Our Services
A wood insert installation, piece by piece
Wood inserts installed across Slavia after a free inspection by our family team.
The EPA 2020 limits and the label
Federal rules for residential wood heaters cover fireplace inserts. EPA's Step 2 emission limits apply to every heater made or sold at retail from May 15, 2020, which must also carry a permanent label, and EPA keeps a public database of heaters that meet them.
When you are choosing a new insert, we point you to the label and the database. A unit that meets the current limits is built to burn cleaner, which also helps keep the glass and the liner cleaner between services. Ask the seller for the label details before you buy, and we confirm them at the inspection.
Inserts in factory-built fireplaces
Where an insert maker allows a factory-built fireplace, the conditions are strict. One maker calls for a full stainless liner rated Type HT to UL 1777, attached at the collar and at the chimney top, with the fireplace's airflow and louvers left unaltered.
The same manual allows only the removable external trim and the damper to come out of the factory-built unit, with the trim kept for reassembly. We confirm those conditions against the fireplace label before the job is priced, and we decline the work when they cannot be met.
Room air or outside air
An insert can take its combustion air from the room or from outside. One maker allows outside air through the old ash clean-out, fitted with a rodent screen and paired with a sealed surround, or room air with the surround left unsealed, and it asks installers to check local codes.
We recommend the arrangement your model allows and your fireplace suits. The choice is written into the estimate, because it changes how the surround is fitted. If outside air is part of the plan, we check the old ash clean-out for a clear path and fit the rodent screen the manual calls for.
Exhaust fans and the draft
Kitchen and bath fans, dryers and tight construction can lower the air pressure in a house. One insert manual warns that negative pressure can pull fumes into the living area, which is one reason the insert runs with its door closed.
During the inspection we ask about large exhaust fans near the fireplace and explain how they can affect the draft. Where the manual allows outside air, we tell you whether it suits your home. If the draft in your fireplace has ever suffered when a fan runs, mention it at the inspection.
