What type of fireplace insert should i buy

Keep reading for our recommendations on the best fireplace inserts. The products included in this article are available at various local home improvement stores and online retailers like Amazon. According to the National Association of Home Builders , fireplaces rank among the top three features desired by new homebuyers.

While popular, the open design of traditional fireplaces causes heated air to be lost through large gaps, making them inefficient as heating sources. The solution for many homeowners is a fireplace insert, which is a shelled, efficient room heater that draft-proofs an open fireplace by keeping heat flowing towards the room. To help you find a fireplace insert for your home, the This Old House Reviews team researched the best fireplace inserts on the market.

Here are our top nine recommendations. Width: This wood stove fireplace insert heats up to 1, square feet by burning real wood logs up to 18 inches long. The unit features a durable cast-iron door that gives you a view of the burning logs through its large ceramic glass window.

It also includes a large hearth surround and a spring-loaded automatic adjustment to simplify installation. Width: 43 inches Height: 29 inches standard surround. This model is available in nickel, brushed nickel, and metallic black finishes and comes in either a standard or oversized surround. For where to buy and pricing, visit the Pacific Energy website. Width: 36 inches Height: This affordable electric fireplace has a thin 3.

While offering a colorful and brilliant display, the electric-powered insert is only made to heat rooms up to square feet. Various types can burn wood, coal, natural gas, propane, or wood pellets. When a fire is burning, the fireplace is actually wasting energy and creating drafts as it sucks warmed room air up and out the chimney. And a traditional fireplace does not take full advantage of the fuel it burns. Wood-burning fireplaces only release 5 percent to 10 percent of the warmth they generate into the room.

The rest is lost through the chimney flue. A fireplace insert has its own firebox, which is surrounded by a cast-iron or steel shell. The fire is viewed through a window in the tightly sealed door on the front. As the firebox gets hot, the metal shell contains the heat and circulates it back into the room, often with the help of a blower.

A decorative metal facing seals the fireplace opening around the stove. When purchasing a fireplace insert, look beyond appearance. Be sure to get one that is properly sized for your needs.

VENTING: Fireplace inserts are either vented naturally through a working chimney, direct vented or vent-free, depending on fuel choice. In most cases, a chimney liner is required. The type and size of the liner is specific to the fuel. FEATURES: Fireplace inserts are made from steel or cast iron and may also have optional fans to better distribute heat into a room, as well as wall thermostatic, or remote controls, to help regulate the fire automatically.

But, no matter what the fuel type, all fireplace inserts come in a variety of colors, finishes and designs, from modern to traditional. In addition to assessing the construction of a house, the professional will obtain the necessary building permits and make sure that the installation meets all local and state codes.

He or she will also ensure that the insert is as airtight as possible, using approved fireplace insulating materials, to make the fire easier to control and increase the heat output. In the case of gas, the professional installer will carefully adjust the fireplace to ensure the proper appearance of the flame.

A fireplace insert generally needs to be removed when the appliance is being maintained. But, no matter what type of fireplace insert is selected, the HPBA suggests that the chimney be inspected on an annual basis by a chimney sweep certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America.