Is a Fireplace Right for Your Home?

Indoor or Outdoor Fireplace

4. Twice as nice.
Wherever you site it, a see-through fireplace provides warmth and charm for two rooms. If you choose a double-sided wood-burning fireplace, it will be less expensive to install than two separate fireplaces because it requires only one flue and chimney. A two-sided direct-vent gas fireplace can create a partial wall or peninsula to divide an area and define its uses.

5. Flexible and easy.
Compared to wood-burning fireplaces, gas fireplaces are cleaner and involve less work—you don't have to tend the fire, and to turn them on or off, you can simply flip a switch or use a remote control. Gas fireplaces also offer flexibility in installation and more control over heat output and flame height. They can supplement furnace heat and lower utility bills. By how much? It depends on where the fireplace is located, whether your home is one story or more, and how well it is insulated. Some homeowners reduce furnace heat and use a gas fireplace to keep a family room or kitchen warm when activities are centered there.

6. Here, there, everywhere.
Direct-vent gas fireplaces can be installed almost anywhere in the home because they send gases to the outside via a short section of pipe that can exit through a wall. The same vent pulls in outside air to heat, eliminating concerns about indoor air quality—very important for family members with allergies or asthma. Like other gas units, direct-vent fireplaces are relatively inexpensive to install, offer touch controls, and can be handsomely outfitted.

7. Put a lid on it.
If you have a direct-vent fireplace, you can dress up the vent cap on the side of your house with a decorative radius cap, which can be painted to match your home's siding.

8. Safe retrofitting.
Before retrofitting a fireplace, have an expert assess the condition of your chimney and hearth. If your fireplace draws well—that is, if it maintains a fire by efficiently moving warm and cold air through the chimney—be wary about altering the structure. However, if it doesn't draw well, retrofitting provides the perfect opportunity to set things right. Remodeling that involves the firebox is even more cause for concern. A trained professional installer will follow codes that govern the required gap between the firebox and floor joists or framing.

9. Check codes.
Local building codes spell out rules for installing a new fireplace or renovating an existing one. Even if all you're doing is replacing your mantel, be aware of safety requirements, including the width of solid masonry needed between the firebox and any nonmasonry material, such as a wooden mantel.

10. Down under.
Most basements could use some warmth, but before adding a fireplace, check with a professional to make sure moisture is not a problem. A fireplace can wick moisture; heated air will rise through the house and deposit moisture on cooler surfaces upstairs. On the plus side, if you have a gas-fired heating system and the mechanicals are located in the basement, you have a gas line and flue already in place.

11. Take it outside.
Outdoor fireplaces are being installed in record numbers. An existing fireplace can share a chimney with an outdoor fireplace. Consider extending your fireside season by sheltering a new outdoor fireplace in an enclosed porch or covered space.