November 5, 2020, 4:16 pm | Read time: 8 minutes

Gas Fireplace as an Alternative

Flames flicker between the logs: Visually, a gas fireplace closely resembles a wood-burning one. The big and crucial difference, however, is that the logs are heat-resistant ceramic imitations. The fire consists of gas flames.

Major advantages of a gas fireplace: This fireplace alternative comes in various designs, colors, and shapes. Additionally, it produces almost no fine dust during operation. In terms of heating performance, the environmentally friendly gas fireplace is on par with a conventional fireplace. Unlike the classic fireplace, a gas fireplace can be set up anywhere you want to enjoy romantic fireplace evenings. However, no fuel needs to be stored.

Also interesting: Can stoves and fireplaces be easily installed?

How Does a Gas Fireplace Work?

Ignition in a gas fireplace is similar to a gas stove, done with the push of a button. “A gas fireplace is simple to operate. Many devices now come with a remote control, allowing the fireplace to be conveniently controlled from the couch. For smart home enthusiasts, there is the option to link various devices and control the fireplace from a PC, tablet, or smartphone,” explains Martina Welz from kaminlicht.de, a contact for fireplaces without chimneys, upon inquiry from myHOMEBOOK.

With the push of a button, gas flows from several gas lines placed in sequence into the fireplace. A special fresh air system supplies oxygen. This creates flames that closely resemble those of a wood fire in color. The size of these flames can be easily adjusted with a button. Adding more gas makes the flames larger. With less gas, smaller flames flicker in the gas fireplace.

What Is Needed for a Gas Fireplace?

It is advisable to choose gas fireplaces according to the DIN EN 613 standard (convection room heaters) or DIN EN 509 regulation (decorative gas appliances).

Additionally, for this indoor fireplace alternative, a concentric pipe system that regulates the supply and exhaust air is required. “When purchasing, no special structural conditions need to be considered, as air-exhaust systems can also be retrofitted without a special vent. In case of doubt, simply consult an expert regarding the location,” says Martina Welz.

An advantage is a natural gas connection. If this is not available, gas fireplaces can also be easily connected to external gas bottles. In this case, however, the regulations of the legislator must be observed. In enclosed spaces, only bottles up to 11 kg may be stored.

How Much Does a Gas Fireplace Cost?

Gas fireplaces are available from around 2,000 euros. However, depending on the range of functional extras, the acquisition costs are very product-dependent. There are virtually no upper price limits.

Before deciding on this fireplace alternative, it is advisable to check regional natural gas prices. However, gas fireplaces are certainly suitable for occasional heating.

In addition to maintenance and operating costs, the costs for the chimney sweep must also be considered. “The chimney sweep costs depend on whether the operation is room-air-dependent or room-air-independent (once a year or every two years) and the nominal heat output. Another point would be the effort required to check the exhaust system (easy to difficult). However, these costs are all manageable,” explains Alexis Gula, press spokesperson for the Federal Association of Chimney Sweeps upon inquiry from myHOMEBOOK.

The Expert’s Opinion: “A gas fireplace is environmentally friendly, clean, and practical. The combustion process has been proven to produce low emissions. Coziness without burdening the environment–that’s truly a great fireplace alternative!”

Ethanol Fireplace as an Alternative

From innovative to ornately decorated: The design selection for ethanol fireplaces is vast. However, experts critically assess this chimney-free fireplace alternative. Due to poor-quality devices and application errors, ethanol fireplaces repeatedly cause serious accidents.

How Does an Ethanol Fireplace Work?

An actual fire burns in ethanol fireplaces. However, this is generated entirely without wood or coal. Instead, the alcohol bioethanol burns in this fireplace alternative. Derived from plant materials, bioethanol is available for the fireplace in both liquid form and as a gel. Bioethanol consists of 97 percent alcohol and dissolves almost without residue when burned.

There are several things to consider when lighting an ethanol fireplace. For one, the tank should never be hot. It is also advisable to always fill it completely. Otherwise, a dangerous deflagration may occur.

Note: It may sound trivial, but it should be strictly followed with an ethanol fireplace: Always read the instructions for use!

Related: What to Consider with an Ethanol Fireplace

What Is Needed for an Ethanol Fireplace?

Ethanol fireplaces, like electric fires, do not require approval. However, the expert recommends choosing a device tested according to EU standards:

“Safety comes first and should be more important than price in this case. An ethanol fireplace should meet the DIN standard 4734–1. This standard ensures that the manufacturer has complied with numerous safety regulations regarding design, production, operational safety, and labeling with valuable operating and warning instructions during production. Many newer models even have a test report according to the DIN-EN 16647 introduced in 2016. This guarantees a higher level of safety,” says Martina Welz.

How Much Does an Ethanol Fireplace Cost?

Ethanol fireplaces as table fireplaces are available from 250 euros. Attractive wall fireplaces start at around 600 euros. Those interested in a freestanding fireplace can expect to pay 1,100 euros and up. Only bioethanol is needed for a fire in an ethanol fireplace. High-quality bioethanol costs about 3.30 euros per liter.

An Example Calculation from the Fireplace Expert: “Assuming a consumption of 0.5 liters per hour and an evening with a glass of wine with friends lasting about four hours, a cozy evening in front of the ethanol fireplace costs two bottles of bioethanol at about 6.60 euros. Compared to electric and gas fireplaces, this fireplace alternative is somewhat more expensive.”

The Expert’s Opinion: “No soot, no ash, and no hauling wood: Unlike, for example, an electric fireplace, there is a beautiful real flame here that creates a fireplace feeling. However, an ethanol fireplace does not provide significant warmth.”

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Electric Fire as an Alternative

No real fire, but a romantic fireplace atmosphere from the socket is what you get with an electric fire. This fireplace alternative impresses with a sophisticated yet extremely easy-to-use and comparatively safe technology.

How Does an Electric Fire Work?

Those interested in an electric fire can choose between three technologies:

1. The simplest technology, which is very decorative, is the LED roller technology. This is often used in wall fireplaces.
2. The most popular, because it looks extremely realistic, is the 3D water vapor technology. In this, water is converted into mist. At first glance and from a little distance, it really seems as if it is a steaming fire. But what is steaming here is anything but fire. It is water vapor. This rises from an ultrasonic nebulizer. Orange halogen lamps mounted below provide the optical fire experience. This is further enhanced by mirrors integrated into the back wall.
3. In the Opti Virtual Technology, a two-dimensional flame image is transformed into a three-dimensional image using reflection and refraction. With this technology, even sparks can be simulated.

The electric fire can be conveniently and easily “lit” with the remote control. And with fireplace alternatives that have a heating function, the whole thing feels a bit more like a real fireplace experience. However, not every electric fireplace has a built-in fan heater. In some cases, you may have to do without warmth entirely.

What Is Needed for an Electric Fire?

No additional accessories are needed for an electric fire.

How Much Does an Electric Fire Cost?

• Electric fires are available from around 199 euros. Depending on the technology, manufacturer, and model, the acquisition costs can amount to up to 3,500 euros.
• Depending on the electricity provider, ongoing costs for the flame effect alone range from 1 to 9 cents per hour.
• The costs for models with LED roller technology are less than 1 cent per hour.
• In contrast, models with water vapor technology cost about 5 to 9 cents per hour because more electricity is needed for water vapor generation.
• If you use the heating function in addition to the flame effect, consumption increases depending on the power level. An example: A heating output of 1,000 W (1 kW) costs about 25 cents per hour. At a heating output of 1,500 W (1.5 kW), it would be about 38 cents, and at 2,000 W (2 kW), about 50 cents per hour.

The Expert’s Opinion: “The advantages of an electric fire are clear: safe, no hauling firewood, no soot, and no ash. Also, no elaborate extinguishing is necessary with an electric fire. However, true fireplace lovers will miss the crackling of the wood and the scent of a burning fireplace. The extreme warmth that emanates from a real wood fire is also missing with this fireplace alternative.”