Fireplaces, Heating Stoves, Flues and Chimneys - replaceing heatilator with insert

I bought a home with a heatilator that seems to be very inefficient. We want to replace it with a wood insert or wood stove but need to know if we have to remove the heatilator first (a mason told me he would remove it for $600 to $1000 - which seems pretty steep). One fireplace/woodstove manufacture told me we need brick on the inside of the fireplace in order to install an insert. Does this mean we need to remove the metal heatilator completely? If so, how do I do it myself?

First of all, do you really have a "heatilator" or is it a fireplace with blowers which many people call heatilators? A true Heatilator fireplace would probably have a model number and a serial number inside in the upper right or left side of the fireplace. It looks somewhat like a dog tag. If it is a Heatilator, you could call their customer service line to see if that model accepts wood inserts. If it is an inefficient model, most likely it has an air cooled flue which is not the required 2100 degree flue and would need to be lined. Many insert mfg will list what fireplaces that they are approved for installation into a pre-Fab fireplace.

A wood insert must be installed in a fully functioning wood burning fireplace which need not be altered for it to fit. It would fit inside your fireplace, most protrude out 4 to 8 " with finish panels to close off any gap. Blowers are available.

If you are thinking a stove may be an option, you may be best served to remove what you have and put in a new 2100 degree chimney flue. Another option might be a Hearthstone Homestead stove which is made to sit on your hearth and use your existing flue but with a liner.

Good Luck.