The Buyer’s Guide To Fireplace Inserts
Fireplaces are among the most wanted amenities of homeowners. They bring comfort, warmth, and look absolutely stunning inside of your home. Almost every family can picture themselves snuggled up in front of their fireplace on a snowy, winter evening. The only problem is, traditional fireplaces are a lot to maintain and can be pretty inefficient. Luckily, there is an energy-efficient, easily maintained option to replace your traditional fireplace; fireplace inserts!
Follow along as the professional fireplace design and installation team at The Stove Shoppe go into detail about the fireplace insert options available for homeowners!
The Benefits
Traditional fireplaces are inefficient in heating rooms; as much as 80% of the heat produced escapes through the flute. Fireplace inserts are placed in your existing fireplace to increase heat efficiency. Fireplace inserts offer drastically better heating efficiency; they are designed to reduce fuel used while maximizing the heat that radiates the room. They allow homeowners to continue enjoying the warmth and look of their fireplaces while actually retaining the heat inside.
Types of Inserts
Fireplace inserts are categorized by the type of fuel they burn; wood burning, pellet, natural gas, propane gas, or electric.
Gas Inserts
If your fireplace insert goals are heat and efficiency, gas is the way to go. It offers absolutely no mess or ash to clean up; it is better for the environment, does not disturb the air quality of your home, and does not require extra purchases like wood or pellets. They do require a new or existing gas line, and your gas bill will increase.
Wood Inserts
Wood inserts do not offer as much heat efficiency as gas or electric, but for those with easy access to firewood, it can pay for itself. It provides a source of warmth and a look that you cannot replicate with anything other than burning wood if you are into aesthetics.
Electric Inserts
If your insert goal is to heat a larger space, electric fireplace inserts do the trick. They can heat up to 400 square feet of living space! Many electric inserts cost less than other fuel sources, but you will need to add an electrical outlet near or within your existing fireplace.
Pellet Stove Inserts
Pellet stoves are a highly efficient use of fuel and produce good heat. The pellets are fed to the fire by an automated auger that pulls pellets out of a hopper above. They do require electricity to run, but most come with a backup battery in case of a power outage. There is very little ash produced while burning, and they are remote-operated! Good pellets can be expensive and hard to find, and you go through them quickly.
Contact The Stove Shoppe
The Stove Shoppe has a team of fireplace insert design and installation experts. If you hope to get more heat efficiency out of your traditional fireplace, inserts are an incredible investment. For more information or to check out our extensive selection of fireplace inserts available, be sure to give us a call today or fill out our online contact form!