Have you been considering updating the look of your prefabricated fireplace? An economical and simple way to both change the look of your hearth, a fireplace insert can be a great choice. Winston’s Chimney Service can install any type of insert that has been designed to fit into a prefabricated fireplace, and our qualified staff is ready to help you decide which type is right for your home and then choose which style of insert you want to install. From traditional to contemporary, you will be pleasantly surprised to see the variety of looks from which you can choose.
Each type of insert has its own advantages, and here are a few examples of these advantages for each type of fuel-burner:
Wood-Burning Inserts
Like a wood stove without legs, a wood-burning insert is energy-efficient, with an efficiency rating of 60 to 80% on models certified by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). And, they use real logs to heat areas between 1,500 to 3,000 square feet for several hours before needing to reload. A certified Winston’s Chimney Service technician will install the firebox of your wood-burning insert into your existing prefabricated fireplace, and then snake a durable, long-lasting stainless steel liner down your chimney and fit the decorative flange of your choice, made from porcelain, cast-iron, or steel around the insert. Our technician will be sure to cover the steel sides and to properly fit the insert without any gaps.
Pellet Inserts
The ultimate in environmentally-friendly heating, pellet inserts are among the cleanest-burning home heating appliances because they burn waste products like pellets made from sawdust, corn, or even dried cherries. With an efficiency rating of 50 to 80% and an ability to heat areas from 1,000 to 2,500 square feet (depending on the size of the fuel hopper and its heat-generating capacity), a pellet insert is an economical and energy-efficient choice to heat your house. Installed exactly like a wood-burning insert, this prefabricated convection heater is operated by pouring in those pellets made from sawdust and other inexpensive, renewable substances. You then just push a button or set the thermostat, and let the heater do the rest.
Gas Inserts
The star of the fireplace inserts, gas fireplace inserts are the easiest to use and require very little maintenance. With an efficiency rating of 58 to 85%, little pollution, no ash, smoke, or creosote, and zoned heating that allows reduced overall fuel consumption, these inserts are recommended by the EPA to convert your wood-burning fireplace into a cleaner burning heat source. Operating on propane or natural gas, you flip a switch or push a button on a remote control and have instant, controllable fire dancing over realistic-looking logs, modern decorative glass chips, or stone behind glass doors.
Contact our knowledgeable staff at Winston’s Chimney Service to talk with us about fireplace inserts to find the best ones designed to fit into your prefabricated fireplace to update its look.
