Wood Fireplace Inserts & Installation

Get more useful warmth from your existing wood-burning fireplace with a wood insert selected for your home.

Thompson’s Hearth & Home helps homeowners in Issaquah, Sammamish, Bellevue, Snoqualmie, North Bend, and nearby Eastside communities choose and install wood fireplace inserts.

Visit our Issaquah showroom for personal guidance from owners Guy and Nicole Thompson. We’ll help you compare suitable options, understand the installation requirements, and choose a style that complements your fireplace.

Why Choose a Wood Insert?

A wood insert is an enclosed wood-burning appliance designed to fit inside a suitable existing fireplace. It lets you continue enjoying a real wood fire while gaining greater control over combustion and heat delivery.

It can be a practical choice if you enjoy burning wood but want your existing fireplace to contribute more to heating your living space.

How much of your home an insert can heat depends on its output, your floor plan, insulation, ceiling height, and outdoor temperatures. We’ll help you choose a model suited to your heating goals.

Will an Insert Fit My Fireplace?

The width and height of the opening are a starting point, but depth, rear width, hearth dimensions, mantel clearances, and chimney condition also matter.

For factory-built fireplaces, compatibility must be confirmed against the requirements of both the existing fireplace and the proposed insert. An insert is not suitable for every fireplace.

Bring us:

  • A straight-on photo of the fireplace opening.

  • A wider photo showing the hearth, mantel, and surrounding wall.

  • The opening’s width, height, and depth.

  • A photo of any accessible manufacturer label.

We’ll help narrow your choices and identify any additional measurements or inspection needed.

Compare Appearance, Heating & Everyday Use

When choosing an insert, consider how it will look and how you’ll use it throughout the heating season.

We’ll help you compare:

  • Firebox size and recommended log length.

  • Heating range and combustion technology.

  • Door operation and loading access.

  • Viewing area, finish, and surround options.

  • Blower sound and controls, where fitted.

  • Maintenance needs and manufacturer support.

If you prefer the convenience of gas, explore our gas inserts. If you’re planning a freestanding appliance, see our wood stoves.

Wood has a truly remarkable relationship with CO₂ in the context of the natural carbon cycle, making it a potentially sustainable heating fuel when managed responsibly—especially for home use like in wood stoves or inserts.

The Basic Carbon Cycle for Wood

  • During growth, trees absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere through photosynthesis, converting it into oxygen (released back into the air) and storing carbon in their trunks, branches, roots, and leaves as part of building woody biomass.

  • When a tree dies and decomposes naturally (or is burned efficiently), that stored carbon is released back into the atmosphere as CO₂—roughly the same amount that was absorbed during its lifetime.

  • This creates a closed, short-term cycle (decades to a century, depending on tree species and forest management), unlike fossil fuels (oil, coal, gas), which release ancient, long-sequestered carbon that has been out of the active cycle for millions of years, adding net new CO₂ to the atmosphere.

If burning is efficient (complete combustion in a modern, EPA-certified stove) and forests are sustainably managed—meaning new trees are planted or naturally regenerate to replace harvested ones—the process can be CO₂-neutral over time. No additional carbon is permanently added to the atmosphere; it's simply recycled within the biosphere. This is why wood is often classified as a renewable, green energy source for heating, particularly at the residential scale where local, sustainably sourced firewood is used.

Key Advantages Over Fossil Fuels

  • Renewability: Wood can be replenished by planting or allowing new growth—maintaining the neutral cycle generation after generation—as long as harvest rates don't exceed forest regrowth.

  • Local and low-impact sourcing: In the Northwest (like Washington state), using firewood from managed forests, thinning, or storm-fallen trees keeps transport emissions minimal and supports healthy forest ecosystems.

  • Efficiency in modern appliances: EPA-certified stoves burn cleaner, with very low particulate emissions (2.0–2.5 g/hr or less), maximizing heat output while minimizing waste and air pollution.

In summary, for homeowners using efficient, EPA-certified wood stoves with responsibly sourced firewood, burning wood can indeed be a CO₂-neutral (or very low-net-carbon) way to heat your home—recycling carbon that's already part of the active cycle while avoiding fossil fuel emissions. It's one of the few truly renewable home-heating options available, especially as a backup during power outages in the Northwest.

Planning Your Wood Insert Installation

A successful installation depends on the fireplace, chimney, and insert working together.

We’ll review the selected appliance’s requirements and explain the proposed work, including chimney lining, hearth protection, mantel clearances, and electrical supply for a blower where applicable.

The existing fireplace and chimney may need cleaning, inspection, or repairs before installation. We’ll help identify those needs and explain which work is included in your estimate and which services need to be arranged separately.

Installation by Our Own Team

Thompson’s Hearth & Home has been owned and operated by Guy and Nicole since 2004, with Guy’s hearth-industry experience dating back to 1989.

Our own experienced in-house team handles insert installation. You’ll work with a family business that knows your project and can help you understand the appliance’s operation and care requirements.

Getting the Best Performance From Your Insert

Burn Dry, Seasoned Firewood

Fuel quality makes a difference. The EPA recommends firewood with a moisture content below 20%.

Store wood off the ground with the top covered and the sides open to airflow. Burn only fuels approved by the appliance manufacturer, and avoid wet wood, rubbish, painted wood, and pressure-treated timber.

Follow the insert’s instructions for starting, loading, and adjusting the fire. Read the EPA’s wood-burning guidance.

Plan for Maintenance

Wood inserts and their venting systems need regular inspection and cleaning. Door gaskets, firebricks, baffles, and other components also need attention as they wear.

We’ll explain the maintenance requirements of the model you choose. Our service page provides information about our support policy and referrals for chimney sweeping and related services.

Check Local Burn Restrictions

An EPA-certified insert does not provide blanket permission to burn during an air-quality burn ban.

Check the current restrictions for your location before lighting a fire, including any conditions for exemptions. Find Washington burn-ban information and your local clean air agency. 

Catalytic, Non-Catalytic & Hybrid Wood Inserts

Modern wood inserts use different methods to burn smoke gases and extract additional heat from the fuel. Understanding those differences helps you choose an appliance that suits your routine.

Non-Catalytic Inserts

Non-catalytic inserts use an insulated firebox, baffles, and secondary combustion air to support more complete combustion.

There is no catalytic combustor to maintain or replace, but internal parts still need inspection and eventual replacement as they wear.

Catalytic Inserts

Catalytic inserts pass exhaust through a coated combustor that helps burn smoke gases at lower temperatures. This can support extended, lower-output operation.

The combustor requires proper care and eventual replacement. Its performance and lifespan depend on fuel quality, operating practices, and maintenance.

Hybrid Inserts

Hybrid models combine secondary combustion with a catalytic combustor. They use both approaches and have model-specific operating and maintenance requirements.

Which Type Should You Choose?

The best fit depends on how often you burn, how much heat you need, and the operating routine you prefer.

We’ll discuss the technologies used in the models available for your fireplace and explain the practical differences. Compare the complete appliance, including its fit, heating range, controls, and maintenance requirements.

The EPA’s wood-stove selection guide provides additional background on catalytic and non-catalytic combustion.

Start Your Wood Insert Project

Bring photos and basic measurements to our Issaquah showroom. We’ll help you identify suitable options and explain the next steps toward an estimate.

Thompson’s Hearth & Home
680 NW Gilman Blvd, Suite A1
Issaquah, WA 98027

Monday–Friday: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Sunday: Closed

Call 425-369-1400 or contact us to get started.