Wood or Gas Fireplace in Wisconsin?
It’s a common question: Should I go with a wood or gas fireplace in Wisconsin for my cabin or home? The answer depends, of course, on whom you ask but there are definite pros and cons to each. Let’s take a look at a few:
1.) Gas Fireplaces don’t take as much work. Before you invest in a wood fireplace, you should know that you’re signing up for some labor. Splitting, stacking, and carrying wood is a job and, if you’re going with wood, it’s an ongoing job. The good news is that you can often purchase firewood ready to go in your wood fireplace, easing your burden significantly and still making wood a viable option. But gas is still, of course, slightly less to think about with its self contained configuration.
2.) Gas Fireplaces are generally cleaner. You won’t have to hire a chimney sweep. Nor will you have to continually clean up the mess you’ve made dragging and stacking firewood with a gas fireplace. Because the emissions are so clean from a gas fireplace, you can install them in virtually any room in your house. But your trade off is the smell and overall ambiance of wood.
3.) Wood Fireplaces smell good. Wood fireplaces provide that whole-house smell that gas fireplaces simply can’t provide. They also crackle and make that fireside sound you can’t get from gas. This is a deal breaker for a lot of people when comparing wood to gas fireplaces because why would one install a fireplace when it doesn’t smell and sound like the real thing?
4.) Wood Fireplaces are less costly. Assuming you live in a wooded area where you can harvest the fuel for your fireplace, you won’t have to pay for your fuel. The same can’t be said for a gas fireplace. However, there are a few things to keep in mind. You’ll be investing some time “doing wood”. You will also spend time cleaning up, disposing of ashes, keeping your wood dry (green and wet wood doesn’t burn well), etc. There are ways to ease this burden like paying someone else to come and cut your wood for you, but you will work harder for your heat.
The verdict: Many people find that the efficiency provided by a natural gas fireplace, the ease of use (no kindling or newspaper), as well as the dependability of always having fire when you want it offsets the benefits of a wood fireplace. But the fact still remains that here at Earth Energy, we still sell more wood fireplaces than gas. This tells us that there are plenty of folks willing to put in a few extra hours to get that authentic fireplace feel in their home. Regardless of which one you decide on, give us a call. We’re here to help you with installation and any questions you might have on installing a wood or gas fireplace in Wisconsin.
