What Is A Fireplace Insert?

Pennsylvanians love their fireplaces. The snapping and crackling flames and the sweet aroma of maple give your home that warm and cozy feeling. Unfortunately, most of the heat from a traditional fireplace escapes through the chimney. That’s why many homeowners in Pittsburgh typically use their furnace for primary heating. But what if you could convert your fireplace into a more efficient heating system and reduce your reliance on central air? That’s exactly what a fireplace insert does.

Fireplace Vs. Insert: What’s the Difference?

A fireplace insert is a sealed combustion system housed in a fire-resistant metal or iron box that is installed directly into an existing fireplace opening. It’s built-in vent pipe expels exhaust gases through the chimney, typically without requiring any modifications to your existing chimney or fireplace structure.

Unlike a traditional fireplace, which draws heated air from your home and expels it up the chimney, a fireplace insert pulls air from outside, heats it, and then circulates that warm air back into your living space, significantly reducing heat loss. Many inserts also feature an optional blower motor that forces warm air into your home, allowing you to use your central heating system less often.

Powerful Benefits of Installing a Fireplace Insert 

Installing a fireplace insert offers several powerful advantages that make it a worthwhile investment for homeowners:

• Increases Efficiency: The primary benefit of an insert is its ability to radiate significantly more heat into your home, reducing the amount of heat lost through the chimney by as much as 70%.
• Lower Heating Bills: By converting your fireplace into a reliable and efficient heat source, you can reduce your dependence on your furnace, lowering your overall heating costs.
• Reduces Fuel Costs: Wood-burning inserts are designed to help logs burn more slowly and effectively, meaning you’ll use about 30% less fuel, with practically no waste.
• Enhances Safety: Because the fire is contained within the sealed firebox of the insert, there is a lower risk of embers and sparks escaping into your home while still providing a full view of the spectacular fire-burning experience.
• Stylish Fireplace Upgrade: An insert gives your masonry fireplace an instant makeover without the cost of repairs and rebuilding.

Types of Inserts:

Advance Chimney offers two types of fireplace inserts: wood and gas.

Wood-burning Inserts

If you love the traditional feel of a wood fire, a wood-burning insert allows you to maintain that experience while improving your fireplace’s efficiency. These inserts burn slower and hotter, providing a more consistent and lasting warmth with less waste and pollution.

Gas-burning Inserts

Gas-burning Inserts: These inserts offer the convenience of instant heat with the flip of a switch and produce no ash, making cleaning and maintenance a breeze. You can enjoy the impressive warmth of a fire-burning experience without the chore of frequent cleaning.

Direct-vent

These are the safest and most common type of gas insert, drawing combustion air from outside and venting exhaust fumes directly up the chimney, completely separate from your home’s air supply.

Ventless

While highly efficient because they release all the heat into the room, ventless gas inserts require caution as they release combustion byproducts and moisture into your home. However, they are equipped with oxygen sensors for safety, which automatically shut off the unit if oxygen levels become too low. It’s important to check local ordinances and HOAs before installing a ventless gas insert in your fireplace.

Where to Buy a Fireplace Insert in Pittsburgh PA/North Central WV

As the most trusted chimney company from western Pennsylvania to north-central West Virginia, Advanced Chimney Sweeps provides homeowners with a wide selection of top-performing gas and wood-burning fireplace inserts for primary or supplementary heating. We proudly serve the Greater Pittsburgh area, including Saxonburg, Glenshaw, Point Marion, and Monongalia County, WV. For all your fireplace, insert, and gas log needs, contact us to schedule an appointment today!