If you’re considering buying an electric fireplace, the first question on your mind is probably going to be: “do electric fireplaces use a lot of electricity?”.
Some people install an electric fireplace just to enjoy realistic flames when they don’t have a traditional fireplace. However, most electric fireplace users also expect the fireplace to act as a supplemental heat source for their home.
Since producing heat uses the most electricity, it’s helpful to know how much an electric fireplace might raise the electric bill. Being aware of your electric fireplace’s electricity costs makes it easier to manage your heating budget too. So, how much electricity does an electric fireplace use? Read on to find out!
One important fact about modern electric fireplaces is that most of them use the same amount of electricity. An electric fireplace heater is essentially a space heater, but it’s also a built-in component of the electric fireplace insert.
How much your electric fireplace costs to run will be up to you, as you’ll decide when and how to use the heat. The cost of using an electric fireplace on just the flame setting, without supplemental heat, is just a few pennies a day.
Whether you select a freestanding fireplace or a built-in electric fireplace insert, the energy usage will be the same. Features like an adjustable thermostat and automatic heat settings help you maximize the energy efficiency of the fireplace heater. Fireplace size and style will be your main considerations as you shop for an electric fireplace heater.
To calculate the potential cost of using an electric fireplace heater, just estimate how many hours per month you expect to turn on the heat. Then check your electric bill to see how much electricity costs in your area. Use our online Electric Fireplace Cost Calculator to estimate the cost of an electric fireplace heater as part of your Zone Heating system.
Are Electric Fireplaces Energy Efficient?
Before we discuss whether a fireplace is expensive to use, it’s important to remember that energy efficiency and energy consumption are two different things.
Energy consumption is how much fuel or electricity a fireplace uses.
Energy efficiency is how much heat is produced relative to the consumption of fuel. Modern electric fireplaces are considered very energy efficient because they convert nearly all the power they use into heat. Instead of rising up a chimney, all of the heat is circulated into the room.
Is an electric fireplace heater more efficient than a wood or gas fireplace?
- Combustion fireplaces that burn wood or gas require a chimney, which reduces efficiency by letting heat escape
- Fuel for a wood-burning fireplace requires hours of wood-chopping, or purchasing cordwood, which can cost $3000 per year or more
- Heat loss can be 50 percent or more in wood-burning fireplaces
- A gas fireplace costs at least .30 an hour at today’s prices; larger fireplaces cost more.
- If kept on for 8 hours a day, a natural gas fireplace can cost $70-$200 a month, or up to $2400 a year
- Gas fireplaces have a 50-90 percent efficiency rate
- Installation costs for a combustion fireplace range from thousands of dollars
In short, wood and gas fireplaces use more expensive fuels and burn them less efficiently, making an electric fireplace heater a more efficient way to heat your home.
Features of an efficient fireplace heater:
- An efficient fireplace is one that minimizes heat loss; since there is no chimney, MagikFlame fireplaces keep all of the heat inside the house
- An adjustable thermostat lets you control the heat output; a medium setting is sufficient for most rooms
- The timer lets you turn the heat on for a set period of time each day
- With a fireplace heater to keep living spaces warm, you can lower the thermostat for the whole house and save energy
- Use a ceiling fan to help recirculate warm air for increased efficiency
Of course, to maximize the efficiency of your fireplace heater it’s important to use it properly.
Set the fireplace’s thermostat at the lowest comfortable level, and give the room time to warm up.
Use the timer to turn the fireplace off when no one is using the room.
Using too much heat and running the heater after you leave the room are the most common ways people waste electricity when using a space heater.
How Much Energy Do Electric Fireplaces Use Per Month?
The heating element in a MagikFlame Electric fireplace uses approximately the same amount of electricity as the average space heater.
They operate on a standard 120v household outlet and draw about 1,500 watts at 12.5 amps.
The amount of energy a fireplace uses depends on the amount of time the heat is turned on. Most people use their electric fireplace heater in the colder months only, for several hours a day.
How Much Will an Electric Fireplace Raise My Electric Bill?
Let’s assume electricity costs .12 per kilowatt hour (the average price in the United States). Using the MagikFlame heater on medium-low heat, for ten to twelve hours a day, typically costs less than $25 per month.
Setting the thermostat to the 50 percent usage setting (so the heater powers on and off) can cut electricity use in half. Of course, when you use a MagikFlame fireplace as part of a Zone Heating plan, it’s often possible to reduce your overall energy use enough to offset the monthly expense of the fireplace heater.
How does Zone Heating lower energy bills?
Zone Heating reduces energy use by using less heat in unoccupied rooms and focusing resources on the rooms you use most. While many newer homes have Zone Heating as part of their HVAC system, millions of older homes do not.
Electric fireplaces support Zone Heating by providing supplementary heat in a living room, dining room, or bedroom. The homeowner can then lower the thermostat for the entire home by several degrees to save energy.
According to the Department of Energy, heat and cooling is responsible for up to 48 percent of home energy consumption. Lowering your thermostat 7 to 10 degrees below normal, for 8 hours per day, can produce annual savings of up to 10%.
For an estimate of your potential cost savings when using Zone Heating, use our utility bill cost calculator to estimate electric fireplace heater costs for your local area. Then add up your winter energy bills to see your potential savings from lowering the thermostat throughout the house. Typically, a 1-degree reduction (for 8 hours a day) provides 1-percent savings in energy use. In a cold climate, lowering the thermostat saves hundreds of dollars a year – more than enough to offset the cost of using a MagikFlame electric fireplace heater.
What is the Most Energy Efficient Electric Fireplace?
How efficient are electric fireplaces? Since there is no chimney or flue to let heat escape, electric fireplaces are extremely energy-efficient. We believe MagikFlame electric fireplaces are the most energy-efficient fireplace heaters on the market.
MagikFlame’s electric fireplace inserts have a quartz heater that is nearly 100% efficient.
Quartz heaters use an infrared heating source instead of forced air. This provides faster heat and is able to heat larger spaces than most space heaters.
A MagikFlame infrared electric fireplace stove creates 5200 BTU of warmth and can easily heat rooms up to 1000 square feet. Most space heaters use a forced-air blower and can only effectively heat about 400 square feet.
Contemporary, Energy Efficient Electric Fireplaces at MagikFlame
MagikFlame’s electric living room fireplace instantly adds a luxury touch to your home. Use the remote control to set the sound volume, flames, and heat settings, and set the timer to enjoy a crackling fire that turns off automatically.
Use your smartphone to turn on the fireplace from another room and start the heating element to warm up the living room before you come in.
All MagikFlame electric fireplaces include a high-quality mantel; assembly is simple, and they plug into a standard power outlet. Instantly transform a living room, dining room, or bedroom with MagikFlame’s realistic electric fireplaces and cozy heat.
MagikFlame fireplace inserts let anyone design and build a custom mantel surround; choose stone, tile, or even wood for a stylish fireplace wall.
