FAQS

Do all fireplaces use the same amount of gas?

Fireplaces are each designed with different consumers in mind. Some fireplaces are designed for occasional use and provide a gorgeous focal point to a space, others are more modest in appearance and provide a cozy source of supplementary heat to a room. Because each fireplace is unique, gas usage will vary from one model to the next.

Look for the EnerChoice logo to identify which models are best suited for heating applications. This becomes an easy way to know that a model is among the most efficient.

How do I know what the efficiency is?

For fireplaces, the fireplace efficiency rating often appears on a special EnerGuide label  printed in the manufacturer’s product literature. If the model is EnerChoice rated, you can check our EnerChoice Gas Fireplace Database.  Manufacturer websites and the NRCan Gas Fireplace Database are also great sources for efficiency information.

Please be sure you reference the correct efficiency, as it is not unusual for manufacturers to have test their products using multiple efficiency tests.

I see two different efficiency numbers on the product literature. Why is that?

In the market there are different test methods for gas fireplaces. The only rating recognized in Canada is generated by CSA P.4.1 (EnerGuide).

Manufacturers also publish ratings, such as the AFUE or SS, in their brochures because they distribute their gas fireplace products and brochures across North America.  Only some States in the US reference the CSA P.4.1 standard as the efficiency of choice. 

What is the difference between the EnerGuide Fireplace Efficiency (FE) rating and those other ratings?

In the market there are different test methods for gas fireplaces:  EnerGuide Rating in Canada CSA P.4., Steady State (SS)  in the USA, and Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE)  may both be used on product material.

Steady State

The Steady State rating reported in manufacturers’ literature is the efficiency a fireplace can achieve were it placed in the middle of a room, radiating heat from all its surfaces, running continuously and suffering no energy losses.

AFUE

The Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating averages out a unit’s efficiency over an entire heating season, selectively taking into account some energy losses but ignoring others.

CSA P.4.1 (EnerGuide)

The EnerGuide FE rating reports a fireplace’s true energy efficiency by taking into account all its energy losses and by considering its overall performance during an entire heating season, not just on the day of testing.

Comparison of Efficiency Ratings

Why is the EnerGuide Fireplace Efficiency (FE) rating lower than the Steady State or Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) ratings?

All fireplaces are subject to some energy losses. Many of these are similar to losses experienced by several types of heating appliances.  These include; heat escaping up the chimney (stack losses), from the appliance’s hidden surfaces (casing losses). 

Other losses are specific to gas fireplaces. Things such as a pilot light running continuously can account for a significant portion of a fireplace’s annual fuel consumption. The P.4.1 test methodology is specifically designed for testing fireplaces and so includes these unique factors. It is for this reason that EnerGuide FE rating for a particular make and model of fireplace will often be lower than the SS or AFUE ratings, and why it is extremely important to consider the correct efficiency numbers when making a purchase.

How do I get a model registered with NRCan or listed on enerchoice.org?

If you are a manufacturer or distributor of gas fireplaces sold in Canada and you are interested to get a fireplace model listed with NRCan it is best to contact Meghan O’Reilly at energuide@hpbacanada.org.