Easy Upgrades: How to Make Your Winter Cozier with a Gas Fireplace

Imagine cozying up to a fire with your family, ignoring the snow and ice outside and settling in for some quality family time.

Wood-burning fireplaces can come with a lot of chores: purchasing and storing firewood in a way that doesn't encourage pests or dampness, starting the fire and then, cleaning up the soot. Not stuff you really want to worry about in your spare time.

But gas fireplaces and inserts are great alternatives, according to the experts at Woodstove Warehouse, 946 S. 7^th St., Grand Junction. Like the name implies, gas inserts are built to fit within an existing firebox, so installation is as simple as choosing the correct design and running a gas line. Then, you can start it with a switch and control the temperature with a thermostat — features that just aren't available with wood-burning fireplaces.

Gas fireplaces and inserts meet or exceed the Environmental Protection Agency's standards for clean burns. Plus, more of the heat stays in your home. "A good gas insert will carry an efficiency rating of 65 percent to as high as 90 percent," according to manufacturer Hearth and Home. "Masonry fireplaces often rate at 10 to 20 percent efficiency."

Models are available that are capable of heating between 1,000 and 3,000 square feet, and of course, inserts come in a variety of designs and styles.

At Woodstove Warehouse, owner Deborah Shipley and her son Jeff have been helping customers find the best match for their homes for more than three decades. They carry the full line of gas fireplace inserts from Hearth and Home, including Quadra-Fire and Heat & Glo. Visit them at 946 S. 7^th St., Grand Junction, or at woodstovewarehousegj.com.