Adding a Fireplace to Your Home: Benefits, Costs, and Maintenance Tips

There’s something about a fireplace that turns a house into a home. Unfortunately, many residences don’t come with one already installed.

Instead of forgoing this preferred feature, consider adding a fireplace to your existing home. Our guide below will walk you through the benefits of installing a new fireplace, how to choose which type is best for you, and a few tips on how to keep it running safely and smoothly.

Adding a Fireplace to an Existing Home

Some of the benefits of installing a fireplace in your home are plain to see. Indeed, many fireplaces serve as the focal point of their room, turning an unused corner or wall into a centerpiece.

And, of course, fireplaces offer heat when temperatures drop and a place to commune with company or family. It’s the perfect place to talk, read, or relax.

While additional heat is nice, some fireplaces could be a legitimate lifesaver when your electricity goes out. Instead of straying into the frozen tundra outside your front door, simply add a few logs.

Still, some may view a fireplace as something of an extravagance. It can feel like the installation and maintenance costs outweigh the genuine practical benefits. 

However, a fireplace is more than an aesthetic feature or a source of backup warmth. In a very real way, a fireplace is an investment.

In fact, there are all sorts of data out there showing how adding a fireplace will increase the value of your home. 

For instance, the real estate website Redfin found that homes with fireplaces installed sold for 13% more than the national median sale price. That may be because fireplaces are more likely to attract viewers and buyers than many other features.

A home with a fireplace listed on Redfin averages 423 views per listing. That’s more average views than homes with basements, pools, central air conditioning, or a deck.

According to that same data, homes with fireplaces have a 98.9% sale-to-list ratio. This means that these homes are typically sold for close to their listed price.

That ratio beats out homes with an office, a view, or a pool. 

So, while a fireplace will burn wood or gas, it won’t burn away the investment of installation and maintenance. In fact, much like how it stokes the flames, it’ll also stoke your home’s value upwards.

Choosing the Right Fireplace for Your Home

When picking out a new fireplace for your home, you’ll have two decisions to make: the fuel you want it to use (typically wood, gas, or electricity) and the design (which generally are masonry, zero-clearance, and inserts).

These are important decisions to make, as they can affect everything from the cost of adding a fireplace to the features it provides. After all, if you want a fireplace for when the power goes out, an electric one won’t do.

Finally, it’s essential to acknowledge that local building codes may govern the type of fireplace you add to your home. While it’s relatively rare to find construction codes that outright prevent all fireplaces, knowing what they are can help prevent a costly and unsafe mistake.

Additionally, some fuel types are best used with specific designs, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. To aid your decision-making process, here’s a quick rundown of the benefits of each type of fireplace.

Adding a Masonry Fireplace

When most people picture a fireplace in their mind, they likely see a wood-burning masonry fireplace. These are made from brick or stone, require a chimney, and usually include a mantel that can serve as an additional shelf for pictures, art, or holiday stockings.

People tend to enjoy these fireplaces because they offer a full sensory experience. The audible crackling and pops, the smell of combusting woods, and the dancing flames evoke coziness and relaxation.

However, masonry fireplaces also tend to be the most expensive ones to install due to the cost of labor and material. In addition, due to the size and weight of brick and stone, only some homes can accommodate this type of fireplace. 

While installing a masonry fireplace typically means having a wood-burning fireplace, you can choose to have one built that uses gas or electricity as fuel. However, this will only add to the overall cost as you may need to install new gas lines or electrical wiring.

Adding a Zero-Clearance Fireplace

A zero-clearance fireplace may prove ideal for those looking for an easier installation and lower cost. They are lightweight and come in a variety of sizes and fuel types.

Additionally, they can be installed almost anywhere in your home. You can make it a true centerpiece situated smack-dab in the middle of a room, or you can keep it to an exterior wall to maximize efficiency.

In fact, zero-clearance fireplaces are generally much more efficient. Whereas a masonry fireplace may let out quite a bit of heat through the chimney, zero-clearance varieties are better at retaining heat and keeping it in your house.

However, there are downsides. You won’t get the idealized visual appeal of a masonry fireplace, and many are made from materials that lack the durability of brick or stone.

Adding a Gas Fireplace

Gas fireplaces fall somewhere between their zero-clearance and masonry brethren. They are more efficient than wood-burning varieties, and they are much easier to start, too.

Many are controlled by a system similar to your home’s heating. You can turn a dial up to increase the heat or turn it down to lower or extinguish the flame.

Like zero-clearance fireplaces, the gas variety doesn’t need much space. However, they do need access to a gas line; Otherwise, you have what’s essentially a very expensive, very immovable box.

While these fireplaces are safe and insulated, there is a risk any time you use natural gas. That means you should keep your gas fireplace close to a window that can open and allow any lingering gas to escape.

Maintaining Your New Fireplace

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: a neglected fireplace is a dangerous one. That is, if you don’t maintain the fireplace you’ve added to your home, you may experience gas leaks or uncontrollable fires.

In some situations, identifying signs of disrepair is easy. For instance, cracks in the bricks or blocked vents are clear indicators of damage. 

However, not all warning signs are so easy. 

That’s why it’s essential to have a fireplace technician or chimney cleaning professional inspect your fireplace once a year. If you use your fireplace daily, consider having a professional check it every 80 or 90 uses.

They’ll likely be able to take care of minor repairs or cleanings on the spot. They’ll also identify areas of genuine concern and work with you to develop a plan that fixes any long-term issues.

Beyond professional inspections, there are some things you can do to keep your fireplace well-maintained:

• Visually inspect the fireplace and chimney for cracks and loose joints.
• Check the damper to ensure it can open and close.
• Install a chimney cap to keep out critters and debris.
• Prune any tree limbs that cover or hang over your chimney.
• Clean out the firebox whenever there’s an inch of ash (and wait at least three days since your last fire to clean it out, as embers can burn hot even after you’ve extinguished the fire.)
• For gas fireplaces, ensure that the pilot line is on and all vents are clear.
• For electric fireplaces, look for and replace any frayed or broken wiring.

Installing a New Fireplace In Your Home

Adding a fireplace to your existing home is an investment and one whose return is measured in coziness, aesthetics, and a higher listing price for your home. That is, while they can be expensive, their practical benefits mean they are not extravagances.

The key, though, is to install a fireplace suitable for your home and budget and keep it well-maintained and safe. When you do that, you’re adding something to your home that may last generations.

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