What Are The Pros And Cons Of A Gel Fuel Fireplace?

If you are thinking of adding a fireplace to your living space, one that uses gel fuel might be your best choice. Gel fuel is a clean-burning and easy-to-prep alternative to wood. Gel fuel fireplaces do not require direct ventilation such as a chimney or flue, although they do need a well-ventilated room in general.

Gel fuel fireplaces are increasing in popularity because of their flexible use in multiple living spaces.

The pros of gel fuel fireplaces include no need for direct venting, freestanding location options, use of a clean-burning fuel, real flames, and simple installation. The cons of gel fuel fireplaces include safety use concerns, cost relative to other options, low heating capability, lack of wood-burning charm, and specific extinguishing and disposal techniques.

Safety is goal number one. Be sure to check your owner’s manual to handle your fireplace appropriately and follow all safety directions provided by the manufacturer. For example, be sure to place a freestanding model on even, solid flooring where it cannot tip over and never leave it unattended while in use.

For outdoor units, place away from wind. You control the size of the flame by deciding the number of canisters you place in the fireplace interior, but you cannot add cans while the fireplace is in use. You must wait for all canisters to cool before relighting them or adding an additional gel fuel canister.

Because gel fuel is typically made with isopropyl alcohol, even though it does not emit smoke or particles it still requires adequate room ventilation. In addition, of course, any flame consumes oxygen from the air and requires general ventilation for air circulation.

The purchase cost of a freestanding gel fuel fireplace will probably be less expensive than some other alternatives, especially those requiring installation. Cost of the fuel over time, however, will likely be more than other types of fuel.

Owners of wood-burning fireplaces, for example, may be able to obtain cords of wood at little or not cost from tree trimmings. Natural gas fireplaces are usually inexpensive to run. If you plan to use your fireplace regularly, the cost of gel fuel canisters can add up quickly. You will want to compare your cost savings at purchase with expenditures for fuel based on your anticipated usage. Gel fuel canisters can cost several dollars each, or even more, and you will likely want to use more than one at a time.

A gel fuel fireplace puts out less heat than wood-burning and other types of fireplaces. Even if you burn three cans at once to create your fire, you may still receive only one-half to one-fourth of heat produced by burning wood or natural gas.

However, very little heat in a gel fuel fireplace is lost, as it would be with a chimney, and it generally provides satisfactory heat benefits. A gel fuel fireplace produces heat based on the number of canisters you place in the unit, but there is no way for you to control the size of the fire itself or to add canisters once burning begins.

If you want to extinguish a gel fuel flame before all the fuel is used up, you will need to use heat-resistant, flame-retardant items to work with—as well as, of course, fire-savvy common sense.

To extinguish the flame, carefully drop the canister lid loosely onto the can to smother the flame and cut off its oxygen. Keep in mind that the canister has a significant cooling period and may stay hot for up to an hour after extinguishing the flame. Once they cool down, cans can be resealed and saved for future use or sealed for disposal. When you are ready to dispose of them, be sure to follow all instructions. Several ingredients or additives in the fuel may need to be handled as household hazardous waste materials.

A gel fuel fireplace is a vent-free fireplace that uses a specific type of purchased fuel source. These fireplaces are convenient because they require no direct venting, do not need gas or electrical or wood sources, are easily portable, and require a smaller initial investment than conventional fireplaces. Gel fuel is considered safe to burn both indoors and outdoors and, if handled correctly, is appropriate in locations wherever there is satisfactory air circulation.

The pros and cons of a gel fuel fireplace balance factors such as convenience and location with factors such as ambiance, handling, and fuel cost. Gel fuel fireplaces are increasing in popularity because of their flexible use in multiple conditions. If you would like a fireplace but are not in a situation that allows permanent or difficult installation, a gel fuel fireplace might be the perfect option for you.