An electric insert turns a fireplace you no longer burn into one you can switch on with a remote. The mistake people make is buying before measuring.
Measure three numbers
- Width of the opening at the front, and at the back if the firebox narrows.
- Height at the front.
- Depth from the front to the back wall.
The insert box has to be smaller than the opening on all three. The trim (the flat frame around the front) then covers the gap. Compare the trim size on the listing with the outside of your opening.
Insert or log set?
- Insert: a closed box with a glass front. Looks tidy, blocks the draft from the chimney, and usually has the stronger flame effect.
- Log set: loose logs on a grate in the open firebox. Looks more like a real fire from the side, but the chimney stays open, so close the damper or the warm air leaves the room.
Power
Most inserts plug in with a cord that runs out of the side or the front. If there is no outlet near the fireplace, an electrician can add one inside the firebox. Do not use an extension cord.
The chimney
Close the damper. If the fireplace burned wood, have the chimney swept and the firebox cleaned first, or the room can smell of soot when the heater runs.
