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What’s the Cost of Wood Vs. Gas

Written by Posted On Saturday, 23 March 2019 16:36

Throughout the world, more people are turning to alternative heating sources as the price of electricity and high maintenance costs on the units continue to increase. However, some homeowners still find themselves at a crossroads as they contend with whether to trust in gas or a wood burning stove as their heating source. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, but it all truly comes down to cost.

Initial Costs of Wood Burning or Gas Stoves

Both wood burning and gas stoves will have an initial cost for purchase and installation. The great news is that both types are approximately the same price in this instance. Initial costs can be from £3000 and up depending on the size of the home and how much you intend on using the unit. A centrally located gas or wood burning stove can heat an entire home efficiently throughout the winter.

Fuel Costs

This is where gas and wood burning stoves seem to part ways. With gas, you will always have to have a supply of gas. If you live in the city, your home will be fixed with a public gas line and fed continually with a monthly bill. Costs for each vary. Should your home be located on the main gas line, expect to pay 4p/kWh. LPG Gas is estimated at 7.5p/kWh and Bottled gas, which tends to be the larger tanks, will cost 14p-32p/kWh. Bottled gas varies greatly depending on supplier used and the demand for their services. These numbers may be a bit difficult to understand, but basically, if you live on the main gas line, gas is inexpensive, but out in the country, where bottled gas and LPG gas are used, costs can increase substantially.

With wood burning stove, the cost of heating is highly dependent upon where you acquire your wood and how much you intend on using the unit. Wood purveyors can be found throughout the area and on average, logs cost anywhere from £60 - £70 per cord of wood. In terms of what wood will cost per week, with average use, a homeowner can expect to pay approximately, £7.50 per week for standard seasoned wood, or £14 per week for kiln dried wood. However, should you own your own land and have the availability to cut and dry wood yourself, the costs are virtually free, apart from labour and the costs of building a good woodshed.

Maintaining the Unit

No matter which type of heating you require, maintenance costs will come with the package. This is another area in which gas and wood stoves are practically the same. Both require an annual inspection and cleaning of the system. With wood burning, the homeowner will have to perform regular cleaning to keep the unit working throughout the year, but sweeping out the old soot is a relatively easy task.

With gas, there is less cleaning between service calls, but more precaution must be taken to ensure the gas remains able to flow such as cleaning the intake valve. A maintenance professional can perform this service annually and account for any possible pinholes that may have developed within the unit. Should you ever smell gas, turn the supply off right away and call a maintenance specialist as a small gas leak can quickly turn into a big problem.

Other Possible Costs

When choosing to install a gas or wood burning stove, you can rest assured that your home will remain warm, but there are added, cost-saving benefits as well. When the power grid goes down for any length of time, alternative heating is essential. If it stays down for more than a few hours and you do not have wood burning or gas available, you will likely have to shoulder the expense of travelling to friends and family’s homes or getting a hotel until power is restored. With wood burning and gas stoves, you can remain in your home, safe, warm, and with more money in your pocket. It is a win-win with both.

Can I Use My Existing Flue?

To cut down on costs for installing a wood burning stove or gas unit, many homeowners choose to utilize their home’s existing flue. This is an excellent idea and will save you substantially on install costs. Wood burning stove inserts are available for most standard fireplaces, but if you intend on using gas, an added expense of running gas lines will have to be accounted for.

Both gas and wood burning stoves have their advantages, but they certainly outmatch electric and other forms of heating in terms of efficiency. The choice is up to the homeowner, but no matter which one is chosen, you will enjoy warm, radiant heating throughout even the coldest of winters. 

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