Bio-ethanol fireplaces are available in a wide variety of formats, from wall-mounted fireplaces to tabletop fireplaces to vent-free inserts. These fireplaces generally consist of a housing for a reservoir of ethanol fuel and a burner that burns the fuel to create a flame.
No electricity is needed, and no natural gas or propane is used. Ethanol is an environmentally-friendly fuel that is made from fermented switchgrass and crop silage that would otherwise have been thrown away.
Unlike many natural gas fireplaces, most ethanol fireplaces do not feature a fan or blower system that will project heat from the fireplace into the space beyond. Like traditional masonry wood burning fireplaces, ethanol fireplaces produce heat that radiates from a central source.
Do Ethanol Fireplaces Produce Heat?
Ethanol fireplaces produce heat, but generally not enough to be the sole heat source in a room. When used outdoors, they produce heat for those immediately surrounding the fireplace, but not much beyond that.
That said, the vast majority of houses built today have a primary heating system, that generally burns natural gas, oil, or propane, to heat the house. Most fireplaces are used purely for aesthetic reasons, or for supplemental heat.
If your goal is to have a warm, cozy fireplace that supplies some heat to those in its presence, but not to have as a primary heat source, then an ethanol fireplace is an excellent option for you.
Most users simply want a pretty heat source that will warm the air around them by a few degrees, as a supplement to a traditional whole-house heating system.
If you wish to have a heat source that could be used as a primary heat source during power outages, for example, you may want to look to a wood stove or natural gas fireplace, as an ethanol fireplace isn’t the ideal choice in these circumstances.