How long will it take to install my fireplace?
Who should install my new fireplace?
How much does it cost to install a fireplace insert?
about $2,000 to $4,000How much does a fireplace insert cost? Most fireplace inserts and a professional installation cost about $2,000 to $4,000, depending on the state of your existing chimney and the model you select. Some electric models cost significantly less, but they offer less heat output than wood and gas fireplace inserts.
Is it hard to replace a fireplace insert?
Yes, fireplace inserts can be replaced by simply swapping out the old insert and installing a new model. It's best to have help when performing this project, however, as it can be fairly laborious. Here are the steps to replace your fireplace insert: Turn off the electricity and gas.
Can you install a fireplace insert yourself?
You can install an electric fireplace insert inside your existing fireplace yourself if you have some basic carpentry knowledge and already have an electrical outlet inside your fireplace.
Does a fireplace insert add value to your home?
A typical gas fireplace insert costs $2,300 to $10,000 depending on the style and installation costs. The majority of real estate agents believe indoor or outdoor fireplaces add $1,000 to $5,000 to the resale value of your home.
How often should you replace your fireplace insert?
Like all technologies, fireplace inserts do improve over time. If your insert is more than 20 years old, you stand to benefit from upgrading your outdated insert.
How long does a fireplace insert last?
Also, the units do wear out, though a 10-year lifespan is a reasonable expectation. According to one leading manufacturer, around 80 percent of stoves and wood-burning fireplace inserts are noncatalytic.
Which is better fireplace insert or wood stove?
If you want to maximize the heating efficiency of an existing fireplace, then an insert is the best option. But if you want to heat a home or room that doesn't have a fireplace, then a free-standing wood stove is an excellent choice.
How do you hide the cords on an electric fireplace insert?
How to Hide Wires From an Electric FireplaceRun the fireplace electric wires under the carpet edge between the back of the fireplace and the wall outlet. ... Use cord raceways to hide the fireplace wires. ... Surround the electric fireplace with large pieces of furniture such as bookshelves.More items...
How hard is it to install a wood-burning fireplace?
Modern fireplaces – both wood-burning and gas-fueled – are much easier to install than building a traditional masonry unit. Fireplace inserts are even easier, because they're pre-built from the factory and require only an opening to fit in to.
How much does a wood fireplace increase insurance?
A woodburning stove or fireplace can increase your home insurance premium by about 10% or $100 a year depending on which insurance provider you're with. You can choose to keep it a bit lower by having a higher deductible and making sure you are not paying for features you don't need.
What type of fireplace adds the most value?
WOOD BURNING FIREPLACE However, your house needs to have a chimney, and wood fireplaces require a lot of maintenance. Aside from the obvious benefits and drawbacks, wood or gas fireplaces add 50% to 75% of an increase in home value while an electric fireplace adds minimal value.
Do people still want fireplaces?
Today, fireplaces are more considered to be a “luxury” addition to homes that can increase overall value. In fact, a survey by the National Association of Realtors found that just under half of all home buyers would be willing to pay significantly more for a home with at least one fireplace.
How do I remove an old fireplace insert?
Start by shutting off the gas to your home at the main valve so there's no chance of a leak. Take a crowbar and remove the trim around the insert. When you can access the gas line, remove it as well. Then, carefully wiggle the insert out of the fireplace and remove it.
Can you put a wood-burning insert in an existing fireplace?
You can only fit a wood burner in your fireplace if it has a class 1 chimney. If you had an open solid fuel fire previously, this should be the case anyway! If you are replacing a gas fire, check to make sure it isn't a class 2 or pre-cast flue, as these won't be suitable for a stove.
Can I put a fireplace insert into an existing fireplace?
Built-in inserts can be installed into a wall or pre-existing fireplace. From there, they can be either plugged into an existing outlet or hard-wired into an electrical grid.
How easy is it to change a fireplace surround?
If you have a more modern fireplace, such as a gas fire or electric fireplace rather than a period open fire, then removing an old fireplace surround shouldn't be too difficult. However, it does require a little DIY skill to ensure you don't make too much mess of your wall.
What license is needed to sell and install fireplaces?
One would think that a furnace repairman had never come across an ODS pilot assembly, and know it's important duty. They would have never been exposed to the importance of log placement in direct vent and vent free gas fireplaces.
How to Install a Gas Fireplace Insert - This Old House
The 5 Best Electric Fireplaces (2022 Review) Whether you want to heat your space or create a cozy atmosphere, an electric fireplace is an affordable and low-maintenance option. In this review, the This Old House Reviews Team researched the five best electric fireplaces on Amazon to help you find the one that’s right for you.
How long will it take to install my fireplace?
However, you can expect the installation of a vented gas fireplace insert to take a minimum of two days, while simpler vent-free or electric fireplaces and inserts will likely take less time to install.
Who should install my new fireplace?
Just to be clear, we'll say it again: We recommend that you hire a certified professional to install your fireplace. It's a safety issue, people, let's not mess around.
What is the ID of a prefab fireplace?
Fireplaces with round metal flues – usually from 8” to 11” ID – are prefab fireplaces. Installing an Insert into a Prefab Fireplace. If you have determined that your fireplace is prefab, your options are quite limited.
How to tell if a fireplace is a prefab?
Don’t let the appearance of the fireplace front fool you – in some cases the only way to identify a prefab metal fireplace is to look up the flue from below. Fireplaces with round metal flues – usually from 8” to 11” ID – are prefab fireplaces.
How big is a fireplace flue?
Current NFPA codes require that the area (in square inches) of the fireplace flue cannot be more than 3x the area of the appliance (stove) flue of the interior chimney and 2x the area of the exterior chimney. Let’s look at the most common fireplace flue sizes:
How to tell if a fireplace is a metal fireplace?
Don’t let the appearance of the fireplace front fool you – in some cases the only way to identify a prefab metal fireplace is to look up the flue from below. Fireplaces with round metal flues – usually from 8” to 11” ID – are prefab fireplaces.
What is a 100% masonry fireplace?
1. 100% masonry site-built fireplaces – these are usually constructed by a mason on-site using a combination of concrete block, brick, firebrick and clay flue tiles. Your masonry fireplace is probably lined with clay flue tile – an orange, red or yellow terra-cotta material.
How to choose a fireplace model?
Before choosing a model, take stock of your existing fireplace. You’ll want to measure a number of dimensions as well as take note of the age, surrounding materials, hearth and other factors which may enter into your purchasing decision. Some of these are as follows:
Can you use an open fireplace insert?
Open fireplaces generally produce very little heat – and also pull air which you already paid to heat up the flue. A wood burning fireplace insert can solve the problem of low efficiency, as well as provide longer burn times and greater safety…..BUT it must be planned and installed correctly.
How Do I Size a Gas Fireplace Insert?
If you have decided that you want to invest in a fireplace insert for your home, you will need to determine what size insert you need before you start looking at designs and styles.
How Do Gas Fireplace Inserts Work?
Fireplace inserts help to reduce the inefficiencies of fireplaces by containing heat within its shell. The insert has its own firebox that fits within your fireplace, and the fire can be viewed through a window within the insert’s door. As the insert’s firebox heats up, the metal shell contains the heat and circulates it back into the room. Many fireplace inserts even have a blower that helps to push hot air back into a room through the insert’s front vents. The insert’s design then helps to cut down on wasted energy by helping to contain the fire’s heat and direct it where it is meant to go, which is into your home. Fireplace inserts come in a variety of designs and styles, and they can be powered by a variety of fuel sources including electricity, gas, propane, wood, pellets, or coal, depending on the type that you choose.
Why invest in a fireplace insert?
If you rely on your home’s fireplace as a source of heat for your home’s living spaces, then you may want to consider investing in a fireplace insert in order to boost the efficiency of your fireplace and to ensure ...
How many BTUs per hour for a fireplace?
Next, you will need to decide the heat output that you will want your insert to produce, as fireplace inserts are designed to produce between 30,000 and 85,000 BTUs per hour or more. Ultimately, how powerful a fireplace insert you will need will depend on a variety of factors including the size of the space that you plan on heating.
What fuel do fireplace inserts use?
Fireplace inserts come in a variety of designs and styles, and they can be powered by a variety of fuel sources including electricity, gas, propane, wood, pellets, or coal , depending on the type that you choose.
Do you need a flue liner for a fireplace insert?
Before the fireplace insert can be installed, your chimney will need to be cleaned, inspected, and lined with a flue liner that will be connected to the fireplace insert. Then, depending on the type of insert you purchased, the fireplace insert may need to be connected to your home’s electricity or your gas line.
Is a fireplace insert expensive?
If you think a fireplace insert could be a good option for your home, you may find yourself asking whether they are expensive. Like many appliances you will invest in for your home, the cost of a fireplace insert will vary quite drastically depending on a variety of factors including its size, features, and fuel source.
How Much Do Fireplace Inserts Cost?
Wood burning inserts and gas fireplace inserts typically cost around $2,000 with costs ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 on average. Electric fireplace inserts can range from a few hundred dollars to $2,000+ but expect to pay around $1,000.
What Is A Fireplace Insert?
A fireplace insert is a form of fireplace that can be inserted into the opening of an existing masonry fireplace to improve the functionality, heat output and aesthetics of that fireplace. A fireplace insert can be removed in the same way it was installed.
Are Fireplace Inserts More Efficient?
Fireplace inserts are typically far more efficient than the open fireplace they are replacing. Traditional masonry wood burning fireplaces are typically very inefficient sources of heat and modern inserts need to be efficient in order to meet more stringent emissions regulations.
Can You Use A Fireplace Insert Without A Fireplace?
Fireplace inserts cannot be used without an approved masonry fireplace in which to use it in. An approved masonry fireplace can be installed within in a home at a high cost to accommodate a form of insert, but better choices for fireplaces are available when an existing open fireplace is not available.
Does A Fireplace Insert Need A Chimney Liner?
Wood burning fireplace inserts will typically require the installation and use of a chimney liner in order for the insert to work as effectively, safely and efficient as designed. The size of chimney liner will be determined by the requirements of the particular wood burning insert.
Do Fireplace Inserts Need Electricity?
Wood burning and gas inserts won’t typically require electricity in order to function but many models, particularly for wood burning inserts, will have blowers that will require an electrical supply. Electric inserts will always require a source of electricity.
Are Fireplace Inserts Worth It?
Fireplace inserts can be worth it when used over a long period of time. Although the initial cost of purchase and installation of an insert and any required accessories such as flue liners can be high, a fireplace insert can help to increase heat output and reduce heating and fuel costs over time.
How long have wood fireplace inserts been around?
Wood fireplace inserts have been around for more than 100 years, and their appeal is obvious. With a wood insert, you can get more heat without replacing the whole fireplace and chimney. However, with all their features and benefits, there is an installation requirement that not every homeowner is aware of. Wood-burning fireplace inserts need their ...
What are the different types of fireplace inserts?
There are 3 Types of Fireplace Inserts: Wood. Gas. Electric. 1. Wood-Burning Fireplace Inserts. Wood burning fireplace inserts give much more heat and enjoyment than a conventional masonry fireplace. If you plan on continuing to burn wood fire fires, and you wish for more heat, this is a good choice. Wood fireplace inserts have been ...
What is direct vent gas fireplace?
Direct Vent Gas Inserts are a popular choice for fireplaces with a gas supply installed or available. Burning a gas insert fireplace that is direct vented, performs well without using inside air for combustion. In other words, both the air for combustion and the exhaust vent outside.
How many vents does a direct vent fireplace have?
Direct Vent appliances utilize outside air and exhaust fumes to the outdoors. It is for this reason Direct Vent Fireplace Inserts have two vents. One vent draws in air and the other exhausts it outside. All Direct Vent units have this feature.
What happens if you use a fireplace liner?
If the original fireplace liner was used (assuming it’s in good shape) the exhaust would move very slowly and cause excessive creosote build-up.
What is a connector and chimney system?
A connector and chimney system, designed specifically with the wood burning insert in mind is a necessary addition to a wood burning stove inserted into a fireplace.
How to prevent chimney fires?
Creosote build-up through a wood burning inserts chimney is the number one cause of chimney fires. There are a few ways to minimize chimney fires with wood inserts: 1 A properly installed wood insert fireplace and chimney liner system 2 Burning good firewood 3 Regular chimney sweeping maintenance 4 Annual Chimney Inspections
Fireplace Installation Frequently Asked Questions
Over our years of experience, we have found that many homeowners have similar questions. Below are the answers to the most common questions about fireplaces and fireplace installation.
Common fireplace installation questions
Most All Pro Chimney Service customers opt for one of the following types of fireplaces:
How long will it take to install my fireplace?
However, you can expect the installation of a vented gas fireplace insert to take a minimum of two days, while simpler vent-free or electric fireplaces and inserts will likely take less time to install.
Who should install my new fireplace?
Just to be clear, we'll say it again: We recommend that you hire a certified professional to install your fireplace. It's a safety issue, people, let's not mess around.
