Pros, Cons of Pellet, Gas Fuel

A look at the pros and cons of gas stoves:

Heating value. Gas stoves, inserts and fireplaces are efficient. They range from the high 70s to the mid-80s in the net amount of usable heat generated from the fuel burned. Compare that with an open, wood-burning fireplace at 10 percent efficiency.

Gas-burning logs, however, are primarily decorative and are not even rated for efficiency. For greatest heat production, Mike Taylor, of Acme Stove, recommends a combination of high BTU output and high efficiency -- whether burning wood, pellets, gas or propane.

Initial investment. Washington-area homeowner Fred Lester replaced a pellet stove with a see-through gas fireplace about three years ago for $3,600, plus $1,400 for installation. Amy Ratcliffe of Burtonsville, Md., who installed a gas insert in her fireplace about six years ago, said she spent a similar amount.

A Jotul stove that heats about 600 square feet costs about $1,300, while a model that heats about 2,000 square feet retails for about $2,100. Inserts start at about $1,700.

Lenah Cox, of American Chimney, said a gas-burning fireplace is "the best value for the money." It doesn't require a chimney and can be vented through a basement or outside wall. False walls can hide the venting pipes, and the apparatus can be configured with a mantel to look like a real fireplace -- at a cost of $6,000 to $10,000, compared with about $25,000 for a masonry chimney.

Looks. Gas flames "don't look fake anymore," said Leslie Wheeler, of the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association in Arlington, Va. They now burn with a people-pleasing yellow flame, at a small sacrifice of efficiency (blue flames indicate an optimal burn with gas).

Gas stoves and inserts and fireplaces also have become more "hip," Cox said, offering traditional, modern and retro looks. Stoves come in cast iron as well as with granite and soapstone panels and enamel finishes.

Operating costs and ease of operation. The Lesters spend about $300 to $350 a winter to spot-heat about 800 square feet, generally only in the evenings. Ratcliffe has a propane furnace, and she hasn't seen much change in her fuel bill since she started using her insert.

Gas and propane prices tend to fluctuate more than prices of pellets and wood because they are tied to the price of oil.

For the most part, natural gas, is the go-to fuel for most homeowners. Sixty-five percent of fireplace inserts that are installed in new homes or renovations burn gas. People like the convenience.

"Whenever it is cold, I just hit the button," Ratcliffe said. Her insert also can be set to run on a thermostat and requires "no" maintenance, she said, although yearly servicing is recommended at a cost of about $200.

Electricity is needed for operation of some gas heaters, but others have a pilot light that is constantly on and do not require electricity to operate.

Pollution. Gas is by far the cleanest of the three fuel options, emitting almost no particulate matter. Unlike pellets and wood, however, natural gas and propane are not renewable resources, and their burning contributes greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.

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