Gas vs Electric Fireplace Cost Calculator
| Evening hours | Gas season | Electric season | Electric saves |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 h | $90 | $61 | $29 |
| 4 h | $180 | $122 | $58 |
| 6 h | $270 | $184 | $86 |
| 8 h | $360 | $245 | $115 |
Pick a side or compare honestly: enter the gas burner rating and your therm rate, the electric heater watts and your kWh rate, and the calculator prices each flame per hour, per month and across the season.
The honest catch is that this is not a fair fight at equal dollars: a 25,000 BTU gas burner pushes roughly five times the heat of a 1,500-watt electric unit. The calculator shows the price per hour and the heat delivered per hour, because the electric fireplace is often cheaper per hour simply because it delivers less - the flame-light show is pennies, the 1,500-watt heater element is the bill.
How to use
- Burner rating comes off the gas fireplace plate: 20,000 BTU small insert, 25,000-30,000 typical, 40,000 full size.
- Electric fireplaces are nearly all 1.2 to 1.5 kW on heat mode; the flame-only mode runs about 60 watts and is priced separately if you drop the watts.
- Gas price is dollars per therm from the utility bill; electric rate is dollars per kWh.
- Set hours per evening and days per season - 4 hours x 120 days is a common winter flame habit.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper to run, gas or electric fireplace?
At typical rates the electric wins per hour: 1.5 kW at 17 cents is about 26 cents an hour, while a 25,000 BTU burner at $1.50 a therm is about 38 cents. But the gas flame delivers around 16,000 BTU into the room after flue losses versus about 5,100 for the electric - per delivered BTU the gas is roughly half the price, and per evening the electric wins only because it heats less.
How much does the electric fireplace flame cost with heat off?
The flame-and-light show runs about 60 watts - roughly a cent an hour, about 25 cents an evening, under $30 across a daily 120-day season. Almost the entire electric fireplace bill is the 1,440-watt heater element, not the flame.
Does a vented gas fireplace waste heat?
Yes, 25 to 40 percent of the burn goes straight up the flue - you pay for it, the chimney gets it. That is why the calculator shows heat delivered, not just burn rating: a vented 25,000 BTU unit is a roughly 16,000 BTU heater. Ventless units keep nearly all the burn but add water vapor and face code restrictions.
Can an electric fireplace heat a room like gas?
Only a small one. 1,500 watts tops out at 5,118 BTU per hour - fine for a bedroom or a den with the door shut, half a typical living room load. Gas inserts start where electrics end, which is why the honest comparison is 'small room cheap' versus 'whole room warm'.
What about installation cost difference?
The gap dwarfs the fuel math: an electric fireplace needs an outlet, a gas insert needs a line, vent and permit - $1,500 to $4,500 typical. Unless you already have the gas line, the electric wins the ten-year total for casual use, and the calculator prices the operating side so you can layer the install on top.