Thompson's Hearth and Home carries a large selection of high-quality gas inserts by some of the best manufacturers.

Gas inserts are designed to heat a room or a whole house using either Natural Gas or Propane. These inserts are clean burning, easy to use and a very efficient source of heat for your entire home. 

Another great advantage for homes in the Northwest is that our gas inserts will heat your home even when the power is out! All of our gas inserts are electronic igintion with a standing pilot mode as a standard option. This way the pilot will keep the flue preheated in cold weather. All of our inserts not only have the ability to run a standing pilot but they will also switch to an intermittent pilot in order to save $15-$20 a month in gas. 

Looking for a certified fireplace store? We are not only licensed, bonded and insured, we are also one of the only NFI (National Fireplace Institute) certified store in the area. NFI is the only recognized certification program in the US. 

Every gas insert we sell is "furnace rated", as a result, they will often heat an area as effectively as a wood insert. Heat is determined by several variables such as BTU's, efficiency, and the materials used in the manufacturing of the stove.

Commonly Asked Questions

Q: Whats the difference  between a gas insert and gas fireplace?
A: Gas inserts "insert" into an existing wood burning fireplace whereas gas fireplaces install into a wood framed wall. Gas fireplaces are used when building a new home or adding one during a remodel.

Q: What areas do you cover? 
A: As a general rule we stay on the eastside. We have found that addressing problems quickly is the key to maintaining happy customers and in order to do this we have determined that keeping our products close to our store allows us to do this. 

Q: How do we get started? 
A: Over the years we have found that the most streamlined way to get started is to bring in or email a photo of your existing fireplace along with some simple measurements so that we can show you in what models are available for your given scenario.

Use our measurements worksheet:

Q: Do you offer in home estimates? 
A: When you email or come in to our showroom with at least a photo of your existing fireplace we can usually determine if a site visit is necessary. 

Q: How much are gas inserts? 
A: We only offer high end gas inserts but after checking out what others are offering we were happy to find that for the same installed cost our inserts are better value in terms of materials used, the gas valves, remote controls, electronics, fans, efficiency and fit and finish. We found that overall we are offering a better package for a similar price. Our gas inserts range between $5000-$6400 installed. Our pricing includes delivery, cleaning of existing fireplace, dual chimney liners all the way to the top, setup of new insert, thermostat remote, electronic ignition, battery backup, connection to a gas supply that is already in the fireplace and plugging the insert into the nearest 120 VAC electrical outlet. 

Q: Will your inserts work in a power outage?
A: Yes, We have made sure that all of our inserts whether standing pilot or electronic ignition will not only light in a power outage but also operate without the use of the blower. We have come across a variety of inserts that require batteries to be installed only during a power outage to inserts that can only operate for an hour or two without the fan.

Q: How much is additional gas line if needed? 
A: When coupled with the installation of a gas insert we only charge $425 for the first 10' and $25 per foot thereafter.

Q: Is there way for the fan cord not to show? 
A: Yes, we can give you a referral to a licensed electrician who will come to your home and install an outlet inside your fireplace for $425. If you want us to coordinate that and pay him for you, the charge is $475.

Q: Is a permit needed? 
A: Yes, but this is your decision. Either you can get a mechanical permit from your building department or for a fee we can get one for you. If gas is being run the installation will be broken up into 3 trips which will incur an additional fee of $250. The first trip will include gas line installation that is placed under a pressure test for the inspector. Once the inspector signs off on the gas line we can return on another day to install and connect the gas insert. The inspector will then return a second time to inspect the installation of the gas insert. Your insurance company ultimately wants to be sure that whomever does the installation is insured and bonded so that they have recourse in the event of a claim. 

Q: What if our fireplace is arched? 
A: No problem! We specialize in arches. You may want to view our photo gallery to see some of our installations.

Q: What makes some inserts better than others?
A: Obviously there are several brands to choose from and several different ways to build an insert. After many years we have found that fit and finish along with the overall look is very important. Aside from that, the materials and components used allows some appliances to be more efficient and last longer than others, resulting in less service. There are 3 things that we consider when buying a gas fireplace or insert. One would be the construction in terms of the firebox thickness. We see heavy duty boxes that are welded but because of the thicker material the efficiency suffers. Going to a thinner material means you can't weld so manufacturers will either rivet or use a swedging process. The latter gives an extremely strong method of mating to metals together whereas rivets will loosen over time resulting in loss of efficiency and intermittent operation. The glass used is another big deal. Some manufactures will use tempered glass instead of the sought after ceramic glass. Tempered glass is less expensive, but limits the amount of infrared light rays to pass through it reducing the radiant heat we have all come to enjoy.  The control system, which consists of the gas valve, remote control and the fireplace controller is the third thing that we consider. After using, selling, and servicing hundreds of units we have narrowed the control system down to the ProFlame 2 as the most reliable one on the market to date. To recap; make sure the insert or fireplace you are looking at doesn't have a firebox that has been riveted, has ceramic glass, and it has the ProFlame 2 system. Not always, but most of the time, you can tell by the color of the remote control, silver ones are Proflame 1 and black are ProFlame 2.
 

Q: How much does it cost to operate gas inserts? 
A: 18 - 50 cents per hour. To figure this out you need to know that natural gas is sold in the form of therms. A therm equals 100,000 Btus and gas inserts range between 10,000 - 40,000 Btus and usually have a turn down of 50%. That being said a unit that runs at 25,000 Btus per hour will use 100,000 Btus in a 4 hour period. Currently PSE is listing natural gas at $1.20 per therm which means a 25,000 Btu gas insert will have a cost of 30 cents per hour. This same insert has a turn down of about half reducing the operating cost to about 18 cents per hour. 

Q: Can we put our TV above the fireplace?
A: Yes, but you want to make sure that your TV is above the fireplace manufactures minimum mantel clearances. Unfortunately this will cause your TV to be mounted at a height that is not optimal for viewing. Watching TV and running the fireplace is not only hard on the TV but its also distracting.

If you have made it this far then you might be interested in looking at the brochures!