Fitting a wood-burning insert in Little Havana, liner and all
Choosing an insert starts with the opening you have, measured in height, width and depth, not only across the front.
- Owned and run locally
- Available for same-day service
- Fully licensed and insured
- Family owned and run
Signs your fireplace is ready for a wood insert
- An open fireplace you want to heat with
- Rusty panels on an old insert
- No floor protection in front of the unit
- A loose or missing liner cap
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Installing a wood insert the way its manual intends
The top plate that holds the liner
A flexible liner is usually hung from a top plate at the chimney top, which carries its weight and closes the space between the liner and the masonry flue. A cap then covers the liner outlet. Both come from the liner system and fasten as its instructions show.
We set the top plate and cap and check the seal around the liner. Working at the chimney top means roof access, so we confirm the approach when you book. If the top of the masonry needs repair first, that is a separate chimney service.
What stays out of the insert
Manuals list materials that do not belong in a wood insert, including treated wood, painted or coated lumber, garbage, cardboard, colored paper, plywood and driftwood. Burning them can release toxic fumes, damage the unit or cause heavy soot. Many wood insert manuals exclude coal as well.
We go over the list at handover, because some items seem harmless. Scrap lumber from a project, packaging and gift wrap all fall into the excluded groups. Natural wood that is dry and split is what the insert was tested with.
Local officials and insert installations
An insert manual may tell owners to check with building or fire officials about local restrictions and whether an installation inspection is expected. Answers differ from one job and jurisdiction to the next, so we treat each insert project on its own facts.
Raise the question of review at the free inspection, and we explain how it could shape the schedule. Where an inspection must happen before the first fire, we tell you when and what the inspector is likely to look at. Lighting the insert waits until that step is complete.
When an open fireplace takes a wood insert
An open fireplace is a view of a fire. An insert is a heater with a door, an air control and a sealed path to the chimney top. The habits change with it, from how you light and load to how you handle ashes.
We explain those changes before you commit, so the insert suits the way you want to use the fireplace. Some owners miss the open fire, while others prefer the controlled burn behind glass. Knowing the difference in advance helps you choose with confidence.
Confirmed before a wood insert is ordered
- Insert model matched to the opening
- Appliance connector and high-temperature sealant
- Side wall and facing clearances
- Hearth protected during installation
What people ask about wood-burning inserts
Will my existing hearth be large enough for an insert?
It depends on the model and how high it sits. Manuals set the size and thermal rating of the floor protection in front of the unit. We measure your hearth and explain whether it can stay, needs extending or needs added protection.
Do you handle gas inserts or electric inserts as well?
Gas and electric inserts are handled by our other services, each with its own rules. This service is for wood-burning inserts only. Mention the fuel you have in mind, and the visit is arranged for the right job.
How is the discount for booking quickly applied?
If the insert and liner are approved while fewer than 72 hours have passed since your free inspection, 10% comes off what you agreed. Nothing about the discount asks you to decide before we have looked at the fireplace, since the clock begins at your own inspection.
More Ways to Care for Your Fireplace
- Chimney Liner Installation and ReliningPlan a compatible chimney liner installation with the existing passage, connections and maintenance access considered together.
- Top-Sealing Damper InstallationFit a top-mounted damper only after checking the fireplace, product restrictions and control route.
- Chimney Leak RepairFind the chimney water entry point and plan a repair before restoring the damaged finish.
- Chimney Masonry RepairRepair affected chimney brickwork and joints with materials selected for the construction already in place.
- Chimney Damper Repair and ReplacementRestore a usable damper mechanism after checking the plate, frame and control linkage.
We received your request
Our team will contact you to arrange your inspection.
Chimney & Fireplace Brands We Work With
DuraVent 
Olympia Chimney and Venting 
Copperfield Chimney Supply 
Rutland 
Heatilator 
Heat & Glo