Is a Fireplace Right for Your Home?

Planning Ahead

1. Payback—now and later.
You may want a fireplace just for the romance of it, but it's also a good investment. According to a study supported by the National Association of Realtors, a fireplace adds 12 percent to the selling price of a home. It's not surprising, then, that almost 60 percent of all new single-family homes are built with at least one fireplace.

2. Plan, then plan some more.
If you're including a fireplace in your remodeling project, think ahead. What types fit your budget? What is most important to you—size, appearance, ease of operation, heat output, or efficiency? Check local building and environmental codes that may limit your choices. Your home may have structural limitations, or the spot you've chosen may preclude conventional venting or make it difficult to run a gas line. Consult a hearth products professional to clarify your options and to ensure safe, expert installation.

3. Snap, crackle, pop.
Fireplaces that burn wood are humble and cheery, and they give off the pleasant smells and crackling sounds that we traditionally associate with a hearth. But 90 percent of the warm air they generate goes up the chimney instead of into the room. To refit a wood-burning fireplace, try a factory-built recirculating fireplace insert with glass doors. These convective fireplaces use a series of vents to draw in cold air, heat it, and then send it back out into the room.