How to Install Wood Burning Inserts

Wood-burning fireplace inserts add beauty to your living room while improving the heat efficiency of the fireplace. Inserts are typically made of an iron frame attached to a brass faceplate and glass doors. Behind the doors, iron mesh screens operate with a pull chain, allowing you to add logs to a fire and enjoy the warmth in your living room or den. You can install a fireplace insert in about an hour by following these steps.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fireplace insert
• Old blanket
• Flashlight
• Pliers

1. Measure the width of your fireplace from one opening to the other. Fireplace inserts are sold in width ranges (for example, 36-42 inches). The inserts are adjustable to fit the interior dimensions so you can concentrate on buying an insert that suits your taste and style without worrying about exact sizing details. Height and depth are usually not an issue with fireplace inserts, which are designed to cover the entire outer opening of the fireplace. The width adjustment is needed to secure the insert to the interior of the fireplace.

2. Swing out the four iron support bars in the inside corners of the fireplace insert and slide them to adjust to the interior width of your fireplace. The bars should move outward on hinges like the legs of a folding table.

3. Lock the iron bars into place using pliers to tighten the locking bolts.

4. Slide the insert completely into the fireplace opening and check the alignment of the four support bars. The bars should fit snugly in the corners. The faceplate of the insert should fit flush with the exterior brick of the fireplace, and there should be no gaps in the corners.

5. Open the glass doors of the insert and pull back the iron-mesh screens using the pull cord.

6. Place an old blanket or other padding over the bottom opening to protect your arms and back.

7. Tighten the bolts extending from the top of the insert into the firebar, which is a steel bar across the roof of the fireplace. On most fireplace inserts, these bolts can be tightened by hand, although a few finishing twists with pliers will ensure a secure fit. It may be necessary to turn over on your back and go into the fireplace so you can get a better grip on the bolts and leverage them tighter. The blanket will help protect your back from the hard edges of the fireplace insert.

8. Tighten the bolts on the bottom of the insert into the sides of the fireplace. These bolts are designed to create tension on the insert and hold it securely to the sides of the fireplace by putting counter-pressure on the inside support bars against the inside walls of the fireplace. When properly installed, your fireplace insert will never need to be removed.

Tips & Warnings

• Take care not to touch or disturb the heavy insulation material on the inside of the fireplace insert. The insulation can cause skin irritation.
• Make sure the chimney flue is open before lighting a fire in the insert. The glass doors and exposed hardware of a fireplace insert will become extremely hot during normal use. Only open the insert using the handles and use caution when opening the wire-mesh screen by the pull-cords if the glass doors have been closed.

References

• Fireplace insert installation tips
• Inserts and energy efficiency