Fireplace Inserts

An insert or fireplace insert refers to a type of appliance that is designed to be installed into an existing masonry fireplace opening. As you may know, an open masonry fireplace insulates well against heat transfer to adjacent walls, but it not efficient at heating a home. A fireplace insert can be a wood or gas appliance, but both will be much more efficient at heating your space. Inserts do not have a heavily insulated outer jacket and rely on the masonry fireplace walls for proper insulation and safety. Inserts utilize a metal flashing or surround to cover the remaining space between the insert and the edges of the fireplace opening. They also rely on flexible flue liners for proper venting up the chimney flue. A prefabricated fireplace is a fully self-contained appliance that is built with the intention of installation into a combustible wall opening. As such, the appliance can be enclosed within a combustible mantel or dimensional lumber framing. Operation is similar to an insert, but the additional outer air layer and metal jacket is what ensures safe operation within a combustible wall. These types of appliances also use rigid vent pipe. For additional elaboration on fireplace inserts, please visit our fireplace insert guide.

If you are using an insert that protrudes out of the firebox slightly, then as long as there is room for the fan you can place one on top and it would work well.

Depending on the superior fireplace model, the blower may need to be installed through an access door located under the hearth refractory panel.  Please refer to your specific model installation manual regarding blower installation.

Many fireplace inserts can be used in a power outage. Please refer to the owner's manual for the specific appliance.

Any noncombustible material will work for the facing material around a fireplace.  Brick, tile, and marble are commonly used items and can often be found at most home improvement or hardware stores.

This requirement varies from model to model.

The weights of our inserts vary quite a bit depending on size and type (woodburning vs. gas).

No, we do not offer a trim, frame or glass doors for this model. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Unfortunately, there are no gas log sets or inserts that may be used with a wood stove. 

You would need to find a qualified installer locally. We recommend using this website. 

You would need to take the prefab out of the wall to remove it.

This depends on the model and your application, including how many other gas appliances are being serviced by your natural gas supply.

Unfortunately, a direct vent gas fireplace insert cannot be installed if the chimney from the existing fireplace has been removed. Your only option will be a full direct vent fireplace, which would then require its own coaxial, double-wall vent pipe. For more information, please see our Gas Fireplace and Stove Buying Guide.

We do not sell, nor are we aware of any such insert. We apologize for the inconvenience.

We apologize, but we do not offer any wood or pellet inserts that are small enough to fit inside your fireplace.

No, we do not.

Yes, most gas fireplaces with an electronic ignition offer a battery back-up such as you describe so that the burner can still ignite in the event of a power outage.

If you are referring to direct vent fireplace inserts, it's because these products differ from direct vent fireplaces which exhaust combustion gases to the outdoors via a coaxial system where the inner exhaust pipe is shielded by the outer intake pipe for the entirety of the vent run with the exhaust and intake positioned inside the special horizontal termination cap in the correct pressure zone needed to provide balanced combustion. Since direct vent inserts use a co-linear pipe system which is only tested and safe for installation where an existing mostly vertical masonry or prefabricated chimney is present, there wouldn't be a way to position the co-linear pipe system in a way to ensure the intake and combustion air would ever be balanced.  

As per code, yes it does.

If this is a see-through wood-burning fireplace, no inserts are currently manufactured for a see-through application and your only option would be a set of see-through gas logs.

The direct vent inserts we carry will all be behind glass and will not function with the glass off. If you would like one with an open face, you will want to look at our vent free inserts.

You will need to measure the front width, rear width, height and depth of your fireplace opening. If you have a masonry fireplace with a taper where it is less deep at the top of the opening than it is at the bottom, you may need to consider the measurements of the insert you are considering.

You should first contact your local building code officials to see if you can install the unit and ask the requirements they may have on that type of installation and the permit required. After you know, you can install that locally.

It is not recommended to do so. The high heat generated in a fireplace insert can warp and damage the casting, as a fireplace insert will not have the dilution air pulled in that an open fireplace will.

As long as your fireplace has the dimensions to house a pellet insert, installation of one should not be a problem. Pellet inserts use a different venting system than gas models. As such, the existing venting will need to be removed and a stainless liner installed for the pellet insert.

Wood burning and gas inserts alike will usually use a decorative metal surround to cover any additional space between the insert and the fireplace opening. The insert would simply be pushed into position, then the liner can be dropped down the chimney flue. Lastly, the surround can be attached.

Unfortunately, the fireplace inserts that we offer do not have an option for an ash pan or tray. Ashes must be raked or swept to the front of the unit and removed using a handheld ash pan.

In most cases, direct vent and some sealed B-vent fireplaces will have metal clasps or screw clasps that will hold the glass in place. Depending on your unit, the clasps may be on the top, bottom, or upper and lower sides. Usually, top and bottom types will only have 2 clasps, which will allow the glass to tilt up or down when opened. Side clasp models typically have 4 clasps that will all need to be opened to allow you to pull the glass straight off when opened.