Get matched with top fireplace pros in Pukalani, HI

One of the main disadvantages of wood-burning stoves is that they use wood as fuel. This requires a lot of work, including buying or chopping wood, cutting it to the right size for your stove, and adding more logs to the fire throughout the day. You’ll also need a dry place to store the wood.

Annual inspections, soot removal, and clean-burning fuel help maintain a safe and efficient chimney.

The short answer is yes, but the longer answer is more complex. Unless the fireplace is ventless by design, you’ll need some type of exhaust pipe system to safely send fumes and other harmful byproducts out of the house. Even then, ventless fireplaces are not always permitted because they do keep the byproducts inside of your house. Ventless fireplaces are safest when installed in spaces that are themselves well-ventilated, like large rooms with lots of windows.

Deciding whether to buy a prebuilt fireplace kit or build one from scratch comes down to aesthetics, available space, and budget. Many homeowners like the convenience and lower cost of prebuilt options—around $1,500—versus the involved planning and construction of a larger fireplace. Another bonus: you can usually move prebuilt units. Custom projects are more common when homeowners have access to a larger budget and more area in the yard to place the fireplace.