Keep the fireplace and add an insert, or start over?

What an insert is, and what it isn't

An insert is a self-contained unit that slides into your existing fireplace opening. It brings its own firebox and, on wood and gas models, its own door and connection to the chimney, and a trim panel covers the gap around it. The old fireplace becomes a shell that holds it.

Inserts come in three kinds. A wood insert burns logs behind glass and connects to a stainless liner that runs up the chimney. A gas insert burns natural gas or propane and vents through a pair of liners or a coaxial liner. An electric insert plugs in and needs no venting at all.

What an insert isn't is a repair. It doesn't fix a cracked chimney, a failing crown or a flue that leaks water. Those come first, or the insert inherits them.

It also isn't a way around the chimney's rules. The liner, the clearances and the connection all follow the insert's listing and the maker's installation manual, which is why an insert install starts with a look at the whole chimney.

The firebox and chimney decide first

An existing masonry fireplace may be suitable for an insert after its condition, dimensions, support and clearances are assessed. The chosen appliance determines the required venting or electrical arrangement. An insert does not by itself resolve a damaged flue or concealed structural problem.

Factory-built fireplaces play by other rules. Only inserts listed for use in that specific unit can go in, and many units can't take any. If a factory-built firebox is warped, rusted through or has lost its listed parts, replacing the whole unit may be the safe route.

A masonry fireplace with serious structural damage, like a firebox that's pulling apart or a chimney that needs rebuilding, is the other case where replacing makes more sense than dressing it up with an insert.

Then, how you want to use the heat

Choose a wood insert using its current instructions, available product information and applicable requirements. Heat output and operating characteristics vary by model. A general efficiency or emissions statement should not be treated as approval for a particular fireplace or chimney.

Wood, gas and electric inserts have different operating and installation requirements. Compare the selected models' heat output, approved configuration and maintenance instructions. Product labels and manuals matter more than a general statement about what all newly sold inserts can do.

If the look of the flames matters more than heat, and the fire is lit a handful of times a year, a repaired open fireplace or a gas log set may suit you better than an insert.

Reasons to replace the fireplace instead

Replacing the fireplace entirely is the right call in a few situations. The first is when the existing one can't be made safe at a sensible cost, like a factory-built unit past the end of its listed parts or a masonry firebox that needs rebuilding from the hearth up.

The second is when the fireplace is in the wrong place. If you're remodeling a room and want the fireplace on a different wall, an insert can't move it. A new factory-built unit, a direct-vent gas fireplace or an electric fireplace can go where the room needs it.

The third is when you want something the old opening can't hold, such as a much larger view of the fire or a style the existing surround won't allow.

Insert or new fireplace, compared

The comparison comes down to a few questions, and you can answer most of them from what the inspection finds.

• Is the firebox sound? Yes favors an insert. No favors a repair first, or a new fireplace.
• What existing structure and venting does the selected insert need? Fuel-burning inserts may rely on the chimney, while an electric model has different installation requirements.
• Is it masonry or factory-built? Masonry takes a wide range of inserts. Factory-built takes only listed inserts, if any.
• Do you want heat or mostly the look? Heat favors an insert.
• Is the fireplace where you want it? If not, only a new fireplace can go somewhere else.

What each job involves

An insert project includes assessment and the preparation, support, electrical or venting work required by its exact model. Some installations retain most existing finishes; others need repairs or alterations. Ask the estimate to identify access, protection and the expected schedule rather than assuming every insert is a short, minor job.

A new fireplace takes more. An old factory-built unit comes out along with its chimney pipe, and a new one goes in with the listed chimney its maker specifies. A masonry replacement is a building project. A new gas fireplace needs a vent route and a gas line, which a gas contractor runs. Our quote spells out each part and who handles it.

Should I get a fireplace insert for this fireplace?

The fastest route to a clear answer is a look at the fireplace and chimney together. Our pros check the firebox, the smoke chamber, the flue and the outside of the chimney, read the rating plate on a factory-built unit, and tell you which options fit.

Then you'll see the insert route and the replacement route side by side, each priced in writing, so the decision is yours to make with real numbers. There's no pressure to pick on the day, and our pros are glad to answer follow-up questions while you think it over.

Talk to our install pros

Our pros can assess the existing fireplace and discuss approved, feasible insert or replacement options. Suitability depends on the appliance, venting, structure and installation requirements. Ask for a written estimate for the option supported by that assessment; call (352) 675-6366.