Seek info on fireplace inserts

[rsdsharp]

4. I was a chimney sweep in the early 1980s.

At that time (and it may be different now) a fireplace insert was essentially a specific type of wood stove which fit into the firebox of a fireplace and vented up the chimney. As a wood stove they were designed to allow the wood to burn more slowly than in a fireplace, and as a result, required cleaning at least once a year if not 2-3 times, depending on frequency of use.

At the time, I charged $45.00 to clear a fireplace/chimney, $75.00 to clean a wood stove/chimney, and $150.00 to clean a fireplace insert. The price differential was because I had to pull the insert from the firebox to be able to clean the chimney. Pulling a 300-450 pound cast iron insert by myself was no easy job, and required me to bring in concrete blocks and a heavy plywood sheet to built a platform for the insert to sit on while I worked. In short, they worked well, but I hated them.

Some quick research also indicates that an insert isn't a solution for your problem, at least with respect to a specific manufacturer of precast fireplaces.

http://swedesweep.com/rampart-chimneys/.