How Much Propane Does A Fireplace Use?

Posted: October 14, 2019

Have you ever thought about converting your old, no-longer used wood fireplace into an efficient, clean-burning and safe propane fireplace instead?

One question that always comes up is: how much propane would a new propane fireplace use? As a general rule, a propane fireplace uses about one gallon of propane for each 100,000 BTU. So if you install a propane fireplace that is rated 50,000 BTU, you’ll be using about one gallon of propane for every two hours that it’s in use. Think about the expense and work of operating your wood burning fireplace and you may discover that propane is a much better deal.

Why convert your old wood burning fireplace?

If you get started on this now, you could be enjoying your brand new propane fireplace in time for the holiday season. That’s the time of the year when a crackling fireplace becomes something extra special.

Today’s propane hearths are available as freestanding stoves, built-in fireplaces, and sealed fireplace inserts that can be installed directly in your existing mantle. And they give you all the warmth and comfort of a wood fireplace without the drawbacks, and with some great benefits that you just can’t get from a wood-burning hearth.

Whether or not you have an existing fireplace, you can enjoy the benefits of a propane hearth in your home with these advantages.

Convenience: A propane hearth gives you warmth and a beautiful glow whenever you want it. And most of today’s propane hearths come with thermostats. You’ll be able to control the heat and the flame intensity from the comfort of your sofa.

Versatility: A propane fireplace or freestanding stove isn’t just pretty, it’s also a heat source that will keep your space warm even when the power is out.

Efficiency: A propane fireplace runs at around 80 percent efficiency. That makes it four to five times more efficient than a wood fireplace. Read more about this below.

Health impact: You may think that wood smoke smells good, but it’s really not that good for you. Fine particles, also known as fine particulate matter, are the greatest health threat from a wood fire. These microscopic particles can create respiratory problems and other issues. You don’t get these health risks with propane.

Environmental impact: A wood-burning fireplace emits up to 4,000% more emissions than a propane-fueled fireplace!

How efficient is a propane fireplace?

Today’s propane fireplace inserts have efficiencies that can go well into the 80 % range. That’s so much more efficient than a wood fire. As much as 90 percent of the heat produced by a wood-burning fireplace goes straight up the chimney! Did you ever notice how cold a room becomes when a wood fire begins to burn out? It’s because all the heat in the room is being drawn out the chimney!

Fireplace inserts with blowers: If you have an open-concept kitchen-living dining area, or any other large space to heat, the multispeed blowers push warm air to the far corners of a room, providing better and more even heating.

Masonry fireplace refinishing: With a propane fireplace insert, you can update the style of your existing fireplace without a lot of expense.

Once you get your new propane fireplace installed, count on Wilson Oil and Propane to keep you well-supplied so you can always keep your home fires burning.

Read more about all of the benefits of expanding your use of propane.