Can you use a fireplace after the insert is removed?

• <div><p>In some cases, you can use a fireplace once the insert has been removed. However, before burning a fire, you must have a professional inspect it and the chimney to make sure they're functioning properly and no damage has occurred from removing the insert. That’s because using a fireplace without an insert could create fire hazards due to issues with airflow and heat dispersion, depending on the fireplace design and material. A professional can advise on whether you should make certain repairs or modifications before using your fireplace as an open hearth.</p></div>

How do I know if I need to repair my gas fireplace?

• <div><p>There are a few things you can keep an eye out for that indicate you may need to call in a gas fireplace repair tech:</p><ul><li><p>Your fireplace pilot light won’t stay on.</p></li><li><p>You notice the smell of rotten eggs.</p></li><li><p>You hear hissing coming from the gas fireplace.</p></li><li><p>You notice a soot build-up.</p></li><li><p>The fire goes out unexpectedly.</p></li></ul><p>If you notice a rotten egg smell or hear hissing, you could have a <a href="https://www.angi.com/articles/signs-of-gas-leak.htm">gas leak</a>, which is extremely dangerous. Call the fire department and your gas company first to shut off the gas and air out your home before calling for a repair.</p></div>

Get matched with top fireplace pros in Indian River, MI

Q: How much does a gas fireplace insert cost?

• <div><p>A <a href="https://www.angi.com/articles/fireplace-insert-cost.htm">gas fireplace insert costs</a> about <b>$3,600 to install, on average</b>. The cost to install a gas log insert ranges from about $700 to $6,500, depending on the size, type of insert, how it works, and heating needs. Gas fireplaces need electrical and gas lines installed properly, so hiring a pro is recommended rather than trying to DIY installation.</p></div>

Q: Are chimneys usually load-bearing?

• <div><p>The answer can vary widely based on a home's age and design. As with any type of remodeling project, assume that every structure is load-bearing until confirming otherwise with a structural engineer. Almost all modern homes have chimneys that are fully independent from the rest of the home's framing. As a result, they don't bear any load beyond their own weight. However, many historic homes built prior to the 1900s contain load-bearing chimneys that tie into the surrounding roof and floor joists. If possible, use a home's blueprints or look for chimney connections that indicate load-bearing qualities to get your answer.</p></div>

Q: Can you convert an electric fireplace to gas?

• <div><p>There isn&rsquo;t a way to convert electric fireplaces easily or cheaply to gas. The process requires major renovations, as opposed to wood fireplaces, which are often already vented and have space for the gas-burning equipment. To convert an electric fireplace to gas, you&rsquo;d need to <a href="https://www.angi.com/articles/what-average-cost-remove-gas-fireplace.htm">remove your old fireplace</a> and get a completely new install.</p></div>

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Verified Reviews for Fireplace Service pros in Indian River, MI

*The Angi rating for Fireplace Service companies in Indian River, MI is a rating based on verified reviews from our community of homeowners who have used these pros to meet their Fireplace Service needs.

*The HomeAdvisor rating for Fireplace Service companies in Indian River, MI is a rating based on verified reviews from our community of homeowners who have used these pros to meet their Fireplace Service needs.

Last update on January 27, 2026

Reviewed in January 2026
I was impressed with Chuck from Shamrock Chimney. He was realistic in his discussion and went thru various options from converting to a gas fireplace to wood inserts. He discussed the issues with the existing field stone face and converting to a two way fireplace. He certainly made me...
Shamrock Maintenance Corp.
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Reviewed in October 2025
More than floor was installed, cabinets, countertops, appliances, painting. They were efficient as possible,had to repair a leaking roof in the midst of installing.
Building for Christ LLC
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Reviewed in August 2024
Living in Cheboygan, Michigan, it can be hard to find a trustworthy contractor. We are so glad we found Community Construction through their website, CommConstruct.com. We ended up hiring them to completely remodel one of our bathrooms. We wanted to change from a standard bathroom with a tub and...
COMMUNITY CONSTRUCTION MICHIGAN LLC
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Reviewed in January 2024
Did an excellent job, second time we’ve used him. Did everything I wanted and more. Cut down a maple, trimmed a huge beech tree threatening my house. Cut and stacked the wood. Raked the yard even in 3 inches of snow. As an added bonus cut down 4 dead limbs over my driveway. Entire crew of 4...
Northern Landscape, LLC
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Reviewed in October 2023
Darryl did an amazing job on painting my bathroom and installing a dimmer switch. He also converted my kitchen light from fluorescent to LED. Would highly recommend!
Next level services
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Reviewed in July 2023
We are in the process. Rose from Petoskey Roofing Company was very professional. Rose was timely and transparent with costs. Friendly and very easy to contact and communicate with. We look forward to hiring Petoskey Roofing to complete our project in the very near future. Highly recommend.
Petoskey Roofing Company
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Reviewed in December 2022
Great job on our entire home painting.
Luxury Interiors and Exteriors
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Reviewed in October 2022
Larry applied Outlast log preservative on the exterior of my new log home, caulked and chinked too. He is truly an expert on log cabin preservation. He is also staining the interior too when we get the walls covered with wood paneling.
LH Stone Enterprises
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Reviewed in August 2022
They did a fantastic job on rebuilding our deck. It turned out beautiful. It was very professional done. Would recommend them to anyone.
Renewit Group
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Reviewed in June 2022
Extremely happy with the work they did. Very reliable. Installed 4 doors for us. Two exterior doors and two storm doors I will be recommending them to anyone i know that needs a project like this done. The cost was the same as what a family friend quoted. Five stars all the way.
Mandini Construction, LLC
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Find Fireplace pros in Indian River

Shamrock Maintenance Corp.

4.5(

)

Clean and Inspect a wood fireplace chimneyBrick or Stone Fireplace (Non-Gas) - RepairClean and Inspect a wood burning stove or pellet stove+3 more

Serving Indian River, MI and surrounding areas

Approved

Super Service Award Winner

In business since 1985

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"Chuck arrived with a helper and explained everything to us. He cleaned the chimney and left us with some estimates for potential work. He was knowledgeable and pleasant. I would use him again."

+31

Response time1 day

Response rate100%

81 neighbors recently requested a quote

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Alexis Huston

New to Angi

Clean and Inspect a gas fireplaceClean and Inspect a wood burning stove or pellet stoveClean and Inspect a wood fireplace chimney

Serving Indian River, MI and surrounding areas

Approved

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

Small jobs welcome

I’ve been in the cleaning business for the last 15 years. I am 34 with two young children and really enjoy cleaning and organizing, making space for homeowners to feel more clear minded and less stressed.

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Sunny Days Services

New to Angi

Clean and Inspect a gas fireplaceClean and Inspect a wood burning stove or pellet stoveClean and Inspect a wood fireplace chimney

Serving Indian River, MI and surrounding areas

Approved

Offers commercial services

WELCOME TO SUNNY DAYS SERVICES! ☀️ \n\nWe’re a locally owned and operated cleaning and property care company wanting to help you with your properties this season! Get the same cleaned guaranteed result every time! \n\nOffering a wide range of services including:\n🏠 Residential cleans \n🏡 Air BNB cleans\n🏬 Commercial Cleans \n🚧 Construction Cleans\n🌳 Lawn and Property Care \n\nWe have a service for everyone! Weekly, bi weekly, one time clean or seasonal? All are accepted! The hardest part is reaching out! \n\nOur goal here at Sunny Days is to help maintain your properties quality and shinning from the inside to the outside! We offer both! Let us help you this season! \n\n📍Located in Boyne City and willing to travel to surrounding areas! \nNOW ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS! ☀️ \nMessage me for a quote! 🧼

13 neighbors recently requested a quote

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Ocd Cleaning

New to Angi

Clean and Inspect a wood burning stove or pellet stove

Serving Indian River, MI and surrounding areas

Approved

20 years experienced house cleaner. All experience from residential, commercial, condos, post construction cleans, you name it ! Reliable, honest, and affordable! \nOffering services in areas of Kalkaska, Williamsburg, Traverse City, Elk Rapids, etc. BUSINESS NAME IS THROUGH THR STATE \nOCD CLEANING

Clean and Inspect a gas fireplaceClean and Inspect a wood burning stove or pellet stoveClean and Inspect a wood fireplace chimney

Serving Indian River, MI and surrounding areas

In business since 2007

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"Everything is going great. Also added some other equipment such as app controlled door locks, etc."

Recommended by93%of homeowners

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All American Chimneys

New to Angi

Clean and Inspect a wood fireplace chimneyPre-Fabricated Fireplace Unit (Non-Gas) - InstallPre-Fabricated Fireplace Unit (Non-Gas) - Repair

Serving Indian River, MI and surrounding areas

In business since 2024

Small jobs welcome

Offers commercial services

All American Chimneys is dedicated to providing our customers with the best quality and craftsmanship. We are here to build relationships with our customers and communities and to provide our employees with a great place to work. We look forward to working with you!

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Heating Solutions Inc

New to Angi

Clean and Inspect a gas fireplaceClean and Inspect a wood burning stove or pellet stoveClean and Inspect a wood fireplace chimney

Serving Indian River, MI and surrounding areas

In business since 2018

Free estimates

Offers commercial services

At our company, we take immense pride in our wealth of experience, expertise, and the exceptional customer service we offer to meet our clients' needs. Our mission is to consistently deliver outstanding design work and drawings, from project initiation to completion. We place great emphasis on understanding and exceeding our customers' needs and expectations, ensuring that every interaction is conducted with the utmost professionalism. Our reputation is founded on top-notch service and quality, irrespective of the size of the project. Get in touch with us today!

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Northern Husky Pressure Washing

New to Angi

Clean and Inspect a gas fireplaceClean and Inspect a wood burning stove or pellet stoveClean and Inspect a wood fireplace chimney

Serving Indian River, MI and surrounding areas

In business since 2022

Free estimates

Credit card accepted

Welcome to Northern Husky Pressure Washing. We are the premier professional home improvement company in Michigan. We offer the highest quality and most attentive customer service. We are known to pay exquisite attention to detail while making customer satisfaction our top priority. Whether your project involves minor cleaning or a complete property cleaning, we are glad to be your number one choice. Please call us today to schedule your appointment!

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Fireplaces questions, answered by experts

A gas fireplace insert costs about $3,600 to install, on average. The cost to install a gas log insert ranges from about $700 to $6,500, depending on the size, type of insert, how it works, and heating needs. Gas fireplaces need electrical and gas lines installed properly, so hiring a pro is recommended rather than trying to DIY installation.

In some cases, you can use a fireplace once the insert has been removed. However, before burning a fire, you must have a professional inspect it and the chimney to make sure they're functioning properly and no damage has occurred from removing the insert. That’s because using a fireplace without an insert could create fire hazards due to issues with airflow and heat dispersion, depending on the fireplace design and material. A professional can advise on whether you should make certain repairs or modifications before using your fireplace as an open hearth.

There are a few things you can keep an eye out for that indicate you may need to call in a gas fireplace repair tech:

Your fireplace pilot light won’t stay on.
You notice the smell of rotten eggs.
You hear hissing coming from the gas fireplace.
You notice a soot build-up.
The fire goes out unexpectedly.

If you notice a rotten egg smell or hear hissing, you could have a gas leak, which is extremely dangerous. Call the fire department and your gas company first to shut off the gas and air out your home before calling for a repair.

The answer can vary widely based on a home's age and design. As with any type of remodeling project, assume that every structure is load-bearing until confirming otherwise with a structural engineer. Almost all modern homes have chimneys that are fully independent from the rest of the home's framing. As a result, they don't bear any load beyond their own weight. However, many historic homes built prior to the 1900s contain load-bearing chimneys that tie into the surrounding roof and floor joists. If possible, use a home's blueprints or look for chimney connections that indicate load-bearing qualities to get your answer.

There isn’t a way to convert electric fireplaces easily or cheaply to gas. The process requires major renovations, as opposed to wood fireplaces, which are often already vented and have space for the gas-burning equipment. To convert an electric fireplace to gas, you’d need to remove your old fireplace and get a completely new install.

The Indian River, MI homeowners’ guide to fireplace services

From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.

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