Get matched with top fireplace pros in Three Forks, MT

A 40-pound bag of wood pellets can provide a solid 24 hours or so of burn time, though the exact length may vary. If you’re using your pellet stove as an exclusive heat source during the winter, you’ll need an estimated 100 to 150 of those 40-pound bags, depending on how hot you like to keep your home, its size, the climate, and other factors.

Some people prefer the traditional look of a classic fireplace over modern fireplace inserts, potentially making their aesthetic a disadvantage, though this isn’t true for everyone. Additionally, if you’re moving into a house with an insert and don’t have the specific fuel requirements, the insert will be pretty much useless. Though fireplace inserts are less maintenance than standard fireplaces, they still require consistent cleaning.

A chimney liner is a good thing to invest in regardless of if you have issues or not. Chimney liners increase the safety of your fireplace. Without a chimney liner, the gasses that get emitted during burning could eventually damage the masonry and create a major fire hazard in your home.  

Based on the current national fuel prices, running a gas fireplace costs about $0.35 per hour if it uses natural gas or $0.62 per hour if it runs on propane. However, these figures depend on fuel prices in your area. For one heating season, it costs an average of $400 to $640 to run a gas fireplace, depending on your location and how often you use your fireplace.