Outdoor fireplaces are becoming more and more popular, and it’s easy to see why. They look stunning, and they come with many benefits. However, they can also be quite pricey, so in the end, are outdoor fireplaces worth it?
Outdoor fireplaces are worth it because they add a lot of ambiance and enjoyment to your home. The addition of an outdoor fireplace also raises the value of a home, usually to the point where the additional value recuperates the cost of the fireplace.
It’s safe to say that outdoor fireplaces are worth it, but why exactly is that? Also, there are many different types of outdoor fireplaces, including fire pits. Are all of these outdoor fireplaces worth it in the end?
Are Outdoor Fireplaces Worth It?
Outdoor fireplaces add value to a home and provide you with a cozy outdoor seating area. They provide warmth and light and are generally worth it. However, whether or not something is worth it is ultimately up to you.
It’s always tough to answer the question if something is worth it or not. Ultimately, it comes down to you, but there really aren’t that many drawbacks in the case of outdoor fireplaces. Aside from the fireplace (or fire pit) taking up space, it’s basically all positives from there.
But what are those positives that come with an outdoor fireplace? Let’s take a look at those.
- Outdoor fireplaces are perfect for gatherings. It’s a central piece in your backyard where people can gather around a warm fire. This ensures you can sit comfrotably outside, even when the temperatures are lower.
- Outdoor fireplaces add value to a home. It’s pretty obvious that a fireplace adds aesthetic appeal to any interior or exterior. Over the years, the demand for fireplaces has surged, and both of these factors lead to a considerable increase of a home’s value if it contains a fireplace.
- Outdoor fireplaces keep you warm. During the colder months, sitting outside isn’t that tempting. At least, it isn’t if you don’t have a fireplace. We definitely noticed that ever since we have our outdoors fireplace, we spend nights outside, even during the cold winter nights. And on a sidenote, wood-burning fireplaces give off a scent that repels insects, so don’t be scared to light it during the warm summer nights!
These are just some examples of why an outdoor fireplace is worth it. They simply lift up your entire home, both in aesthetics and home value. The National Association of Real Estate Appraisers has done a study that concluded that a fireplace raises a home’s value by about 6-12%.
The average price of a home in the United States (according to information concluded in January 2021) is $269,039. A 6% increase would mean that the house is worth $16,142 more. It’s safe to say that such an increase will cover the installation costs of your fireplace! And with all the additional benefits, we can confidently say that an outdoor fireplace is worth it!
How Much Heat Do Outdoor Fireplaces Give Off?
Outdoor fireplaces typically give off anywhere between 30.000 and 100.000 BTUs. Depending on how cold the outside air is, it should be enough to heat a seating area around your outdoor fireplace.
To put things into perspective, a standard indoor electric fireplace gives off an average of 5000 BTUs, which is enough to heat a room of 450 square feet. Outdoor fireplaces give off much more heat, but the colder outside air balances that out.
Also, heating a room is much easier as the warm air has nowhere to go. It all stays inside the home. Outside, it’s a different story, as the warm air instantly goes up in the sky.
It’s almost as if the fireplace is constantly reheating a cold room.
Still, with the much higher BTU output, you can comfortably heat up the seating area around your outdoor fireplace. You might need to snuggle up a bit if the temperatures are really low, but in general, any outdoor fireplace is able.
What’s The Average Cost Of An Outdoor Fireplace?
The average price of an outdoor fireplace hovers between $500 and $20.000. That’s a wide range, which is influenced by the size of your fireplace, the type of fireplace, and the materials used. Custom built-in fireplaces are more expensive, balanced out by the cheaper inserts and standalone chimineas.
As seen above, the cost of an outdoor fireplace can vary widely. So, we’ve put together a table showing the prices of all popular types of outdoor fireplaces:
| Type Of Fireplace | Cost Estimation |
| Chiminea | $500 |
| Electric Fireplace | $200-$5000 |
| Propane Fireplace | $200-$5000 |
| Gas Fireplace | $750-$6000 |
| Wood-Burning Fireplace | $1000-$20.000 |
Aside from these standard costs of the fireplaces, you’ll also need to pay for materials and labor hours.
The cost of materials is only applicable if you’re going for a custom-made fireplace, but here are some average prices:
- Stone: $1.500 – $20.000+
- Brick: $1.500 – $20.000+
- Metal: $100+
The total cost of materials really comes down to how large of a fireplace you want to have. There really isn’t a cap on this, and it can even go as high as $100.000. Now, this is mainly for luxury villas. For a typical house, you can expect to reach a maximum cost of about $6000-$8000.
Additionally, your fireplace needs to be installed. How much this costs comes down to the prices in your area. Typically, these costs start at about $1500-$2000 and can increase depending on the size of the project.
And lastly, you’ll need to pay for the fuel. This once again depends on what type of fireplace you have. Gas fireplaces use gas, propane fireplaces use propane, etc.
Luckily, these costs are usually really low. Electric fireplaces cost about $0,21 an hour, so these costs are almost negligible.
Propane tanks cost anywhere between $100 to $500 per year, and gas fireplaces cost about $0,40 an hour. Of course, wood-burning fireplaces run on wood, so you either have to buy logs or collect them yourself.
All in all, the bulk of the cost comes in the form of the fireplace itself. Installation costs can go up depending on the size, and the costs of running these fireplaces are relatively low.
