost you about $1. Considering that a 1,500-watt electric fireplace can effectively heat a 400-square-foot room, that can be a pretty good deal.

The monthly cost is determined by how much you use it. If you use it for an average of six hours per day, it will be about $30 per month. Your monthly usage may be significantly less than that, depending on how well your space holds heat and the type of flooring and size of the room in which your electric fireplace is installed.

Compared to a gas fireplace, this is a bargain. A gas fireplace is inefficient, as it generates a real flame and therefore requires a chimney. Much of the heat will go right up the chimney instead of into your home.

Gas is also more expensive than electricity. An average gas fireplace will cost about 45 cents per hour to run in Seattle, WA, which is more than double the cost of an electric fireplace.

Electric fireplace benefits

An electric fireplace does not generate a true flame. Think of it more like an efficient space heater, with a fan that blows warm air out into the room. In this way, it is safer than a traditional fireplace.

An electric fireplace will have an LED screen to help create ambience, often depicting logs burning in a fire. Another bonus of this is that you can turn on the LED screen without the heater running to create ambience when you’re already warm enough.

When you’re ready to warm up your home with the heat and ambience of an electric fireplace in Seattle, WA, call Custom Fire Art to discuss your options!

Categorised in: Custom Fireplace Contractor

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