Updating your fireplace can rekindle the look of a room

By Roxanne Washington

A fireplace insert is one way to spruce up the look of an old fireplace and increase its energy efficiency. This Vesta award-winning fireplace insert, starting at about $2,000, is manufactured by Napoleon Quality Fireplaces. The insert is designed to fit the smallest openings but still offer a 400-square-inch ceramic-glass viewing area. Refacing the fireplace surround with natural or manufactured stone is another way give a fireplace a new spark.

Like anything else built into the structure of a home, a fireplace can become dull-looking and outdated over time, particularly when it’s in a room with modern decor.

There are lots of ways to bring new life to a fireplace that has become an eyesore or you’re just plain bored with. And now is a good time to do it.
“For homeowners who may have missed out on updating their fireplace in the fall, late winter is a great time to take advantage of sales on overstocked hearth accessories before the warmer seasons arrive,” says Jess Baldwin, vice president of marketing, merchandising and product development for Monessen Hearth Systems, a hearth-products supplier that also sells Majestic and Vermont Castings brands.

Options can mean investing several hundred to several thousand dollars in the project.

Inserts are the priciest way to rejuvenate a fireplace, but they’re also the most energy efficient, particularly when converting a wood-burning fireplace to gas.

“Homeowners looking to update their fireplace and add a cozy ambience to their home can do so with the installation of a fireplace insert — which can fit in a pre-existing fireplace,” Baldwin says. “Besides the aesthetic appeal, fireplace inserts can result in increased heat output, reduced emissions and improved efficiency.”

Some people love the crackle and ambience of wood. Hauling wood and cleaning up ashes — that’s all part of the wood-burner experience. But for others, not so much, and that’s where inserts come in.

“A lot of people don’t want to burn wood anymore,” says John Malarney of Patio, Deck & Hearth Shop in Newbury. Says Matt Patterson of Country Stove Patio & Spa in North Royalton, “We’ve sold a lot of gas inserts and vent-free gas logs lately.”

An insert is a fireproof box that’s surrounded by steel or cast iron and fronted by insulated glass, creating a closed combustion system that helps trap heat. You can continue using natural wood with some inserts, and the wood will burn more efficiently because of the heat containment. But most inserts are for gas.

Some inserts are equipped with a blower that forces hot air into the room through front vents, making the fireplace more efficient, Malarney adds.
Gas fireplace inserts don’t require electrical power, unless they’re equipped with a fan or blower. Some models come with remote controls and can even run on wall thermostats. However, these models are pricier than nonremote units.

Inserts come in a wide variety of styles and materials, including rustic renditions that mimic old wood stoves; modern, streamlined styles in textured black or brushed chrome; and stainless steel. Arches are another design option.
Logs for gas inserts are made of ceramic or ceramic fiber. Placed over a burner, they offer the look of a traditional flame. Vented logs send some heat up the chimney, but they don’t release as much exhaust as real wood. Vent-free logs emit no exhaust and don’t require a flue.

There are hundreds of options when it comes to new fireplace doors, and if you still don’t like what you see, or your choice doesn’t fit the dimensions of your fireplace, doors can be custom-made.

This is the Monessen Vintage Iron Nantucket arch-front fireplace door for LX32-model direct-vent gas fireplaces, which do not require a chimney.
“With glass doors, the sky is the limit,” says Patterson. “Doors can dramatically change the look of a fireplace, and there are doors to fit anybody’s taste.”

“Most purchases here are doors,” says Malarney. “They can start at a low price point of $399 to $3,000 for custom, depending on the size.”
Materials range from wrought iron to aluminum to solid brass and less-expensive materials, depending on your taste and budget, he adds.

Experts note that fireplace doors are also a safety feature. Doors keep small children and pets out of the fireplace. They also keep sparks and ashes within the fireplace and prevent pests that enter your chimney from getting into your home.

to be continued

from cleveland.com