Converting Your Old Fireplace To A New One

There are many reasons to upgrade an old gas fireplace to a new one.

Your home might be undergoing a refit, remodel or renovation. An old fireplace with an equally antiquated mantelpiece might be completely last century. Believe me, I've seen a few in my time, and only just recently too.

It's like 1950's decor in the here and now. Truly ghastly. This is typical of homes in well-established Australian rural towns, though modern cities with older traditional suburbs can't be counted out either.

In 2019, with property prices being exorbitantly out of reach for many average Australians, sights and budgets are now set significantly lower for entry into the property market.

It all depends where you buy of course. The outer suburbs of the main metro cities are still prohibitively expensive, but if you can afford something that allows for a renovation budget, then perhaps a fireplace swap-out could be on the cards?

This certainly fits into the criteria of adding value to your property.

What are some options?

Gas Log Fire Inserts

The gas log fire 'insert' option would also definitely appeal if you were wanting to update your old brick/masonry fireplace, but without the hassle of firewood.

The venting infrastructure is still in place through the chimney column, all that is required is to place a flue that would run up inside it directly vented from the new unit's firebox.

Zero-Clearance Fireplaces

Maybe a Zero Clearance fireplace is an option? Though these fireplaces can be installed without a brick and masonry construct, there is nothing to prevent you from installing such a unit as an insert to an existing fireplace and chimney.

All that is required is to choose from a Zero Clearance unit that is either a wood heater, gas log fireplace. Sort out the size unit required, the venting (not required for an electric model), and whether any update is necessary for the surround (mantelpiece etc) in relation to the current decor.

Wood Heater Inserts

An older fireplace comes from an era of inefficient design, where heat loss was experienced through escaping out the chimney, rather than being retained inside the home.

The latest wood heater designs removes that issue once and for all, and because a fireplace and chimney already exists, there is nothing to prevent you from installing a far more efficient wood heater as an upgrade and replacement. Just slot it in, and run up a flue for ventin

The Installation Cost

The expected lesser installation cost might be one of the major reasons to go down the path of an 'insert' option, notwithstanding the safety element for the Zero Clearance option in particular, though in all honesty, the other options are pretty safe too.

Do your homework

As mentioned time and again, do your homework.