Buying an insert for a fireplace is not as simple as it seems at first glance, unless you work through all the details in advance. There are a great many types of insert, plus hundreds of manufacturers, thousands of model options and a countless number of designs. So what should you settle on? And how do you correctly choose and buy a fireplace insert for your home? We work through all of that in this article.
What is a fireplace for?
Today the fireplace has ceased to be purely a heating device or, as in the Middle Ages, an item for cooking food. In modern private houses and cottages, at summer houses and country villas, fireplaces serve a decorative purpose rather than anything else. Watching a flame has a calming, therapeutic effect. And a room with a fireplace becomes the centre of the house, where it is so pleasant to spend cosy family evenings or gatherings with friends.
So for the modern buyer, when choosing a fireplace insert, it is not only the technical parameters (output, heated area) that matter but the decorative criteria too. What kind of flame does one fuel or another give? What view of the fire does the insert offer? How can the insert be installed attractively and strikingly? All of these parameters will affect the final choice. So in order to make a good choice and buy the insert of your dreams, it is worth answering these questions in advance.
How do you choose an insert for a fireplace?
The modern market for heating equipment offers a wide choice — from electric and bio fireplaces to wood-burning inserts and stoves. If you have decided in favour of a traditional fireplace and want to buy a fireplace insert, in this article you will find advice on which type of insert to choose.
Types of fireplace insert
A fireplace is a collective name for several important elements: the surround, the insert, the chimney and other components. The fireplace insert itself may in turn differ both in appearance and in the way it works. The criteria by which inserts differ can be divided as follows:
- by purpose
- by method of heating
- by type of fuel
- by type of operation
- by material
- by appearance
- by method of placement
- by type of view of the flame
- by the way the door opens
Let us look at each of these criteria in more detail.
Types of insert by purpose
By purpose, fireplace inserts can be divided into two categories:
- for heating
- for decoration
These two criteria are often interlinked, and an insert for heating serves perfectly well as a central element in the interior as well. But that applies only to country and private homes.
As for apartments, there are restrictions on installing solid-fuel fireplaces. In such homes only electric or bio fireplaces tend to be in demand. Such a fireplace in an interior performs only a decorative function and can serve for heating the room only in part.
Types of fireplace by fuel
The type of fuel is an important element that determines the ability of the insert to heat a maximum area, the length of its operation, its appearance, and the need to install additional elements: a chimney, a surround or a recess in the wall, for example.
By type of fuel there are:
- solid-fuel fireplaces
- electric fireplaces
- bio fireplaces
- gas fireplaces
- pellet fireplaces
Solid-fuel fireplaces burn wood, wood waste, sawdust, coal or pressed briquettes. As a rule the inserts for such fireplaces are made of metal — cast iron (MORSO cast iron stoves and KAWMET cast iron inserts and stoves) or steel — while the surround is of brick and stone (marble, granite and so on). Such fireplaces are considered traditional and have a distinctive character, but they require a large quantity of fuel to be prepared, and it burns away quickly. Despite that, it is precisely solid-fuel fireplaces that will give you the pleasure of a real flame in the firebox and quality heating for the house.
The only drawback of such fireplaces is that they cannot be installed everywhere — only in premises that have an outlet for a chimney and a dedicated flue shaft.
Read more about what to burn in a solid-fuel fireplace in the article How and with what to light a fireplace with a steel insert
Electric and bio fireplaces are an alternative for those who live in an apartment or cannot build a chimney. An electric fireplace works by being connected to the mains. Bio fireplaces run on liquid biofuel (bioethanol). Technically, the fuel for eco and bio fireplaces is denatured alcohol obtained by processing sugar-bearing plant crops. The advantage of such fuel is that it can be used in systems without a chimney.
A gas fireplace is an ideal option for heating country houses, summer houses and cottages that are not connected to central heating. The construction consists of a burner, a heat exchanger, a thermostat, a frame and a casing. The operating principle of such a fireplace is similar to a gas cooker: the gas produces a live flame that heats the room. A drawback of gas fireplaces can be the difficulties associated with obtaining permits from the relevant services for their installation.
Pellet fireplaces are one variety of solid-fuel appliance. A pellet fireplace produces heat by burning a modern fuel — pellets, granules of pressed wood shavings. Pellets have a high density, are compact and do not require special storage conditions. Their high calorific value provides increased efficiency. Pellet fireplaces are simple to install, do not take up much space and are fitted with convenient electronic controls.
Types of insert by method of heating
By method of heating, inserts differ in exactly how they work and heat the room. By this criterion they can be divided into:
- air (convection)
- with a water jacket
- heat-accumulating
- hybrid
Air, or convection, fireplace inserts are the most widespread option for wood-burning fireplaces. Fireplace inserts with air heating warm the room by means of air heated by the burning wood.
The air is warmed in ducts running between the insert and the walls of the fireplace enclosure, then distributed around the rooms through air ducts located in the ceiling or the walls. Combustion products are removed through the flue pipe.
Depending on the model, a fireplace insert can heat a house with a floor area of up to 230 sq. m.
Inserts with a water jacket are fired with wood, but they heat the premises not by means of air but by means of water contained in a special water jacket around the fireplace.
The greater part of the energy goes to heating water through a heat exchanger into a buffer tank, whose volume depends on the volume of the firebox chamber; a smaller part goes to convection heating directly in the room (17%), and the remaining heat is given off through the glass of the door (8%).
An insert with a water jacket has many advantages, but before you buy a water-jacket fireplace you should take into account that installing an insert with a water circuit is more complex than installing a convection-type insert. You will need to buy components for the fireplace — overheating protection, an automation system, pumps, a heat exchanger and so on. And the price of an insert with a water jacket is higher. So such a heating system will work out more expensive.
Heat-accumulating fireplaces work by means of special accumulating materials in combination with an air-type insert. In other words, the manufacture of a convection air insert uses materials capable of accumulating heat while the fireplace burns. Once the burning has finished, they give that heat off into the room over 8-10 hours (the time depends on the quantity of accumulating material).
Put more simply, a heat-accumulating fireplace is a quality air-type wood-burning insert, made of cast iron or boiler steel, with heat accumulation added (a fireclay-and-brick composite) inside the firebox or next to it.
A hybrid fireplace, as can be guessed from the name, is a fireplace that can use different types of fuel. A hybrid fireplace insert can be fired with briquettes, pellets and, traditionally, wood. Such a fireplace is fully up to date: it has automatic lighting and cleaning, can be controlled remotely from a smartphone and is able to work for up to a month unattended without your intervention.
Types of insert by appearance
The design of inserts today is limited only by the imagination of the designers and manufacturers. Their appearance depends on many factors, from the type of fuel to the method of placement. But all inserts can be divided by appearance into two large groups:
- open fireplace inserts
- closed fireplace inserts
An open fireplace can safely be called the father of all modern fireplaces. This is the traditional fireplace, with a surround built of fire-resistant materials and a combustion chamber open to the room. As far back as the Middle Ages the nobility built such classic fireplaces in old castles, and their dimensions were simply astonishing.
Once open fireplaces were used not only for heating but for cooking. In our time, however, they are installed above all for decorative purposes in country houses, hotels or restaurants. Such fireplaces have a low efficiency and give off very little heat, which can only be felt in the immediate vicinity of the fire. And in a house with children or pets, such a fireplace can become a danger.
A closed fireplace is a modern fireplace consisting of a ready-made insert with glass doors and a surround.
In such an insert the view of the fire is protected by an airtight door with heat-resistant glass, and its output is increased by means of a convection box or a water jacket. The efficiency of closed inserts reaches more than 75%. In fireplaces of this type it is also possible to distribute the heat to several rooms or even to the whole house.
A separate variety of closed fireplace is the fireplace cassette. This is a compact appliance with glass doors, fitted into the opening of an existing open fireplace. That way the old open firebox does not have to be dismantled: the fireplace becomes closed, and the heat stops flying up the chimney. The size of the cassette is matched to the specific opening, so before ordering it is worth taking measurements and checking compatibility with a manager or a representative in your region.
Types of fireplace by the material of the insert
The material a fireplace insert is made from affects its efficiency, its rate of heating and how long it holds heat after the fire has gone out. Two materials compete in today's insert market:
- steel inserts
- cast iron inserts
Both cast iron and steel have their advantages. Read more about which material to choose in the article: Cast iron or steel insert: what is the difference and which one to buy
Cast iron fireplace inserts are powerful and energy efficient. Cast iron is able to accumulate and hold heat even after the fire in the firebox has gone out. It warms up gradually — first the metal itself fills with heat — but then it gives that heat off into the room for a long time and needs a minimum of wood for a maximum of its output.
Cast iron is not prone to corrosion and easily withstands significant temperature swings. However, cast iron inserts are heavier than steel ones, so installation demands more attention to the load-bearing capacity of the floor where the fireplace is to stand. And the characteristic relief of cast iron is a matter of taste: in classic, country and Scandinavian interiors it looks very much at home.
Steel fireplace inserts have a more modern appearance and a more advanced technical construction. Inside the body of a steel insert there are additional air ducts, which make the burning of wood energy efficient. And the convection system provides better transfer of heat to other rooms. The ceramic lining of a steel insert not only sets off the beauty of the flame but helps to maintain a high temperature in the combustion chamber.
Because of the lining of the combustion chamber, steel inserts look stylish and will grace any room. Steel makes it possible to construct fireplace inserts large and small and of non-standard configurations, so you will not be limited in design.
Both materials are in SAVEN's own range, so the choice is not "either-or" but a matter of the particular task. Steel means straight and corner inserts, the Energy Up series with a guillotine door and Balance, as well as steel fireplace stoves and fireplace cassettes. Cast iron is represented by MORSO cast iron stoves (41 models) and KAWMET cast iron inserts and stoves (87 models). The efficiency and heated area figures differ from model to model, so there is no single number "for all inserts": look at the characteristics of the specific product.
Types of fireplace by the way they are placed
Modern fireplace design is not limited to built-in and wall-standing types. A fireplace today can be fixed to the wall, stood on the floor or even placed on a table or a bedside cabinet. It all depends on what you want and of course on the function the fireplace is to perform — purely decorative or heating. So, by the way they are installed in a room, fireplaces can be divided into:
- built-in
- freestanding (floor-standing)
- wall-mounted (hanging)
- table-top
A built-in fireplace is the classic option for solid-fuel inserts. A cast iron or steel wood-burning insert is fitted into the wall, standing on a thermally insulating base. The chimney is connected to the back of such an insert. It is then faced with a surround of stone, marble or plaster.
Freestanding fireplaces are placed on the floor without being built into the wall. As a rule these are wood-burning fireplace stoves, which need no additional facing or building work. Some models of electric and bio fireplace also belong to the floor-standing group.
A wall-mounted or hanging fireplace is fixed to the wall like other furniture or household equipment. Only models of electric and bio fireplace, however, can be hung.
A table-top fireplace is mostly made by manufacturers of bio fireplaces. Such fireplaces can be placed on a table or any other furniture surface. They come in various sizes — from very small to wide — and perform a purely decorative function.
Types of insert by shape and view of the fire
This classification applies exclusively to solid-fuel fireplaces with a live flame. Wood-burning inserts may be:
- straight
- corner
- double-sided (tunnel)
- three-sided
Straight inserts are the classic option for closed wood-burning fireplaces. Such inserts have a flat pane and are built into a straight wall, usually in the centre of the room. Any facing can be chosen for a straight fireplace to create an ideal interior, and the insert itself becomes the centre of the whole house.
A corner insert is a popular model that looks unconventional because of its position in the corner of a room or at the junction of two walls. A corner fireplace saves space in the room while still catching the eye. Corner inserts have front and side glass, so the fire can be seen from two sides.
Three-sided inserts, as can be guessed from the name, have glass on three of the four walls. The fire can be seen here from the front, the right and the left. Three-sided fireplaces are installed in the centre of a room or in the wall between two adjoining rooms.
A tunnel insert is one where the fire can be seen from two opposite sides: front and back. As a rule tunnel fireplaces are fitted in internal walls. The fireplace then heats two rooms at once, and in each of them you can enjoy the sight of the burning wood.
Types of insert by the way the door opens
In closed wood-burning inserts an airtight door with heat-resistant glass is a mandatory element. It may be:
- side-opening (left- or right-hand)
- with a guillotine
A side-opening door for a fireplace insert opens in the traditional way, to the left or the right. As a rule it is fitted with a handle and heat-resistant glass able to withstand temperatures up to 800°C. Individual models may also have an ash pan (a chamber for collecting ash). Most modern models of closed insert are sold complete with the door. But even if you have damaged it, you can buy a door for the fireplace and replace it.
A fireplace with a guillotine is a type of closed insert whose door opens not horizontally to the side but vertically, up and down. This is a convenient option for those with a small room and limited space for opening the door and loading wood. As a rule guillotine inserts are made by manufacturers of steel fireplaces, though cast iron inserts with this way of opening can also be found.
What is the SAVEN Energy Up series?
That is exactly the principle on which our own series of SAVEN Energy Up steel inserts with a guillotine door works — 12 models. Their door rises vertically and disappears into the body of the insert, so no free space has to be left in front of the fireplace for an open door. When the door is raised, the fire can be watched as in an open fireplace, and by lowering it you return to the economical closed burning mode. The dimensions, the size of the glass and the heated area differ for each model and are given in the product characteristics.
What is interesting about the Balance series?
Another separate series of SAVEN steel inserts is Balance, currently 4 models. It is intended for modern interiors with restrained geometry, where the fireplace is built into the wall. For the exact dimensions, weight and figures of each model see its page on the site, and for the price check with a manager or a representative in your region.
Which types of SAVEN insert suit which tasks?
So as not to get lost among all the classifications, we have gathered into one table what is in the SAVEN range, with a note on who each type suits.
| Type | Feature | Who it suits | Catalogue section |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight steel inserts | A flat pane, built into a straight wall | A classic closed fireplace in the centre of a room or along a wall, under any facing | Straight inserts |
| Corner steel inserts | Front and side glass, a view of the fire from two sides | When the fireplace goes into a corner or at the junction of two walls and space has to be saved | Corner inserts |
| SAVEN Energy Up guillotine inserts (12 models) | The door rises vertically instead of swinging to the side | Small rooms where there is no space for an open door, and anyone wanting to combine open and closed modes | Guillotine inserts |
| Balance inserts (4 models) | A separate series of steel inserts with restrained geometry | Modern minimalist interiors where the fireplace is built into the wall | Balance inserts |
| Fireplace cassettes | An appliance with glass doors, fitted into the opening of an existing open fireplace | Those who already have an open fireplace and want to make it closed without rebuilding | Fireplace cassettes |
| Steel fireplace stoves | A freestanding stove: needs no surround, recess or facing | When a fireplace is needed without building work — summer houses, small houses, extensions | Fireplace stoves |
| Cast iron inserts and stoves (KAWMET 87 models, MORSO 41 models) | Cast iron warms up more slowly but gives off accumulated heat for longer | Those for whom long heat output after the fire has gone out matters, and who like the classic look of casting | KAWMET, MORSO |
Whatever the type, every insert will need a chimney, fireplace ventilation grilles to distribute the warm air and, if required, accessories. The warranty on SAVEN inserts, fireplace stoves and cassettes is 5 years, and 2 years on the fireclay lining; on MORSO cast iron stoves it is 5 years. We do not publish prices: please check them with a manager or a representative in your region.