House of Fire

The Pros & Cons Of Wood, Gas & Pellet Fuel

When shopping for a new fireplace or stove, there’s a lot to consider. There’s size, style, and of course, fuel type. We’re here to make things a little bit easier by providing a quick break down of the biggest pros and cons of each fuel. 

Wood Pros & Cons

• Pro: Burning wood is a plentiful fuel source that’s renewable, affordable, and sometimes even free. If you run out, there’s always more close by.

• Pro: Wood fireplaces and stoves don’t require electricity to work and can provide a great deal of heat and comfort, even in a power outage.

• Pro: Wood appliances provide a great deal of ambiance, charm, and comfort. For many homeowners, there’s just no replacement for the crackle, flicker, and comfort of a real wood fire.

• Con: Wood must be properly seasoned and stored or it won’t burn efficiently and provide much heat. Instead, you’ll have lots of smoke and creosote buildup.

• Con: Wood fires require some work and can be messy. You’ll need to season, stack, and store wood; build and stoke the fire; and cleanup ash afterwards. You’ll also need to have your chimney swept regularly to remove any buildup or deposits in the fireplace and flue.

Pellet Pros & Cons

• Pro: Pellets are made of tightly condensed wood waste, which makes them a renewable and environmentally-friendly fuel. After all, you’re making use of something that would otherwise be wasted. And since you’re burning wood, you get that warmth and flame you love.

• Pro: Pellets come in bags of all sizes, so finding a place to keep fuel is easy, no matter how much or how little space you have for storage.

• Pro: Pellet appliances typically have automatic hoppers and programmable thermostats that make it easy to set the temperature and relax.

• Pro: Pellet appliances produce very little waste and are highly efficient heaters, which makes them a green fuel.

• Con: Pellet appliances require you to fill the hopper from time to time, so there is some element of work involved, and the pellets come in 40 lb bags, which might be too heavy for some people to lift.

• Con: Pellet stoves and fireplaces require electricity in order to safely function, so they won’t work during a power outage when you may need heat the most.

Gas Pros & Cons

• Pro: Gas appliances can be simply turned on when you’re ready to relax. No work is required, and a thermostat or remote can be used to adjust both heat and flame. They’re convenient, easy to use, and don’t take any time to enjoy.

• Pro: No ash, no wood to stack or store — there’s no mess at all with gas.

• Pro: Gas appliances are known for their incredible efficiency, and because they use closed combustion systems, you don’t lose any conditioned air through the chimney or get any downdrafts.

• Pro: Gas logs are more realistic looking than ever before, and modern gas appliances are capable of providing the heat and beauty that you’re used to getting from wood burning appliances.

• Pro: Gas fireplaces and appliances (with the exception of the blower) can function safely without power, which means you can enjoy warmth during a power outage.

• Con: While gas is a clean fuel for the end user, the fracking, refining, and transportation involved in getting the gas to you is environmentally harsh.

• Con: With gas, you are subject to rising gas prices and reliant on companies to provide you with the fuel you need to heat your home.

No matter which type you decide is best for you, they all require annual maintenance. That’s why the team here at White Glove is trained and educated in installation, maintenance, and repair of wood, pellet, and gas fueled appliances. You can count on us for all of your needs!