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You should not use Windex or any other ammonia-based glass cleaners when cleaning the glass doors or glass front panel of a gas fireplace. Instead, remove the glass and lay it on a soft surface, like a drop cloth or towel. Then clean it using a specialty fireplace glass cleaner purchased at a hardware store or online. If the glass is relatively clean, you can get away with a vinegar and water solution, but tougher stains will require a specialized cleaner.

Your state, city, or even homeowners insurance company may have requirements on how far the outdoor wood furnace should be from the house, so be sure to abide by those regulations. In general, you should install an outdoor wood furnace or boiler as few as 30 feet or as much as 500 feet from the house or any other building.

Running a gas fireplace is potentially cheaper than using central heating if you are heating a single room and don’t need to heat the entire house. That's because gas fireplaces are a better source of direct heat, making them more efficient for warming small spaces. Central heating, while more efficient for whole-home warmth, uses more energy overall. Strategically using a gas fireplace, therefore, can help lower heating bills.

Depending on who’s doing the estimating, about 22,000 to 25,000 chimney fires happen each year in the United States. Given the fact that millions of Americans have fireplaces (and chimneys), that means chimney fires aren’t exactly common—but they’re not rare, either. Since they’re so dangerous, it’s important to take precautions to prevent them.