Wood stove inserts installed and lined in Coytown

The hearth in front of an insert

Insert manuals set the noncombustible hearth required in front of the fireplace opening. The Pacific guide asks for a hearth raised above an adjacent combustible floor and extending 16 inches in front of the opening and 8 inches past each side, and allows a flush hearth only if it reaches further forward.

Many fireplaces already have a hearth that meets the manual, and some do not. We measure yours against the model you choose, and if it falls short, the extension and its material are written into the estimate before work begins.

Ember protection on the floor

Beyond the hearth itself, the Pacific guide calls for the combustible floor in front of the insert to be protected from hot embers by noncombustible material extending out from the loading side and past the other sides of the unit.

Embers fall when the door opens to add wood or rake the coals, so this protection sits exactly where people stand. We check the floor finish in front of your fireplace and show you where the protected zone ends before any rug or furniture goes back.

Finding the fireplace flue in a larger chimney

A wide chimney can hold several flues side by side. One may serve the fireplace, another a furnace or water heater, and a third may have been abandoned when an appliance was replaced. From the roof they can look alike, and from the room only one is visible.

Before any liner is fed down, our crew traces which flue opens into the firebox and confirms nothing else is tied into it. The estimate names that flue, so the liner goes down the right opening the first time and every other appliance keeps its own exhaust path.

How an insert estimate should read

A clear insert estimate separates the unit, the liner and its connector, the top plate and cap, the surround, any hearth extension, any fireplace repairs, any electrical work by an electrician and the removal of old parts.

Every line carries upfront pricing with no hidden fees, so you can see where the money goes and compare our proposal fairly with anyone else's. Book within 72 hours after the inspection and 10% off is applied right on the estimate.

• Insert model and surround size
• Liner type, size and length
• Top plate, rain cap and any cap change
• Hearth or floor protection work
• Repairs found at the inspection
• Removal and haul-away of old parts