Buying a gas insert is a little different than buying a wood insert, and some basic information will be helpful when you go shopping. Let's start out with a few essentials so you will know how to shop for the gas insert that is just right for you.

GAS TYPES: In the Central Valley of California there are 2 basic gas fuel types: Natural Gas and Propane Gas. If you buy a "Gas Insert" the same unit can be made to operate on either fuel type. The only differences are the orifice sizes for the pilot and burner, and the regulator. Some gas inserts come factory ready to use natural gas and, if you have propane, there is a "conversion kit" that allows the installer to change out the orifices and regulator. Other brands are ordered in as either a natural gas unit or a propane unit.

INSERT COMPONENTS: When you buy a gas insert there are 4 main components to the purchase:

INSERT BODY - This is the "engine", if you will, of the gas insert. It has the burner, valve, fan, heat exchanger, switches, the glas, and all the "guts" of the insert. Just as with any products, there is a difference in the quality of one insert vs. another.

INSERT FACE - This is the decorative portion of the insert. There are a myriad of choices, from grills, to doors, to a bay-window face, to... well, you name it and it's probably available. There are accents in gold, nickel, pewter, copper, cast iron, enamel, and a host of other treatments to suit your particular decor.

INSERT SHROUD - This is the surround panel that attaches to the insert to cover the fireplace opening. They come in different sizes to accomodate different fireplaces and, upon request, we can custom make a surround panel for our inserts... sorry, we do not custom make panels for other brands.

INSERT VENTING / PIPE - All gas inserts must be vented through the chimney with their own venting system. Some use 3" aluminum 2 ply flexible pipe, some use 4", some use two different vent pipes going up the chimney............

 DIRECT VENT GAS INSERTS - Direct Vent appliances use outside air for combustion. Without getting technical, this means that is takes cold air into the firebox... from outside the house... and uses it for combustion. Then, when the air is used up for the fire inside the firebox, it is exhausted through the exhaust pipe and up the chimney. For these appliances we use 2 different pipes on the insert... one for exhaust, the other for intake.

How to Choose the Proper Size Gas Insert

Here's the 24 million dollar question. The answer is, "It Depends!". There are so many variables related to "how big" of an insert you need that it truly takes a professional, asking the right questions, to determine which size is best for you. Here is some information that will help you narrow it down:

 "How big of an area are you trying to heat?" This is a loaded question. If you look at every stove and insert brochure from every manufacturer, they will give you an approximate "square footage" heating capacity of each particular unit. Unfortunately, this can be misleading. What if there are two homes with identical floorplans... exact same square footage, same bedrooms, same layout... , but one has 8' ceilings, and the other has 14' ceilings. They may both be 1800 sq. ft. homes, but the one with the higher ceilings will surely require a bigger heater than the other one, right? So, for starters, you need to think of your home in terms of "Cubic Feet of Air Space" when considering what size insert you need.

"How is your insulation factor?" Some houses have single pane windows, some have dual pane. Newer homes have good insulation in the outside walls, while some custom homes even have insulation in the interior walls. How's the weather-stripping? Is your house a "drafty" house? these factors all play a huge roll in how much of your home a given insert will heat... but there's more.

 "How well can you move air from where the fireplace is to the rest of the house?" Do you have ceiling fans? That can make a tremendous difference in how well your insert will heat the home. If you can move air from the room where the fireplace is to other parts of the house you will better maximize the use of the insert. Do you have an open floorplan? Do you have long hallways that go to the back of the house?

 Ready to get started?

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