What is a Fireplace Changeout, and How Can it Benefit Your Historic Home?

As Iowa’s oldest city, Dubuque is rich in history and features many elegant historic homes built in late-19th-century architectural styles, including Victorian, Second Empire, and Colonial Revival. During that period, homes typically had brick or stone fireplaces in every living area, including the bedrooms. Many of these historic fireplaces are ornate, showcasing intricate hand-carved surrounds and mantelpieces. However, these older hearths fail to meet modern efficiency and safety standards. With a professional fireplace changeout, homeowners can preserve the historic character and value of their homes while benefiting from modern enhancements that reduce emissions and comply with current building and fire codes.

What is a Fireplace Changeout?

A fireplace changeout is the process of removing the old firebox and installing a new, high-efficiency unit in a wood-framed chimney chase, with venting that meets the manufacturer’s specifications. Certified professionals must perform all work in accordance with NFPA 211 to ensure the changeout complies with the existing local building and fire codes.

How Can It Benefit Your Historic Home?

In addition to modernizing your historic home, a fireplace changeout has many practical benefits.

1. Improve Energy Efficiency

Upgrading your fireplace is the perfect time to reconsider your lifestyle and heating needs. Whether you crave the crackle of authentic wood logs or the convenience of gas with instant heat at the push of a button, both options will significantly improve energy efficiency.

• Wood-burning Fireplace Changeout:

Modern wood units are a far cry from the drafty hearths of the 1800s. Today’s EPA-certified wood-burning inserts offer incredibly high efficiency, burning longer and cleaner with significantly less smoke. You get the traditional ambiance and “off-the-grid” reliability of wood, but with enough heat to substantially lower your utility bills.

• Gas Fireplace Upgrade:

For many homeowners in the Tri-State area, convenience is king. A gas changeout lets you enjoy a realistic fire with the flip of a switch or a click of a remote. With natural gas service widely available, you can eliminate the need to haul logs and clean ash, while still benefiting from “zone heating”—warming the room you’re in without wasting energy heating unoccupied areas.

2. Preserving Historical Value

One of the biggest concerns for owners of historic homes is the aesthetic. We focus on upgrading the internal combustion system while preserving the external hand-carved surrounds and original mantelpieces that give your home its character.

3. Enhanced Safety and Compliance

Old masonry chimneys often have cracked liners or crumbling mortar joints, posing serious fire risks. A changeout includes a new, sealed venting system that resides inside your existing chimney, drastically reducing the risk of chimney fires and carbon monoxide exposure.

4. Increases Property Value & Marketability

In the Tri-State area’s humid continental climate, a functional, code-compliant fireplace isn’t just a “nice-to-have” feature—it’s a significant asset for resale. Statistics show that a high-quality hearth can increase a home’s resale value by up to 12%. In addition, fireplace upgrades often provide an 80% or more return on investment, making them one of the most cost-effective ways to boost your home’s equity.

Fireplace Changeout for Historic Homes in the Tri-State Area

Modernize your historic home for less with a high-performing fireplace changeout from Chimney Specialists, the “Outstanding Chimney Restoration Company”! We proudly serve Hazel Green, WI; Menominee Township, IL; Centralia, IA; and surrounding communities. Contact us today to schedule an appointment or request an estimate.