New wood-burning fireplaces installed in Rock Lake

The screen and the doors in use

The E-series manual says a firescreen is always provided to control sparks, and when the glass doors are open, the screen must be closed. It also says glass doors and screens must not be used to hold logs in place.

We show you the screen and the doors at the walkthrough and explain how the manual asks you to use them together. A screen left open during a crackling fire is how embers reach the rug, and a log propped against the doors is how glass cracks.

How a fireplace installation estimate should read

A clear fireplace estimate separates the fireplace unit, the chimney system and its roof parts, the framing or chase, the hearth extension, the face finish, removal of any old unit, the outside air supply, permit fees and any electrical work by an electrician.

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

• Fireplace model and accessories from its manual
• Chimney sections, firestops, shield and cap
• Framing, chase and roof opening
• Hearth extension and face finish
• Removal of the old unit
• Permit and inspection coordination

What never goes into a fireplace

EPA lists what should never be burned: household trash, cardboard, plastics, foam, colored ink on magazines and packaging, and coated, painted or pressure-treated wood. Construction offcuts left over from the fireplace project often fall into that last group.

We mention it at handover because a pile of painted trim and treated lumber next to a new fireplace is a common sight after a renovation. Those scraps belong in a dumpster, never in the firebox.

The outside air inlet on the wall

An outside air kit ends in an inlet on an exterior wall, covered with a screen that keeps animals, leaves and insects out of the duct. The inlet's position follows the manual's limits on duct length and bends and the code's rules about where combustion air may come from.

We show you where the inlet will sit and how it will look from the yard before the duct is run, and we keep it away from a garage, dryer vents and anything else that exhausts air. It is a small grille, and it should look like it belongs on the wall.