Family Room Fireplace |
Since winter is just around the corner, the time had come to start work on making sure we could use the two fireplaces we have. With little insulation and no storm windows, it can get a little drafty in The Big Yellow House. Knowing we were willing to trade-off the ambiance and hassle of maintaining a wood burning fireplace for the speed and simplicity of a gas version, we did some online research about our options. We then visited Roy at Tarheel Fireplace & Grill Shop in nearby Hertford and learned more.
Living Room Fireplace |
Installation
was easy. With the exception of having
John the electrician install a box in the floor of each firebox, Roy did it
all. He cleaned each chimney, inserted
one metal tube to bring in fresh air and a second one so the dangerous gases produced during the burn could travel outside, connected
the units to the gas lines underneath the house, and he customized the existing
mantle surrounds so the new inserts would fit snugly into place.
Before |
After |
The only work Larry and I had to do was decorative. In the family room, he freshened up the
hearth by adding a fresh coat of black paint to the existing concrete
slab. In the living room it was more
complex. Not liking the brown ceramic
tile that extended beyond the black slate hearth, Larry removed and replaced it
with a more formal looking metallic tile and pencil molding we found in Lowes. Then I went to work stripping the layers of
brown, white, and black paint that had been applied to the black slate hearth. While the hearth is cracked and discolored
with age, it is much more beautiful in its natural state than it had been when
it was painted to mimic marble.
Before |
Replacing Tile |
Almost Done |
After |
While it's only September, it was a bit chilly this morning
so Larry lit the family room fireplace.
While we only had it on for a short time, we were delighted not only by
how good it looked but by how well it warmed up the room. As soon as it gets colder, we’ll be ready to
enjoy our new fireplaces in the heat of the night.