Does an Electric Fireplace need a dedicated circuit? 

As more people try to go green with their homes, there has been a significant increase in the popularity and sales of electric fireplaces compared to other kinds of fireplaces on the market. Even better, electric fireplaces enhance the aesthetic of living spaces and come with more advanced features that provide more versatility. 

There is one issue though! Since these units are electrically dependent, it’s important to check whether they need a dedicated circuit to work effectively. Specifically, you have to ask yourself; does an electric fireplace need a dedicated circuit? In other words; should an electric fireplace be on its own circuit? Or is it safe to simply plug the unit into a standard wall outlet? 

Let’s find out! 

What is a dedicated circuit? 

A dedicated circuit refers to an electrical line that connects directly to the fuse/ circuit breaker on your home’s electrical panel. In addition, it only has one receptacle or direct-wired connection. That way, if you flip off the circuit breaker, only this line will be affected. Simply put, a dedicated circuit is an electrical circuit that controls and powers a single appliance like a stovetop, electric fireplace, or TV.

However, this doesn’t mean that a single outlet is necessarily a dedicated circuit. Instead, power outlets in most homes usually connects to a series of outlets that link to each other on the same circuit. As a result, multiple outlets or lights turn off at the same time when you flip most circuit breakers on the electrical panel. 

Similarly, plugging in an electric fireplace to an outlet with nothing else plugged in doesn’t necessarily mean it’s on a dedicated circuit. 

The easiest way to determine whether the outlet is on a dedicated circuit is to turn off the breaker that goes to the electric fireplace outlet. If other outlets turn off at the same time, then you don’t have a dedicated circuit.

Should an electric fireplace be on a dedicated circuit? 

NO! You don’t have to use a dedicated circuit for all electric fireplaces since some units don’t need their own circuit to operate. Nonetheless, there are some electric fireplaces that need a dedicated circuit to operate effectively. For instance, if you’re running a device that requires high-voltage AC or an older appliance that uses 110V/15A or less, you’ll need a dedicated circuit.

With that in mind, most standard electric fireplaces run on a 110V electric circuit and draw about 5 to 10A at approximately 800W of heat, meaning each circuit outlet can handle 4 – 8 units. In that case, you don’t need a dedicated circuit board to power the fireplace since you can simply plug it into a standard electrical outlet. 

However, if your electric fireplace has more than one heating element, it might need its own electrical circuit. Either way, you can plug your electric fireplace into a standard outlet or use a dedicated circuit, but each option has its pros and cons. 

Connecting an electric fireplace to a regular outlet vs using a dedicated circuit 

Plugging your electric fireplace into a regular outlet is the perfect option for models that are primarily used for decoration and lower power models. Therefore, you’ll not need a dedicated electrical circuit for your electric fireplace if that’s the case. Unfortunately, the unit may not supply adequate heat to warm a room. Besides, the maximum amperage of a regular wall outlet is 15, meaning the fireplace may not get adequate power if the circuit is being shared with other electrical appliances. Even worse, the heating elements of the electric fireplace may overheat which may lead to a fire hazard. 

On the other hand, having a dedicated circuit delivers better results by ensuring that the circuit has enough amperage to support the heating needs of the fireplaces. More importantly, it reduces the risk of overloading the electrical system or potentially starting an electrical fire.

After all, an electric fireplace draws more power than most other home appliances, which can easily overload traditional electrical circuits. However, a dedicated circuit ensures that all the wattage goes directly to the fireplace without straining the existing circuits. At the same time, it ensures that the electric fireplace will not be competing with other electrical fireplaces for power, helping you to avoid issues like tripped breakers, blown fuses, and flickering lights. 

Overall, while you don’t have to put an electric fireplace on its own circuit, it’s something you may want to do. Alternatively, look for a lower-powered electric fireplace model or a unit that only provides flame effects. 

Importance of using a dedicated circuit/ line for your electric fireplace 

A regular household circuit supplies 120V of power. However, if you’ve multiple outlets on the same circuit, each power outlet will not have access to the whole 120V of power. Instead, the power will be split between the number of wall outlets on the circuit. 

Interestingly, if you only turn on the flame effect, the electric fireplace will draw very little electricity since all the lights are LED. So, if you intend to use the electric fireplace for decoration purposes only, without the heat, you don’t have to use a dedicated circuit. 

However, if the electric fireplace has a heater, its maximum heat output will be 1500 W on a 120V line or 2500W on a 240V line, which is all the power the circuit can handle. Therefore, if the heating element is at the maximum setting, there will be no power left on the circuit for any other appliances, hence the need to include a dedicated circuit. 

Can an electric fireplace and a TV be on the same circuit? 

Seeing that you don’t necessarily have to connect an electric fireplace to a dedicated circuit, you can use it on the same circuit as the TV. Nonetheless, it’s important to ensure that the TV and the fireplace do not trip each other. You can easily accomplish this by installing a duplex outlet on both ends of the circuit to allow direct connection of both appliances to their outlets. 

How many Amps does an electric fireplace use? 

An electric fireplace uses 12.5A of electricity at 240V, with no wattage limit. In addition, they have a long lifespan and an average of around 20 hours of use before they produce enough heat to warm the living space to a comfortable level. 

Conclusion: do you need a separate/ dedicated circuit for an electric fireplace? 

In general, you don’t need a dedicated circuit for your electric fireplace. Instead, you can easily wire the electric fireplace using the same circuit as a regular power outlet. However, it’s recommended that you use a 15A breaker/ smaller or even a dedicated circuit, if possible to avoid overloading the circuit.