Converting a wood fireplace to an electric insert: how we would do it

One of our recent jobs started as an open wood-burning firebox in a painted white brick wall and ended as an electric insert with a black surround and glass doors, in the same opening, under the same clock. No demolition. Homeowners ask about this more every year, so we asked our crew to explain how they would handle a conversion from the first visit to the first time you flip it on.

Who is this a good fit for?

People who like the look of a fire and don't want the work of one. No firewood to haul, no ash, no smoke smell in the room, no sweep every season. It is also a good answer for a fireplace that has problems you don't want to pay to fix for a wood fire, like a damaged smoke chamber or a flue that would need a full liner, as long as the opening itself is sound.

When would you tell someone not to do it?

When the fireplace is the reason they bought the house and they want real heat and a real fire. An electric insert gives you flame effect and some supplemental heat for the room. It does not replace a wood fire on a cold night, and we would rather say that up front than have someone disappointed in January.

What happens on the first visit?

• We measure the opening: width and height at the front, width at the back, and depth. Fireboxes taper, and the back width is the number people forget.
• We look at the hearth and the face, because the surround has to sit flat against them.
• We check the damper and the flue. Once it is electric, the damper gets closed or the flue gets sealed at the top so you are not losing warm air up the chimney all winter.
• We look for power. Most inserts plug into a standard outlet, and the cleanest install has one inside or right beside the firebox.

Do you need an electrician?

Sometimes. If there is already an outlet in reach, no. If there is not, a licensed electrician runs one, ideally on its own circuit, before the insert goes in. We tell you which case you are in on the first visit so it is in the price, not a surprise.

What does the install day look like?

The firebox gets cleaned out first, down to masonry, because you are closing it up and there is no reason to seal soot and ash behind the unit. The flue is closed off, the insert is set and leveled, the surround is fitted tight to the brick, and then we run it through every mode with you before we leave. On the job in the photo the brick, the hearth, the vents and the clock all stayed exactly where they were.

Is the chimney still a chimney after this?

Structurally, yes, and it still needs a cap and a sound crown, because the top of the chimney keeps taking weather whether you burn wood or not. What changes is that you no longer need a sweep every season. If you ever want to go back to wood, the conversion is reversible, but the flue should be inspected before the first fire.

Start with a look

The first visit is a free inspection with photos and measurements, and the price for the insert and any work around it is in writing. We do conversions and fireplace installations across Marble Falls, Horseshoe Bay, Burnet, Georgetown, Leander and the Hill Country.