One of the reasons my husband Shawn and I bought our home was because of the gigantic fireplace in the living room.
The fireplace takes up the entirety of 1 wall.
It’s constructed of big, heavy rock with an oak hearth and mantle. It is the main eye catcher of the house. Shawn and I were gleeful to heat our home with wood. Shawn and I imagined building fires on chilly Winter time afternoons and sipping wine while the two of us admired the flames. Shawn and I moved into the home numerous years ago, and we’ve built a fire 1 time! Cutting down trees and cutting them into sticks is a horrible work. It’s tiring, hard work and time-consuming. Shawn and I then need to drag that wet, gross, heavy wood into the home and across our brand new rug. Him and I had difficulty getting the fire started and then dealt with smoke, ashes, fumes and flames. If the two of us sat right near the fire, the two of us suddenly became too hot. When the two of us moved further away, the two of us were far too cold. It was a messy and unpleasant experience. I am not happy with having an enormous fireplace that serves no purpose. I did some research online and discovered that I can convert the wood-burning fireplace into a natural gas heater. I called a nearby HVAC supplier and got a bid for installing a natural gas insert. The cost wasn’t as high as expected. I am looking forward to the ability to turn the fireplace on and off with the touch of a button on a wireless remote. I’ll be able to raise and lower the temperature and even adjust the fan speed. With no labor, we’ll prefer the look of a roaring fire and none of the cons. Gas fireplaces are quite energy smart, quiet and safe. They require little service and spread the heat evenly throughout the house.