In a remodel, should I put a gas insert in my old fireplace or tear it out for a new built-in unit?
In Arden's 1980s-90s Royal Pines and Skyland homes, those tired open masonry fireplaces pull heat out of the room — and a sealed gas insert is almost always the fix, turning a net heat loss into a real 70-percent-efficient heater. Save the tear-out for when you want a linear built-in or the wall is being rebuilt anyway.
From heat drain to heat source
The open masonry fireplaces in Arden's established neighborhoods were never efficient — an open firebox can actually run a net heat loss, drawing warmed room air straight up the flue whether or not there's a fire. Dropping a sealed gas insert into that opening reverses it: the unit seals the combustion, reuses the chimney as its liner chase, and commonly delivers 70 percent efficiency or better. It's the single highest-impact upgrade for these houses, and it rarely requires touching the surround.
When a built-in makes more sense
The tear-out belongs to two situations. If your remodel is already reworking that wall — new stone, floating shelves, a TV placement — building in a fresh unit while it's open is efficient. And if you want a format an insert can't give you, like a wide linear flame or a see-through between rooms, that has to be framed in. For a clean, modern look, a Napoleon Vector 50 or Majestic Meridian 42 lives in that built-in category.
Natural gas, quick from the showroom
Arden runs on natural-gas mains and sits just fifteen minutes south of our Asheville showroom, so seeing a unit lit and getting a fast walkthrough are easy. We pull the Buncombe County permit, run and pressure-test the gas line as a licensed gas contractor, and meet the inspector — the sign-off a showroom or mason legally can't provide. Have us assess the room before the remodel closes it up. Free estimate. Call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Arden
We install and service fireplaces throughout Arden and the rest of Buncombe County — just 15 minutes south from our Asheville-area showroom.
Related questions
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