Fireplace Planet

Fireplace Inserts

Fireplace Inserts: The Heat Is On 

      When the weather gets cold, many people enjoy the warmth and comfort of sitting around a fire.  Heating a home by fire is also a great way to supplement thermostat heating.  Fireplace inserts give you the heat of a traditional fireplace but in a modern package that’s more effective and convenient.

      Although a traditional fireplace is a good source of heat, it also has some drawbacks.  Traditional fireplaces are simply small wells built into a brick frame.  Because of the open design, the heat of the fireplace is mostly concentrated directly in front of the fire.  That’s not very effective for heating an entire room unless it’s very small.  Another negative aspect is the health concerns.  With an open design, smoke can freely blow into the room.  Wood stoves are a bit more effective but may not fit in with the design and standards of many of today’s homes.  The answer for many open fireplace concerns is to have an insert.

      With an insert you get the heat of a traditional wood-burning fireplace, but it comes in a more convenient design.  An insert is made of a steel firebox and outer shell that fits into a traditional fireplace.  You place wood inside the firebox to burn, and the space between the firebox and outer shell allows air to travel through to warm.  A door to the firebox allows you to safely enclose the fire, but the clear glass faceplate still gives you the ability to enjoy looking at the fiery red flames.  The heating of an insert is much more effective than that of a traditional fireplace.  The purpose of the outer shell is to ensure that more heat is spread throughout the room than is released through the fireplace chimney. 

      The design of these inserts has changed dramatically over the years.  Many inserts are now installed with a full chimney liner that makes them safer and longer-lasting.  Also, many inserts have an electric blower that allows you to spread heat more effectively.  There are inserts for burning wood as well as gas-burning and electric inserts.  Cosmetically there have been many changes to the design of inserts.  Design options include free-standing inserts and so many other style choices.

      Fireplace inserts take the tradition of a fireplace and put it in a modern context.  Now you can heat a room simply by using fire, or you can use a fire to work in conjunction with your home’s thermostat.  You can even create a fire just to enjoy watching it.  Inserts take the natural beauty and heating ability of fire and allow you to safely and effectively bring it into your home.