Fireplaces & Stoves

Most people compare wood and gas fireplaces by sticker price and stop there — but the purchase price is only part of the story. The real question is total cost of ownership: what you'll spend over the years to buy, fuel, and maintain it, plus the value of things that never show up on a receipt, like ambiance and heat during a power outage. This guide breaks down the true 10-year cost of each in Idaho using real local numbers — the cheapest natural gas in the country (~$0.50/therm) and affordable firewood (~$200/cord) — across upfront, fuel, and maintenance. Spoiler: gas usually wins on cost, but wood wins on the intangibles. Here's how to decide which is right for your home.

Adding a fireplace or wood stove in Idaho? What's required depends on where you live and what you install. This guide covers gas vs. solid-fuel permits, EPA certification, clearances, chimney code, and Idaho's air-quality rules — by jurisdiction.

If you want a better fireplace, you have two fundamentally different paths: drop an insert into an existing fireplace, or install a brand-new unit. They sound similar, but they solve different problems, cost different amounts, and suit different homes — and the right choice usually comes down to one question: do you already have a usable fireplace opening? This guide breaks down both options across cost, efficiency, placement, and installation, with clear "choose this if" guidance. You'll learn why both crush an open masonry hearth on efficiency (10–20% vs. 70–90%), when an insert is the smart, cost-effective upgrade, and when a new built-in fireplace's placement freedom is worth the extra investment.

Before you can enjoy a fireplace, you have to make the first big decision: gas, wood, or pellet? Each fuel type has real strengths and real trade-offs, and the right choice depends on how you'll use it, what heat you want, how much maintenance you'll do, and what fuel is available where you live. This Idaho buyer's guide compares all three side by side — efficiency, upfront and fuel costs, heat output, power-outage performance, and maintenance — then walks through Idaho-specific factors like climate, burn regulations, and fuel availability. Includes a clear decision framework and the brands to look for: Kozy Heat, Heatilator, Heat & Glo, Valor, and Stûv.

Thinking about a pellet stove for an Idaho winter? This buyer's guide covers how they work, how they compare to wood and gas, sizing for cold climates, what features matter, installation, costs, and Idaho's state tax deduction — so you can choose with confidence.

Before you light that first fire of the season, take a few minutes to make sure your fireplace is safe. This guide walks you through the DIY safety checks you can do yourself for gas, wood-burning, and electric fireplaces, explains what a professional inspection covers, and tells you exactly when to stop and call for help — including the 8 warning signs you should never ignore.

The fireplace unit gets most of the attention, but installation is where the real budget lives. In this guide, we break down every installation cost line by line — venting, framing, gas line, electrical, permits, labor, and finishing — for gas, wood-burning, and electric fireplaces. Plus, exactly what to bring to your first consultation so we can give you an accurate estimate on the spot.

Adding a fireplace to your home is one of the most impactful upgrades you can make—for comfort, ambiance, home value, and even energy savings. But before you walk into a showroom, most homeowners want to know one thing: how much is this actually going to cost?