Home Improvement Ideas Remodeling Advice & Planning What You Need to Know About Fireplace Installation in Your Home Three types of fireplaces can be added to homes to deliver the comfy look everyone loves. Learn about their features (and cost) here. By Sheryl Geerts Sheryl Geerts Sheryl Geerts is an editor and author who has nearly three decades of writing and editing experience. She enjoys writing about garden, food, and home topics. Her bylines have appeared in Better Homes and Gardens, Allrecipes, Martha Stewart Living, and several other publications. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on August 8, 2023 Reviewed by Tom Scalisi Reviewed by Tom Scalisi With more than two decades of experience, Tom Scalisi is a highly regarded home improvement and construction expert. After running his own contracting business for years, Tom is now a regular contributor to industry publications, including Bob Vila, This Old House, and Family Handyman, and enjoys sharing his experience with readers to help improve or repair their homes. Learn about BHG's Home Improvement Review Board Fact checked by Marcus Reeves Fact checked by Marcus Reeves Marcus Reeves is an experienced writer, publisher, and fact-checker. He began his writing career reporting for The Source magazine. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, Playboy, The Washington Post, and Rolling Stone, among other publications. His book Somebody Scream: Rap Music's Rise to Prominence in the Aftershock of Black Power was nominated for a Zora Neale Hurston Award. He is an adjunct instructor at New York University, where he teaches writing and communications. Marcus received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Learn about BHG's Fact Checking Process You've dreamed about the possibility for years, but is fireplace installation a good idea for your home? Only you can determine that, but we can help you sort out your options. We've researched for you to make sure you select the right fireplace for your budget and needs. Here's what you need to know about installing a fireplace. Types of Fireplaces and the Pros and Cons of Each Greg Scheidemann Is Fireplace Installation Possible in My Home? Be assured that adding a fireplace to an existing home is possible. You'll just need to determine which one will work best. Get familiar with your area's building codes to check requirements for fireplace installation, such as minimum clearances around vent pipes and limits on fireplace emissions. Fireplaces generally fall into one of three categories: gas, masonry, and zero-clearance (prefabricated or manufactured fireplaces). Direct-Vent Gas Fireplaces For the easiest installation, choose a direct-vent gas fireplace. You can install this type of fireplace on any exterior wall, and it will vent directly out the back. Gas fireplace installation usually takes about a day or a day and a half. While you won't get the sounds and aroma of a wood fire, gas fireplaces give any room ambiance and often supply more warmth than a wood-burning fireplace. Plus, gas fireplaces start with a flip of a switch, and they're easy to clean up and maintain. Learn These Gas Fireplace Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Home Safe Wood-Burning Masonry Fireplaces To add a wood-burning fireplace, you need space above to get a chimney through the roof. In two-story houses, choices for placing the fireplace might be more limited, but often you can find the 12- to 14-inch space the chimney requires by enclosing a corner of a room or a spare closet. This kind of fireplace comes to mind for most people when considering fireplace installation and is the most expensive. It's made of a brick or stone firebox, a brick or stone chimney, and usually a wood mantel. Zero-Clearance Fireplaces If you're looking for an inexpensive fireplace installation, consider a zero-clearance or factory-built fireplace. These are lightweight fireplaces, often with linear designs to fit more modern tastes. Compared to masonry fireplaces, they're easier to install and require significantly less construction work. Since their firebox enclosures always remain cool, zero-clearance fireplaces can be installed in any room—even directly over hardwood floors and within a few inches of existing walls. Zero-clearance fireplaces have several available fuel sources, including propane, natural gas, firewood, and pellets. Helen Norman Where Should I Put My Fireplace? If you want to get the most use out of your fireplace, plan your fireplace installation in the most-used room in the house other than the kitchen, such as the family room or living room. Putting it in a smaller, easy-to-heat room such as a primary bedroom, office, or spare bedroom is more practical for heating. No matter which room you decide on, make sure its floor joists are reinforced. You should also factor in the firebox's dimensions and thickness, the damper opening's size and the type of chimney and liner used. Refer to your local building codes for detailed specifications for these considerations and the minimum distance between a fireplace and combustive materials. Some building codes require that the house framing be modified to accommodate the increased weight of the fireplace installation. This typically applies to masonry fireplaces, though it may also be necessary for chimney installation. How Much Does Fireplace Installation Cost? According to HomeGuide, on average, a new metal prefabricated gas or wood-burning fireplace costs $1,900-$5,600 to install, while an electric fireplace costs between $100 and $2,200, plus labor. A masonry fireplace costs an average of $3,500-$5,600 installed in an existing home with a 12-foot chimney. Do You Need a Professional for Fireplace Installation? It's possible to do a DIY installation of an electric fireplace. However, it's better to hire a professional to install a wood-burning fireplace with a chimney or a direct-vent gas fireplace. Building a chimney or installing a gas line can be complicated projects. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit