HOW TO UPDATE AND UPGRADE AN EXISTING FIREPLACE
There’s something nostalgic about burning wood in a fireplace. It’s a simple pleasure to be serenaded by the familiar crackling sound of wood burning while taking in woodsy aromas. But making time for it isn’t always so simple. Cutting and stacking wood, building fires, and cleaning up ash are time-consuming propositions that our busy lifestyles don’t always allow. Over time, a masonry-built fireplace can also become dated. Does this sound like your fireplace? We have the answer to upgrade your fireplace, and it doesn’t involve a lengthy or expensive remodeling project. It’s called a fireplace insert.
As the name suggests, a gas fireplace insert fits directly into your existing fireplace, greatly enhancing its performance and beauty. Operated by the flip of a switch or remote control, gas fireplace inserts burn natural gas or liquid propane, so there’s no ash to clean up.
Elevate Your Style
A 15- to 25-year old fireplace is just that – a 15- to 25- year old fireplace. A fireplace insert upgrade will give it a major facelift, and the work can be completed in a day or two.
The best way to help visualize the difference a fireplace insert makes is with “before and after” photos. In the example below, the homeowners upgraded their outdated, brass-framed super-inefficient wood fireplace with a Heat & Glo Grand I35 gas fireplace insert. The insert and updated stonework, which was installed directly over the brick, transformed the room from circa 1975 to 2018 – just like that. What you can’t see here are the energy savings and the added convenience a gas fireplace provides. See all the styles of inserts here.
Before
After
Add Function and Efficiency
Your old wood fireplace is probably less efficient than you might think. Some masonry-built, open fireplaces like the one on the left below can exhaust as much as 24,000 cubic feet of warm air to the outside, while drawing cold air in through the doors and windows of the home. A gas insert will turn that around immediately, making your fireplace up to 85% efficient and your home warmer.
Acquired from: https://www.heatnglo.com/shopping-tools/blog/how-to-update-and-upgrade-an-existing-fireplace
