Which would be more fuel efficient, to run my furnace or my gas fireplace?

Question

To leave the house at 58 degrees and just run the gas fireplace in the room that I'm working in, or keep the gas furnace set at 72 degrees and heat the whole house even though I'm not using most of it?

Answer 1

Depends on how big the house is and how effectively that one room is sectioned off. Probably cheaper to use the fireplace though.

Answer 2

Sounds like you should move to a smaller home if your not using what you have...  

Most fireplaces take warm air from the room as an oxygen source and also allow  warm air out the flue with the natural draft needed for most fireplaces to work...

Answer 3

I would run your furnace. It's better for the ENVIRONMENT.

Answer 4

Leave the Gas furnace on at 72 degrees and heat the whole house,if you can cut the 72 degrees to around 65 degrees even better.

Answer 5

I say try both and READ YOUR GAS METER and decide which uses less gas.

Answer 6

Hard to say.  On the one hand, the fireplace is likely to be less efficient, but on the other, you save by turning down the furnace for the rest of the house.  

Your local utility may have a (free) appraisal service which might help you calculate (or measure) which is better in your case.

Answer 7

They had an episode of Mythbusters a ways back testing the room temperatures of different rooms when a fireplace was burning.  It turned out that the rest of the house actually cooled a few degrees due to the fireplace being on.  

My guess is that the fireplace typically sucks the warm room air out through the chimney, making the rest of the house cooler.  So, I really think you're better off using the furnace.

Answer 8

furnace

Answer 9

You are going to end up freezing all your water pipes and having a big insurance claim.  The furnace will only keep the room with the thermostat at 58 degrees.  If the temperature in that room is higher due to the gas fireplace all other rooms will drop well below 58.  

Plus, gas fireplaces are not nearly as efficient as furnaces for moving air through the house so unless you want to huddle around the fireplace 24/7, you are going to have to turn up the furnace to make the other rooms liveable.

Just use the furnace and set it at 68 and wear a sweater, that is what it is intended for, you will create too many problems just running the gas fireplace.

Answer 10

The issue isn't so much about which source is more fuel efficient, it is more about using the fuel efficiently. If there are parts of your house that are not consistently used, those areas should be shut off. Close or cover the heating vents leading into the room or area and keep the door closed.  It is also important to assess if your home is keeping the bulk of your heat source in or letting it seep out through poorly weatherized windows and doors.  A house that is properly weatherized will automatically assist in using fuel systems properly.  If you choose to use the fireplace it would be incumbent to use the hearth that sends the hot air out into the room, and not up the chimney.  They are specially designed for this purpose and can increase the effectiveness of your fireplace tremendously.

Answer 11

Get a thermostat with a timer. When you are not home, set it to 60 degrees or so.

Have the thermostat turn on about 1/2 hour before you get home from work. The "at home" temperature should be one you are comfortable living in (mine is at 68).

When you are sleeping, have the temperature set to about 60. Have the heater kick on to about 1/2 hour before you wake up to the "at home" temperature 68 or so.

Close all vents in rooms you don't use and shut doors to those rooms.

I live in Michigan, use this method, have some cold rooms, but never have frozen pipes.  The heating bill is quite low.