On a frosty Merton day, nothing “warms” up a room (metaphorically speaking) like a roaring fireplace. The light, sound and movement all blend for a romantic, relaxing ambiance.
Unfortunate fact is, an open-hearth woodburning fireplace hardly warms a room. Up to 90 percent of the fire’s heat is lost through the chimney. An open fire actually sucks more heat out of a space than it could ever return. Homeowners endure a fire risk from airborne sparks landing on combustible surfaces, as well.
Like to make your fireplace experience safer, far warmer and more enjoyable with a sleek, highly-efficient fireplace insert in Merton!
Fitting directly into the fireplace opening, a fireplace insert for a woodburning fireplace is a self-contained appliance that transfers heat directly into a room, rather than losing most up a chimney. The fire is visible via 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 Merton.

A gas insert is perfect for those who want instant, low-maintenance fire. The fire literally ignites at the flip of a switch. Available in a wide range of designs, gas fireplace inserts are fast, clean, and minimal work to operate and maintain.

A woodburning fireplace insert creates significantly more heat than gas. The work involved is much greater, though. A fire has to be physically ignited, wood added, and air controls adjusted to moderate the blaze. Because it burns so efficiently, a wood fireplace insert uses much less timber than an open-hearth design. For those with unlimited or cheap sources of firewood in Merton, a wood burning insert can be additional heating source for a home.
The choice between gas or woodburning is completely user preference. Many Merton homeowners proactively put in insert-style fireplaces for enhanced heat and cleanliness, often when constructing homes.
The alternative situation for adding an insert is when a fireplace inspection reveals cracked or missing flue tiles. Installing a brand-new insert will bypass many issues, and is often less costly than doing repairs. The decision might not be difficult.
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 installed 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 regularly installs fireplace inserts – gas or wood – in homes in Merton 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 carry lifetime warranties. Their installation can sometimes permit homeowners to bypass 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 consider a fireplace insert? Contact Butler Chimneys. You’ll appreciate the ambiance of a fireplace … and a far warmer, more comfortable space around you!