Gas Heaters, Electric Heaters or Wood Heaters?
With technology evolving, you may be wondering which heater is best for your home. Generally, there are three main variations of heaters: gas heaters, electric heaters and wood heaters. The main distinction is the primary source of fuel. In this article, we will be looking at the different aspects of all these heaters and which one may best suit your needs.
Fuel Type and Implications
Gas heaters use biofuel, mainly ethanol, as their primary source of fuel. Wood heaters are much the same as the traditional fireplace in that they use combustion of wood as their primary fuel to produce heat. Strictly speaking, electric heaters do not have fuel but use energy transformation to transform electrical energy into heat energy, which is then emitted from the heater into the room.
The main implications to consider here are storage space and flammability. Ethanol can be stored in a compact plastic container and requires little space. However, ethanol is extremely flammable, and any exposure to any flames may lead to a fire outbreak. There’s also the issue of having to keep it far from children who may accidentally play with it.
Naturally, electric heaters only need to be plugged in to operate. In this respect, they have no fuel needs and consequently, have no implication on storage space.
The firewood in wood heaters requires a considerable amount of storage space unless one intends to purchase firewood every time they want to put the heater on. Furthermore, you may need to purchase additional accessories to store the firewood.
In terms of fuel convenience as well as storage space, the electric may be deemed best in this
Respect
Cost
In terms of the purchasing price, none has a distinct difference from the others. The cost is dependent on which model you use with the low – end models being relatively cheap and the high – end models being relatively pricier. However, one should consider the cost in its entirety to determine which heater best suits their budget.
For gas heaters, the main costs to consider would be the cost of the heater itself, cost of the fuel, cost of the necessary accessories as well as the cost of maintenance. None of the related accessories is necessary for the operation of the heater so you may not spend much. When it comes to maintenance, gas heaters do not emit any smoke nor soot when the biofuel is combusting so little maintenance is needed.
When it comes to electric heaters, the main consideration is the cost of the heater itself as well as the cost of electricity supply. Your electric bill could rise significantly depending on your usage and so it may difficult to estimate this cost reliably.
For wood heaters, the main considerations would be the cost of the heater itself, the cost of the necessary accessories, cost of the firewood as well as maintenance costs. When it comes to accessories, you may need a few to operate your heater reliably such a log rack for your firewood, tongs and an iron poker to operate wood while the heater is as well as a fire shovel. A necessary installation to accompany your heater is a chimney that directs the smoke out of the house. Wood heaters leave soot and emit smoke so you will need to do regular cleaning so you will need to purchase cleaning materials for this.
Real Flame
Another major consideration for some parties is whether the flame produced is fake or simulated. The reason being that the constant crackle of a flame adds ambience to their living quarters, making the environment homelier. Wood heaters produce a real flame. Some individuals also just prefer sitting next to the heater and poking at the wood.
Gas heaters produce a real flame as well, though without the accompanying sound effects. However, the flame may look a bit strange and may not be as inviting as the flame from wood heaters. One can use fake wood to simulate firewood in the heater though and give the heater a more authentic feel.
Electric heaters do not produce any flame at all, and their display may be a simple 2D animation with a circuit of electric wires behind the screen dealing with heat transformation. Some models do come with a 3D display as well using lighting to make firewood and smoke effect that may give the feel of an actual flame.
Maintenance
The final consideration would be the amount of maintenance work you would need to do to maintain your heater in shape. Gas heaters do not emit any smoke and so require little maintenance apart from occasionally cleaning the heater. The same goes for electric heaters.
Wood heaters emit smoke and soot, meaning they require regular cleaning. This includes getting rid of the soot as well as getting rid of the ash that may develop after using the heater. The same goes for cleaning the accompanying accessories periodically such as the tongs as well as the poker. Generally, wood heaters require significantly more maintenance than the other heaters
Bottom Line
Now that you have a good grasp of the implications of using each of the heaters, you can now make an informed choice on which heater best suits you.