Fireplace Insert & Wood Stove Installation in Central Florida

An insert or stove turns an open fireplace into a sealed, efficient heater. Here is what it takes to do it right.

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(813) 797-5797

Chimney Checked First

Before any new appliance goes in, we inspect the chimney it will vent into, including the flue with a camera.

Installed to the Manual

Liner size, clearances and floor protection follow the installation instructions for the model you choose.

Honest Fit for Florida

If you only burn a few fires a year, we will tell you whether an insert really makes sense for you.

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Inserts and Stoves, Explained

A fireplace insert is a closed firebox, a steel or cast iron box with a glass door, that slides into an existing fireplace. A freestanding wood stove sits on the floor in the room, on a hearth pad, and connects to its own chimney. Both burn wood much more efficiently than an open fireplace, which sends a large share of its heat up the chimney along with a lot of warm room air.

In Florida, people add an insert or stove for a few reasons: real heat during cold snaps and winter power outages, a fire they can enjoy without the room filling with smoke, and a sealed opening that stops conditioned air leaking up the chimney the rest of the year. New wood stoves sold in the United States must meet EPA emission limits; since May 15, 2020, the limit has been 2.0 grams of smoke per hour. That means far less smoke than an open fire or an older stove.

Is an Insert Worth It in Florida?

Honestly, it depends on how often you burn. If you light a fire only once or twice a winter, an insert may never pay for itself in heat. In that case a top-sealing damper, a good set of glass doors, or a gas conversion may give you what you want for less. If you burn regularly, want backup heat, or dislike the smoke and drafts of an open fireplace, an insert or stove is a real improvement. We will give you a straight answer either way.

What a Proper Installation Involves

• An inspection first. Adding a new appliance is a change to the system, which is one of the situations that calls for a Level 2 inspection.

• A properly sized liner. Most manufacturers call for the insert to connect to a stainless steel liner sized to its outlet and running the full height of the chimney. See our chimney liner page.

• Clearances to combustibles. The mantel, trim, walls and floor must be the distances from the appliance that its label and manual specify.

• Floor and hearth protection. The hearth in front of the insert, or the pad under a stove, has to meet the manufacturer’s size and protection requirements.

• Chimney repairs done first. Cracked crowns, bad flashing or a damaged smoke chamber should be fixed before a new appliance goes in.

• A permit where required. Your city or county may require a permit and a final inspection.

Inserts in Factory-Built Fireplaces

Many Florida homes have a factory-built (prefab) fireplace rather than a masonry one. A wood insert can only go into a factory-built fireplace when both the fireplace’s and the insert’s listings allow that combination. Many do not. We check the fireplace’s data plate and manual before quoting. If the combination is not allowed, the options are a freestanding stove with its own chimney, a different fuel, or replacing the prefab unit. Our factory-built chimney page explains how those systems are built.

Freestanding Wood Stoves

A wood stove needs a chimney of its own: either an existing masonry chimney with a suitable liner, or a listed factory-built chimney made for solid fuel, running through the ceiling and roof or up an outside wall. The stove needs its specified clearances to walls and furniture, a floor protector of the right size, and a connector pipe installed the way the manual shows. Some models also call for an outside air supply. If you would rather burn pellets, see our pellet stove installation page.

What Affects the Cost

• The appliance you choose. Size, features and finish vary widely.

• Liner length and diameter, which depend on the chimney height and the appliance.

• Repairs the chimney or fireplace needs before installation.

• Hearth extension or floor protection, and any surround or trim work.

• For a stove, whether a new chimney has to be run through the roof.

• Permit and inspection fees in your jurisdiction.

Living With an Insert or Stove

Burn only dry, seasoned wood. The EPA recommends a moisture content under 20 percent, and a cheap moisture meter will tell you. A closed firebox burns cleaner than an open fire, but the liner still needs regular sweeping, and the whole system should be inspected once a year. Keep a working carbon monoxide alarm nearby. If you ever want to go back to an open fireplace, or change fuels, we can help with that too. Call (813) 797-5797 to talk through your options.

Areas we serve: our offices in Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Seminole, Riverview, Spring Hill, Lakeland and Orlando, plus the Tampa Bay area, greater Orlando, Sarasota, Venice, Port Charlotte, Fort Myers and Naples.

★ FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

In most cases, yes. Most insert manufacturers call for a properly sized liner connected to the insert, and a masonry flue built for an open fireplace is usually much larger than an insert’s outlet. The installation manual for your model is the final word.

Only if both the fireplace and the insert are listed for that combination. Many factory-built fireplaces do not allow it. We check your fireplace’s data plate and manual before recommending anything.

It depends on where you live. Some cities and counties require a permit and a final inspection for a new wood-burning appliance, so the requirement for your address should be confirmed before work starts. We check it as part of planning the job.

Usually not the whole house, especially with an open floor plan and ceiling fans running. An insert heats the room it is in and nearby spaces well, which is often all a Florida home needs on a cold night.

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Why Homeowners Call Us About Inserts and Stoves

The right appliance, installed the right way

An insert or stove is only as safe as the chimney behind it. We look at both before anything is installed.

We inspect the chimney before recommending any appliance.

We follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions for clearances, liners and hearth protection.

We tell you when an insert is not worth it for how you actually use your fireplace.

How an Insert or Stove Installation Works

Inspect, plan, install, test

Adding a new appliance is a change to your venting system, so the planning comes before the installation.

Consultation: How often you burn, what you want from it, and what kind of fireplace or room you have.

Level 2 Inspection: A camera inspection of the flue and a check of the fireplace and chimney it will use.

Appliance and Liner Plan: Model options, liner size, clearances, hearth protection and any repairs needed first.

Permit Check: We confirm whether your city or county requires a permit before work starts.

Installation: Appliance set, liner or chimney installed and connected, top of the chimney sealed and capped.

Test Burn and Walk-Through: We check the draft and show you how to run the unit.