Fireplace Inserts in Sherman Oaks When the Old Flue Cannot Be Trusted

A chimney fire usually damages the clay tile liner, and the fix for a damaged liner is a new one, most often a stainless steel liner run down the old flue. An insert pairs naturally with that repair. It is a closed firebox, gas, wood or electric, that slides into the existing fireplace and vents through its own liner, so the old tile no longer carries the fire. For an owner who just watched smoke pour out of the top of the chimney, that matters. A gas insert also removes the cause of most chimney fires: there is no creosote from burning gas. A wood insert burns much cleaner and hotter than an open fire and needs regular sweeping, but it puts far more heat into the room. An electric insert needs no venting at all, so it suits a chimney that would need a rebuild before any fire could go into it again.

The insert decision comes after the inspection, not before. If the masonry is sound and only the liner failed, any of the three works. If the chimney needs a rebuild, electric now, or a direct-vent fireplace elsewhere, can be the faster route back to a working hearth.

A gas insert installed in an existing fireplace runs $2,800 to $5,650. That includes the insert, the liner from the insert to the top of the chimney, the connection to a gas line already at the fireplace, and the surround panel that closes the gap around it. The spread comes from the size and style of unit and the height of the chimney. Running a new gas line, electrical work for a blower and any repair to the firebox are quoted separately in writing. Wood and electric inserts are quoted after we measure the firebox. We take the measurements during the inspection, so the quote comes back with the inspection report.

Fitting usually takes a day. Gas work in Sherman Oaks and nearby cities is permitted where the city requires it, and we arrange the inspection. Before you light it, we walk you through the controls, the shutoff and what normal looks like, and we test for carbon monoxide with the unit running. You keep the manual, the warranty card and photos of the install with your fire damage file, which closes the record from the fire to the fix.