A fireplace or wood stove in a home can provide several benefits, ranging from aesthetics to functionality. For many households, a fireplace or stove can augment existing heating systems and help to reduce energy costs – to provide extra heat in the central area of a house where people spend most of their time, rather than heating the entire home to a higher level. For others, having a working fireplace or stove may be a hedge against power outages, spotty electricity in their area, or other problems. Still, others prefer a fireplace or wood stove purely for their aesthetic appeal and to add to the value of a house.
Whatever the rationale, fireplace and stove installers and fireplace and stove installation services are the experts at installing off-the-shelf fireplaces and stoves, as well as developing and installing custom fireplaces and stoves, for meeting consumer’s needs. Fireplaces and stoves encompass a variety of styles and fuel types and can be installed as part of the initial home construction, or as after-market additions or renovations.
In this article, we’ll talk about the different types of services offered by fireplace and stove installers and fireplace and stove installation service companies. We will dig a bit deeper into the details of fireplace and stove installation for new construction and existing construction, highlight the different fuel types available for fireplaces and stoves, and provide some guidelines for choosing the right fireplace and stove installer or fireplace and stove installation service company for meeting your needs.
It should be specified that the primary focus of this article is on indoor fireplaces and wood stoves, rather than the outdoor type, as outdoor fireplaces are much less involved regarding installation. However, the clear majority of fireplace and stove installers and fireplace and stove installation services can install either indoor or outdoor fireplaces or stoves, though some may specialize only in one or the other.
Most reputable fireplace and stove installers and fireplace and stove installation services offer a wide variety of services related to the design and installation of fireplace and stove systems in the home, including, but not limited to:
Exactly what services are offered and what steps might be involved in the fireplace and stove installation process varies by the type of installation job that the fireplace and stove installers or fireplace and stove installation services are tasked to undertake – specifically if they are installing a fireplace in new or existing construction.
For new home construction, fireplace and stove installers or fireplace and stove installation services will often work directly with the home builder, to ensure that proper steps are taken during the fireplace(s) or stove(s) design and initial installation and construction phase to provide the best results. That can include modifying existing plans or blueprints to allow ventilation pipes, chimneys, etc., as well as providing any utilities that need to be connected to a fireplace or stove (a natural gas line, for example), is part of the build plans.
Fireplace and stove installers or fireplace and stove installation service companies will later ensure the installation of the fireplace or stove elements themselves, install the associated hardware inside the home, as well as the flue ducts, ventilation or other equipment. Fireplace and stove installers may or may not provide finishing services to the area around the fireplace(s) or stove(s), such as installing a mantle, decorative stone faces around the fireplace, or other similar things, which may fall on the responsibility of the builder.
Finally, fireplace and stove installers or fireplace and stove installation services will thoroughly test the completed fireplace(s) or stove(s) to make sure they are working as intended, cycle on and off, ventilate correctly, and are generally safe and functional, and will pass certification or inspection by relevant authorities such as a fire marshal.
For existing home construction, the tasks of fireplace and stove installers and fireplace and stove installation services may be a bit more difficult. If the customer desires a traditional type of in-wall fireplace, it may be necessary to undertake significant renovation to the home, including the removal of a substantial portion of the existing wall. In all cases, some cutting, and removal of existing external wall or roof material will be required for ventilation, even in the case of a stand-alone wood stove or something small like that.
More substantial fireplace and stove installation jobs may require the addition of a chimney or other elements outside the home to allow for ventilation of the fireplace(s) or stove(s). Where a fuel like natural gas used, re-routing of existing service lines in the home, or the addition of new service lines may be needed, and fireplace and stove installers and fireplace and stove installation services will generally coordinate this with the customer and local utility as needed.
Following these tasks, the rest of the fireplace and stove installation proceeds like that of new construction, with various steps required to install the fireplace itself, supporting mechanisms, external ventilation, hardware such as doors or dormers, etc. Once again, fireplace and stove installers and fireplace and stove installation companies may or may not be in the business of building out internal fixtures, such as mantles or decorative faces for the fireplace, depending on their expertise and project scope. However, in all cases, they will thoroughly test the finished fireplace or stove to make sure everything is safe and working as it should, just as in new home construction.
There are many different types of fireplaces and stoves to choose from these days. In general, most fireplace and stove installers, fireplace and stove installation service companies, and specialty showroom companies categorize fireplaces and stoves according to their fuel source or type, rather than specifics of the materials that make up the fireplace or stove themselves. These fuel sources can include:
In general, though, fireplaces all operate on similar principles – using a fuel source to create heat, with any waste products such as soot, smoke, and ash removed from the area via ventilation pipes, a chimney, or flue. Some newer types of free-standing stoves are claimed to be ventless, though quite frankly the jury is still out on how viable and safe these are over the long term, as any combustion still produces potentially harmful gases, and even all-electric systems benefit from the natural chimney/airflow effects of ventilation.
Regardless, quality fireplace and stove installers and fireplace and stove installation services can walk consumers through the process for each type of fuel source, fireplace, or stove, and provide expert guidance as to considerations, pros, and cons for each model.
For consumers looking to choose the right fireplace and stove installers or fireplace and stove installation services company for their fireplace or stove installation needs, the following criteria should be kept in mind:
In summary, fireplace and stove installers and fireplace, stove installation service pros are the best experts when it comes to buying a stove or fireplace for your home, and getting that fireplace or stove installed. Whether they are dealing with new construction or existing home construction, these skilled craftsmen can install a fireplace or stove with relative ease and provide consumers with the peace of mind that it is safe and can be operated by the consumer for many years to come. No matter what fuel type consumers choose, fireplace and stove installers and fireplace and stove installation services are specialized in making homeowner’s experience with fireplaces and stoves be nothing short of exceptional.