What Are Fireplace Inserts?

If you want the traditional look and feel of a fireplace without the hassle and maintenance, consider installing a fireplace insert in Ramsey. These upgrades allow you to enjoy the warmth and ambiance of a fire, but they don’t require extensive cleaning. Also, fireplace inserts lose less heat than traditional fireplaces, so they are more efficient at actually keeping your home warm during the winter months. Read on for an overview of fireplace inserts.

Fireplace Basics

All traditional wood burning fireplaces vent out of a chimney to prevent dangerous smoke buildup inside the home. However, as smoke escapes out the chimney, so does heat. Depending on the design of the flue and the temperature outside, more than half of the heat generated by a wood-burning fire in a traditional hearth may simply go up your chimney with the smoke. A fireplace insert is designed to prevent this. When installed in your hearth, the fireproof box helps minimize heat loss—some models even include vents to blow heat back into the room.

Wood Burning Inserts

A wood-burning fireplace insert boosts the efficiency of your existing fireplace. The firebox will absorb less of the heat that the current hearth materials, allowing more of it to radiate out into the room. Also, the insert should be airtight, which will keep smoke out of your living area. The fire glass at the front allows you to still see the fire, so you still get to enjoy the aesthetic benefits of a beautiful roaring blaze. You will still need to keep your fireplace accessories, such as the brush and pokers, to tend to the fire.

Gas Inserts

Gas fireplace inserts offer more convenience than wood-burning inserts. Since there is no smoke, there will be no creosote buildup in your chimney. Many models come with remotes, so you can turn the fire on and off and even adjust the heat without using fireplace tools. However, installing gas fireplaces will be a bit more expensive and time-consuming since you need to have a gas line routed to the hearth.