On a frosty Fort Atkinson day, nothing “warms” up a space (metaphorically speaking) like a roaring fireplace. The light, sound and movement all blend for a romantic, relaxing ambiance.
Unfortunate reality is, an open-hearth woodburning fireplace barely heats a room. Up to 90 percent of the fire’s heat escapes through the chimney. An open fire actually sucks more heat out of a space than it could possibly return. Homeowners endure a fire risk from airborne sparks landing on combustible surfaces, as well.
Ready to make your fireplace experience safer, far warmer and more enjoyable with a sleek, highly-efficient fireplace insert in Fort Atkinson!
Fitting directly into the fireplace opening, a fireplace insert for a woodburning fireplace is a self-contained component that propels heat directly into a room, rather than losing most through a chimney. The fire is visible through a glass panel. The ambiance remains – along with far more warmth!
Homeowners can select between gas fireplace inserts and wood fireplace inserts. Both are offered by Butler Chimneys, your fireplace and chimney inspection company in Fort Atkinson.
A gas insert is perfect for those who want instant, low-maintenance fire. The fire literally goes on at the flip of a switch. Available in a wide array of designs, gas fireplace inserts are fast, clean, and little work to operate and maintain.
A woodburning fireplace insert emits significantly more heat than gas. The work required is much greater, though. A fire has to be physically lit, wood added, and air controls adjusted to moderate the blaze. Because it burns so efficiently, a wood fireplace insert consumes much less timber than an open-hearth setup. For those with unlimited or cheap sources of firewood in Fort Atkinson, a wood burning insert can be additional heating source for a home.
The decision between gas or woodburning is purely user preference. Many Fort Atkinson homeowners proactively put in insert-style fireplaces for enhanced heat and cleanliness, often when building homes.
The alternative situation for adding an insert is when a fireplace inspection discovers cracked or missing flue tiles. Installing a brand-new insert will avoid many issues, and is often less costly than making repairs. The decision might not be too hard.
Fireplace inserts are made of heavy-gauge sheet steel. The doors are cast iron, which allows fantastic heat conduction. Fire is completely enclosed within, viewable through ceramic glass, and can be left unattended.
Smoke is expelled through a new stainless steel liner added inside the chimney. Wood fireplace inserts use a single 6-inch liner; gas, two 3-inch liners, one for providing air to the firebox, and another for expelling gases.
Butler Chimneys typically installs fireplace inserts – gas or wood – in homes in Fort Atkinson in one day. If the former is added, a new fuel line is run from a gas source elsewhere in the house.
New stainless steel chimney liners have lifetime warranties. Their installation can sometimes allow homeowners to avoid pricey chimney repairs that would otherwise be needed to ensure safe venting of fireplace gases.
Another benefit of fireplace inserts? If power goes out, they remain a steady, reliable heat source. In severe weather, they can literally be a lifesaver.
Ready to ponder a fireplace insert? Contact Butler Chimneys. You’ll enjoy the ambiance of a fireplace … and a far warmer, more comfortable space around you!