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Yes, you can have a gas line professionally installed to convert your traditional fireplace to natural gas; just know it’ll be an extra cost to budget for. The cost to run a gas line where you don’t already have one is about $540, though most homeowners pay between $260 and $820. Your total could be significantly higher if you don’t already have a main gas line running to your home.

Replacing older chimneys or fireplaces, like wood-burning stoves, with something more eco-friendly can actually increase the value of your home. Some homeowners opt to remove chimneys as they pursue LEED certification, which may also increase the value of your home. But in general, many potential buyers actually look for operational fireplaces in homes, so removing a chimney and fireplace could decrease your home’s value by up to $5,000.

Pellet stoves are safer than wood stoves in many ways. They don’t produce as many creosote deposits as wood stoves do, they create less smoke, and the flames are contained, decreasing the risk of any sparks or embers creating a house fire. Pellet stoves also burn more cleanly and efficiently than wood stoves do.

While fireplace inserts can help you make more use of your fireplace, they do come with some drawbacks. Some cons of fireplace inserts include the sometimes high cost of the insert and installation, the ongoing maintenance to buy fuel and clean the fireplace insert, and the efficiency. Fireplace inserts can operate more efficiently than an open fireplace, but they may not heat your home as evenly as an HVAC system.