Most people use electric fireplaces during the colder seasons. You may be wondering how much electricity an electric fireplace uses. We’ve researched this topic and found the answer for you.
The typical wattage of an electric fireplace is 1,500 watts(W). Using this wattage, the electrical cost of an electric fireplace ranges from $0.16 to $3.84 daily, $1.12 to $26.88 weekly, $4.80 to $115.20 monthly, and $58.40 to $1,401.60 yearly.
In this article, we will share with you how we got the electricity cost of an electric fireplace. We will also tackle the benefits and drawbacks of having one, plus tips to lessen the electricity cost. Continue reading as we delve into this subject in depth!
What is an Electric Fireplace?
Without using any fossil fuels such as wood or natural gas, an electric fireplace can simulate the behavior of a real fireplace. Typically, an electric fireplace is installed in place of an old, inoperable traditional fireplace.
The electric fireplace's sole heating source is a heating coil that uses a fan to push warm air into the space. Infrared waves are another technology used by some electric fireplaces to heat a room directly.
Because modern fireplaces use supplemental heat and don't release any smoke or dangerous gasses, there is less danger than using conventional fireplaces.
Factors Affecting The Electrical Cost Of Electric Fireplaces
Following are the factors that contribute to the overall cost of operating an electric fireplace:
Electric Fireplace Wattage
The fireplace's manual contains information on the electric fireplace's power consumption in terms of watts. 1,500W is the typical power used by electric fireplaces (750W in lower heating settings).
Click here to see this electric fireplace with 750-1,500 watt mode on Amazon.
Operating Time
Electric fireplaces can be used for as long as desired, provided all manufacturer instructions are followed, and they aren't left unattended. In this post, we will compute the electricity cost per hour, day, week, month, and year.
Electricity Cost
Electricity prices (measured as price per kilowatt-hour, or kWh), vary considerably from state to state. Florida and South Dakota are two states where the cost of power is $0.1006 per kWh, whereas other states have prices of $0.19 or more per kWh (Alaska, Connecticut, Hawaii). We'll use $0.1059 per kWh, the U.S. national average price, for all our computations.
Electricity Consumed By Electric Fireplace
Customers are charged according to how many kilowatt-hours (kWh) of power were used. You can easily figure out how much electricity an electric fireplace uses by using the formula below:
- [Electric Fireplace Wattage(watts) x Operating Time(hours)] / 1,000 = Power Consumption(kWh)
Assuming the wattage is 1,500W, so let's convert to kWh directly.
- Hourly (1h): (1,500 W x 1 h) / 1,000 = 1.5 kWh
Electric Fireplace Electricity Cost
We already have the electricity consumed by the electric fireplace. Also, the electricity cost on average is $0.1059. We can now readily calculate the cost of running the electric fireplace through the formula below:
- (Power Consumption x Electricity Price) = Electric Fireplace Electricity Cost
- 1.5 kWh x $0.1059/kWh = $0.16
You won't typically use an electric fireplace nonstop (24/7). You may just utilize it for a few hours a day on average. As mentioned above, the electricity depends on your usage of the equipment. Below is a chart to show you the electricity costs for different usage:
|
Daily Usage (Hours) |
Electricity Cost of Electric Fireplace ($) |
|||
|
Daily (1 day) |
Weekly (7 days) |
Monthly (30 days) |
Yearly (365 days) |
|
|
1h per day |
$0.16 |
$1.12 | $4.80 |
$58.40 |
|
2h per day |
$0.32 |
$2.24 | $9.60 |
$116.80 |
|
4h per day |
$0.64 |
$4.48 | $19.20 |
$233.60 |
|
6h per day |
$0.96 |
$6.72 | $28.80 |
$350.40 |
|
8h per day |
$1.28 |
$8.96 | $38.40 |
$467.20 |
|
10h per day |
$1.60 |
$11.20 | $48.00 |
$584.00 |
|
12h per day |
$1.92 |
$13.44 | $57.60 |
$700.80 |
|
24h per day |
$3.84 |
$26.88 | $115.20 |
$1,401.60 |
Tips To Reduce the Electricity Cost Of An Electric Fireplace
Let's look at strategies to lower your operating costs, because we all know that it’s not cheap to power an electric fireplace. Here are simple ways to cut costs:
Low-Temperature Setting
Running an electric fireplace at a low-temperature setting can cost as little as half as much as running one at a high-temperature setting. If it's comfortable, think about lowering your heat setting to cut your operating costs since most electric fireplaces offer numerous heat settings.
Utilize The Thermostat
If available, use a thermostat to assist with the regulation of a room's temperature and cut down on energy waste. Several contemporary electric fireplaces have thermostats built right in. Try it out if it's readily available.
Add More Circulation
The heated air in a room can be circulated by turning on an electric fireplace and a ceiling fan in a clockwise manner. An improvement in heat circulation makes electric fireplaces more effective and, consequently, more effective in heating a space.
In case you were wondering, fans use very little electricity; you can view their running costs and wattage here.
Dim or Turn Off the Lights(Flame)
This can help you save money on operating costs, especially if you have an older electric fireplace. Modern electric fireplaces use energy-efficient LEDs for their lights or flame. However, they continue to use electricity.
Consider reducing the electric fireplace's brightness; this function is becoming more prevalent in contemporary electric fireplaces.
Sealing Drafts and Insulating the House
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) claims that by insulating your house and sealing any drafts, you may reduce your heating and cooling costs by 15%.
If you want to use an electric fireplace less frequently or at a lower temperature, think about investing in a window and door draft excluder. In the long run, you'll probably save more money.
Click here to see this draught excluder for doors and windows on Amazon.
Upgrading The Model
In contrast to older models, modern electric fireplaces are more efficient. Additionally, they include a lot of options that might help you operate your appliance better. If you have more control, you can use less electricity and lower your bills as a result.
Reduce Your Usage
Clearly, this will lower your operating costs the most. As you can see from our computation above, reducing usage lowers costs.
To assist with cutting down on use and operating costs, make sure to turn off your electric fireplace before leaving the room and think about putting on an extra layer of clothing. The next piece of advice will be helpful if you are not interested in altering your habits to lower operating expenses.
Change Your Electricity Provider
Utility companies frequently offer large discounts to draw in new consumers. Consider looking around for a better deal. In addition to lowering the expense of operating your electric fireplace, this will also lower the cost of operating all of your other appliances.
Electric Fireplaces: Pros & Cons
The following is a list of pros and cons associated with electric fireplaces:
Pros
No Smoke
Before the invention of electric models, conventional fireplaces and the majority of other heating methods included the risk of smoke and fire. You don't need any cleaning or ventilation if you use an electric fireplace. You can keep the electric fireplace running while you sleep because there is no risk of fire or suffocation.
Energy Efficient
Every year, electric fireplaces become more energy-efficient. The ambient lighting and ambiance of modern models are more effective than ever because of the incorporation of light-emitting diode (LED) technology.
For example, a typical traditional fireplace loses a lot of hot air from the room along with almost 90% of its heat through the chimney. However, the LED technology used in modern electric fireplaces ensures that there is minimal heat loss and low energy use, as ventilation is not required.
Low Maintenance
An electric fireplace doesn't need a chimney and doesn't need to be cleaned up. On the contrary, lighting the fireplace doesn't even demand any effort from you. Simply flick the switch to turn on the heat.
Easy Installation
Ease of installation is one of the best features of an electric fireplace. All you have to do to start enjoying the warmth is plug the fireplace in and turn it on. For a traditional fireplace, you would need to get wood, coal, or gas, then poke the fire, and keep an eye on it at all times so that it can burn.
Cons
Safety Concerns
One of the most obvious risks associated with electric fireplaces is that they sometimes use too much electricity, especially when connected with central heating. This can overload the power cable and cause an explosion if used in conjunction with other appliances.
You should make sure that the cables that run to the electric fireplace are wired separately for safety reasons.
Necessity of Electricity
There is no doubt that an electric fireplace is a very effective heating option, but you can't get around the fact that it requires electricity to function. When it comes to a traditional fireplace, this is something that is never a problem.
As a result, if you have an electric fireplace, dealing with the cold will be your only option if there is a power outage.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, it’s not too difficult to compute the electricity cost of your electric fireplace as long as you know its wattage, usage, and the price of electricity in your area.
Remember that not all electric fireplaces use 1,500 watts of power. So if you want to know the electricity cost of the specific watts for the electric fireplace you have or will purchase, use the formula provided in this post.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can also have a look at some of our other posts for more helpful information.
Does An Electric Fireplace Need A Vent?