Does an open fireplace really lose heat?+
In most houses, over a full evening, yes. It draws heated room air up the flue to sustain the fire and that air is replaced by cold air drawn in elsewhere. You feel radiant heat in front of it while the house behind you gets cooler.
Will an insert heat a room?+
A correctly sized and correctly vented one will heat a room and often more than a room. That is what the appliance is for. Sizing matters in both directions: an insert too large for the space gets run too low, which produces its own problems.
Do I definitely need a liner?+
For a solid-fuel insert, effectively yes. Venting into the full open fireplace flue leaves the appliance connected to a passage far larger than it needs, which weakens draft and builds creosote. Installations that skip it are the ones that disappoint.
Can I fit an insert into a factory-built fireplace?+
Sometimes, and it depends on that unit's listing and on whether the vent can be run correctly. A factory-built fireplace is a tested system, so any appliance put into it has to be one the listing supports.
Wood insert or pellet insert?+
The same trade-off as freestanding appliances. Wood needs no electricity and needs handling and storage. Pellet is easier to run and control and stops in a power cut. Which suits you depends on how much you want to tend a fire.
Is a gas insert an option?+
Yes, and it is the lowest-effort of the three. It gives controlled heat with no fuel handling, and it still needs annual service and a correctly sized vent. It will not heat through a power cut unless it is a model that operates without electricity.
Can I take the insert out later?+
Physically yes, though you are left with the liner in the chimney and a fireplace that has been adapted around the appliance. Worth treating as a considered change, not something to try.
Will it look bad?+
It changes the look, and how much depends on the surround and the model. A well-fitted insert with an appropriate surround reads as intentional; one squeezed into an opening it does not suit does not. Worth seeing installed examples before choosing.
How much less wood will I burn?+
Considerably less for the same heat delivered, because the combustion is far more complete and the heat goes into the room instead of up the flue. The exact difference depends on the appliance and the house, and a specific claim without those would be a guess.
What about glass doors on the open fireplace instead?+
They reduce heated air loss when there is no fire and help contain sparks, which are worthwhile in themselves. They do not turn an open fireplace into a heater, and they do not fix a draft problem.
Does my chimney need repair before an insert?+
It needs inspecting first, and any structural problem addressed before the liner goes in. Installing an appliance and liner into a chimney with a failing crown or spalling stack means doing the masonry work later with the appliance in place.
What should the quote include?+
The appliance, the liner with its material, grade, diameter and whether it is insulated, the termination, the connection, any hearth or surround work, and the removal and disposal of anything being taken out. A quote naming only the appliance is incomplete.