An older fireplace can be one of the most aesthetic features in a home, yet homeowners rarely use it. It may take too long to get a fire going. Maybe the room never feels much warmer. Or the fireplace no longer fits how the household uses the space.
A fireplace insert offers another option without giving up the fireplace altogether. Smokestacks installs fireplace inserts throughout Grafton, WI, helping homeowners make better use of an existing fireplace if they want added ease of use or convenience.
What Is a Fireplace Insert?
Rather than removing the entire fireplace, an insert is installed within the existing firebox. The original fireplace remains part of the room, but the new appliance becomes the part that’s actually used for fires and heat.
That makes inserts especially useful in homes where the fireplace itself is worth keeping. Older masonry fireplaces are common throughout southeastern Wisconsin, and tearing one out isn’t always necessary just because homeowners want something easier to use or better suited to heating the room.
The existing fireplace still matters, though. Its dimensions, chimney, and overall condition affect which inserts will work.
Wood-Burning Fireplace Inserts
For homeowners who still enjoy building a real fire, a wood-burning insert keeps much of that experience while changing the way the existing fireplace operates.
These inserts are enclosed appliances, with a glass door that lets you see the fire. Wood is still loaded and burned much as it would be in a stove, so there’s no giving up the familiar routine of bringing in firewood and tending a fire.
During a Grafton winter, a wood insert can also make the fireplace a more practical source of supplemental heat rather than something that’s used mostly for atmosphere.
Gas Fireplace Inserts
Not everyone wants to keep hauling wood. A gas insert can make an older fireplace much easier to use, especially for homeowners who like having a fire in the evening but don’t want the work before and after.
With gas, there’s no stack of firewood to keep dry, ash to shovel out after several fires, or waiting for logs to catch. Depending on the home and existing fireplace, the installation may also require changes to the venting and gas service.
That’s why we look at what’s already there before deciding which insert makes sense for the space.
Finding the Right Insert
Fireplace openings vary considerably, especially in older homes. An insert must fit the available firebox while leaving the clearances required for its installation. The chimney and venting system must also be compatible with the appliance.
Appearance matters, too. Inserts come in different sizes and styles, and surrounds finish the area between the appliance and the original fireplace opening.
Smokestacks installs fireplace inserts for homeowners throughout Grafton, WI. Whether you want to keep burning wood or prefer the convenience of gas, we’ll help you find an option that fits your existing fireplace and how you want to use it.
