If you are considering heat for your home or are looking for ways to save on heating costs, this question has no doubt come up, likely more than once. It is an ongoing debate for home owners and a very valid question.
What are the benefits of each and why should you consider both?
Fireplace: If you already have a fireplace in your home or had one as a child, it no doubt has a nostalgic value to you. This is a big reason many people stick with fireplaces. Another reason is that wood is easy to get, and you get the experience of cutting the wood, starting a fire and sitting around it in the evening with a hot drink and watching the television. It is also relatively inexpensive.
There are some negatives however. Fireplaces cause a lot of pollution. Just look at the chimney when you’re burning your fire. They are also rather inefficient, as much of the heat is lost through the flue. You also have to keep putting wood in, and if you forget, you end up cold.
With heat pumps, you switch them on, don’t worry and they heat your home at a constant temperature. You don’t need to run outside in the cold to get more wood. They also cost less to run than a fire place and are more efficient at heating. And they won’t leave you cold in the night, unlike a fire which can go out.
Don’t get us wrong, we like fireplaces as much as anyone, but heat pumps are the more efficient and cost effective of the two options.
