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The cost to convert a wood fireplace to gas ranges from $500 to $5,500 on average, with most people paying $3,000 for a conversion. Both wood and gas fireplaces have pros and cons—gas fireplaces are easier to clean and maintain, while fires in wood-burning fireplaces are especially warm and cozy.

Chimney crowns may be stone, concrete, or metal but most crowns are made of concrete. It’s not recommended to build chimney crowns with mortar (which is different from concrete) due to it’s weaker composition (especially when exposed to the outside elements). Most chimney crowns are custom made to fit your home’s specific chimney.

The best time to clean your chimney is before you actually need to use it. For most of us, that means getting your chimney cleaned in the spring, summer, or early fall. You may find that chimney sweeps are booked up when the winter months fade and the first round of customers begin to hire them for cleanings, but you also don’t want to wait until too late in the fall when chimney sweeps might be responding to other customers who waited until the last minute. Thus, the safest bet may be the summer.

Some disadvantages of a wood-burning stove include the heating time, which can take about an hour before a cold stove is warm enough to feel any heat, and fuel sourcing. Homeowners with wood stoves must chop or buy their firewood and store it properly to fuel the wood stove.