Facts About Electric Fireplace Inserts

An electric fireplace insert can be installed inside your wood-burning stove and basically transform your inefficient wood stove into a more efficient electric fireplace. The insert typically comes with all the features a standalone electric fireplace would have such as a thermostat and fans to force the hot air throughout the room.Fireplace inserts are usually made of cast iron or steel and come with self-cleaning insulated glass doors that give you a full view of the realistic looking flames and fake burning logs, while making it more efficient. Most inserts come with state of the art features that can be convienantly controlled by using a remote.

If your not interested in an electric fireplace insert, there are wood-burning inserts available that can improve your existing wood-burning stove. An EPA-certified wood burning insert can help reduce emissions and dramatically increase the heating efficiency of the wood stove.

What type of maintenance costs are involved with an electric fireplace insert? The main cost is going to be for the electricity to run the unit, but shouldn’t cost much depending on the area you live. Be sure to check with the manufacture before you purchase and electric fireplace insert and find out the wattage of the unit and this should give you an idea of the electricity costs. Also over time you will need to replace the bulbs or filaments for the fake flames and burning logs. These are fairly easy to change by simply using a screwdriver and the bulbs are usually a common chandelier style.

The average electric fireplace insert weighs about 34 pounds and is 20 inches high. The typical BTU’s produced from the insert is around 4692 BTUs. Most require a 120 volt outlet and will have separate switches for the flames and the heat making it so you can use the fireplace as a décor item or for only heating the room.