Should you use an electric fireplace and central heat together 

An electric fireplace transforms the atmosphere of any home to create a level of coziness and comfort you can’t achieve with other heating systems. In addition, they allow you to enjoy the crackling sounds of a real fireplace, while helping you stay warm, especially during the winter months. 

However, as comforting and relaxing as electric fireplaces are, most homeowners don’t use them as the primary heat source for their homes. Instead, most people prefer using a central heating system to maintain a cozy home. 

What if you have both an electric fireplace and a central heating system in your home? How do you know which one to use? More importantly, can you use an electric fireplace and central heat together? 

Let’s find out! 

Does an electric fireplace save you money? 

The actual running cost of operating an electric fireplace depends on 3 main factors; operating time, electricity cost locally, and power consumption. 

Typically, electric fireplaces run on 120V, which is about 1500W, and draw 12.5A using a regular power outlet. These basic specifications can help you estimate the average running cost of your electric fireplace. Also, the average electricity charges in the United States show that the electricity cost of running an electric fireplace is around 15 cents an hour. 

With that in mind, if you run your electric fireplace for 6 hrs a day, you’ll spend $0.18 a day or $32.87 a month on electricity. However, if you use the unit for 12 hours a day, the electricity cost will increase to $2.16 a day or $65.64 a month. 

To learn more about the running cost of an electric fireplace, check out this article to determine how much electricity an electric fireplace uses! 

Can you use an electric fireplace and central heat together?

Yes, you can use your central heating system and electric fireplace together. Besides, an electric fireplace is mostly used for ambiance and supplemental heat. Therefore, you should not turn off your central heating system when the electric fireplace is running. Instead, you should leave the central heat running, while enjoying the crackling sound and realistic flame effects of your electric fireplace. 

Here’s why 

• To save energy 

If you shut off your central heating system to use the electric fireplace, you’ll eventually need to turn the central heat back on when leaving the house or going to bed. By that time, most rooms in your house will have cooled down since the electric fireplace cannot heat the entire house. As a result, your HVAC system will have to work much harder and longer to heat those rooms again, using a lot of energy in the process. In addition, this will put a strain on your central heating system, thus reducing its longevity and overall efficiency. 

• Electric fireplaces have limited heat output

Electric fireplaces have a limited heat output, with most models producing enough heat to warm a room of up to 400 sq ft. Unfortunately, this heat isn’t enough to heat an entire house. Also, these units cannot circulate the produced heat throughout the house as is the case with a central heating system. For that, electric fireplaces can only be used to add supplemental heat to the immediate area when it’s extremely cold. 

However, you should leave the central heat on as they have a better heat output than an electric fireplace. Moreover, a central heating system uses ductwork to circulate the heated air throughout the house. 

• For safety reasons 

Like any other space heating appliance, it is not safe to leave your electric fireplace unattended. Although an electric fireplace can be a good source of heat for a short while, usually in small spaces, you should not leave it unattended or running overnight. However, you can leave the central heat on at all times as it’s safer than various types of fireplaces including electric models. 

Conclusion

If you’re planning to enjoy an afternoon sitting by your electric fireplaces, you should use the central heat and fireplace together. That way, the fireplace will add ambiance and extra warmth to the room, while the central heating system will keep the entire house warm. Best of all, using central heat and an electric fireplace together will prevent energy loss, ensure your family’s safety and distribute heat uniformly through the house. As a result, your family will stay warm during the chilly months and reduce the overall cost of heating your home.