What is a Fireplace Changeout and How Can it Benefit Your Historic Home?

Fireplaces are not a new invention; they have been around for thousands of years, installed in historic homes and today’s modern abodes. Fireplaces have always been the heart of a home, with families gathering around them to celebrate and to mourn while providing warmth and comfort. It’s easy to understand why fireplaces persist. Maybe your home is over one hundred years old, and you aren’t getting the best performance from your fireplace. Perhaps it’s time for a fireplace changeout. What is a fireplace changeout and how can it benefit your historic home? Keep reading to find out more.

Change Out Your Old Fireplace for an Efficient Fireplace Insert

Historic homeowners who crave both charm and convenience often find the answer in a simple fireplace upgrade by employing a fireplace insert. Keep the old brick and mantel; add the latest in inserts thus preserving the feel of your historic home. Replace a drafty open hearth with a gas or electric fireplace insert. These inserts deliver steady heat with far less waste than wood fires ever could.

Convenience

Upgrading to a fireplace insert does not compromise the fireplace’s appearance. Manufacturers offer a number of styles to complement older homes. Gas fireplace inserts feature realistic logs or stones that mimic a wood fire, providing warmth and ambiance without smoke, soot, or the need to chop wood. Electric models offer instant heat with a switch or remote. Select frames and finishes that coordinate with your existing decor.

Lower Power Bills

If you own a historic home, you often face high heating bills in winter. Traditional fireplaces are inefficient, losing eighty to ninety percent of heat through the chimney. Installing a modern fireplace insert will significantly improve your fireplace’s efficiency.

There are a variety of inserts available, including wood-burning, gas, and electric models. Each of these fireplace insert options seals the fireplace opening, increasing your fireplace’s efficiency.

The latest in EPA-certified wood-burning fireplace inserts are ideal for those who want the sights, sounds, and feel of real fires. They burn cleaner and hotter, converting seventy to eighty-five percent of wood energy into usable heat, compared to just ten to fifteen percent for older hearths. These wood-burning inserts are designed to maximize heat output, reducing wood consumption and lowering fuel costs.

Gas fireplace inserts provide steady, controllable flames with realistic logs and convert seventy to ninety percent of fuel into heat. It is also more convenient because it eliminates the need for wood preparation, and they can be ignited with the push of a button. Electric models convert nearly all of the electricity they use into heat, making them well-suited for targeted room heating.

Using the insert in the room you use most will let you lower the whole-house thermostat by several degrees. Known as a zone-heating approach, this method can significantly reduce energy bills. The investment in a fireplace insert pays off quickly and preserves the original brick, stone, and mantel of your venerable old hearth.

A Touch of the New

Consider additional enhancements beyond the firebox. Install a smart thermostat or a handheld control to conveniently adjust the temperature and add a bit of modernity to your classic home. These features simplify daily use while preserving the fireplace’s vintage character. Adding glass doors is wise in an older-frame home because they safely enclose the flames and introduce a modern touch that accentuates the original details. No stray embers will ignite wooden floors.

Trust Motown Fire to Install a Fireplace Insert in Your Historic Home

If you have a home built before 1930 and want a fireplace insert in your old fireplace, contact us right away to get started. We will be happy to discuss the installation process with you. Don’t let your old fireplace waste any more heat; get a new fireplace insert today.