Advice on Purchasing a Wood Burning Fireplace Insert

[Dr Webb]

Greetings

Wife is interested on getting a wood burning insert for the fireplace. We're regular users of our fireplace and easily keep a supply of inexpensive hardwoods around and, with upcoming increases in electricity costs around here, thought is was about time that we sunk the $4-5K into a wood burning insert.

We've been looking at the following brands:

Regency, Jotel, Napoleon, and QuadraFire

Costs look like they fall into the following three categories:

• the insert * fixing up the flue * labor for installation

We would be immensely grateful to hear any advice and experiences folks have had regarding the various insert brands, dealers, service, and performance of individual units.

Also, FWIW, we live near Baltimore.

TIA.

Regards,

Dr. Webb

[dadiOH]

No advice & I don't recall the brand of ours (not a cheapo) but the cost - installed - was $600 10 years ago. There was no real "installation" as the house was being built...set the insert on concrete blocks, hook up to pipe in chimney chase, put cap on top of chase. Gas guy installed valve for the gas for the starter.