Gas fireplace questions, answered by a local specialist.

Direct-vent fireplaces pull air from outside and send the exhaust back out through a sealed pipe. Most homeowners prefer them. The flames look real, they're safe in almost any room, and there's no worry about indoor air. You lose a little heat up the vent in exchange for the look and the flexibility.

Vent-free units burn without a chimney, so nearly all the heat stays in the room. The trade-off is smaller flames and rules about where they can go (see the bedroom question below).

On an in-home consultation, free when you buy your fireplace from us, we'll look at your space and tell you which one fits. That might not be the one that costs more.

It isn't a straight yes or no. It depends on the BTU rating compared with the size of the room, plus the rules for that type of room.

Direct-vent is the simpler case. It's sealed and vented outside, so room size matters less. Vent-free burns into the room, so the input rating has to suit the space, and bedrooms and bathrooms have tighter limits than a living room.

Ask us about this one. Tell us the room and roughly how big it is on an in-home consultation, and we'll tell you what can legally go in it.

Size matters for looks and for safety. Logs that are too big crowd the firebox and can overheat the valve. Logs that are too small look lost. Measure your fireplace opening in four places:

• Front width (across the front opening)
• Back width (across the back wall, since fireplaces taper)
• Depth (front to back)
• Opening height

Send us those numbers, or let us measure on an in-home visit, and we'll match you to a set that fits and burns safely.

Gas, by a wide margin. A gas fireplace or log set puts out roughly 20,000–40,000 BTUs per hour, enough to be the main heat for 1,000 to 2,000 square feet. A typical electric unit tops out around 5,000–10,000 BTUs and works as a supplemental heater for one room.

Gas also keeps running when the power goes out, because standing-pilot and millivolt models don't need electricity. Electric is simple and low-maintenance, but it's mostly for looks. We install both. If you want heat you can count on, storms included, we recommend gas.

We install and service Majestic, Astria, White Mountain Hearth, Montigo, Monessen and Real Fyre, plus nearly anything in Ray Murray's catalog. That's far more choice than a single-brand dealer has, so we can fit the unit to your home instead of selling whatever is in stock.

Once a year. An annual service and cleaning keeps the flame burning efficiently, catches worn parts before they fail, and confirms everything vents and seals the way it should. Annual service starts at $175, and it's included in the Hearth Care Plan along with priority scheduling.

Yes. That starts as a fireplace service and cleaning, from $175. We clean and check the pilot, thermocouple and thermopile, remote and receiver, gas valve, glass and ignition. If a part has failed, you'll get the price for the fix before we start.

We do. A gas fireplace safety inspection checks your gas connections, venting, seals and clearances before you light the first fire of the season. It's included in the Hearth Care Plan, with an annual reminder so you don't forget it.

Leave the building right away and get everyone out. Don't flip switches, use phones or appliances inside, or light anything. Once you're outside, call 911 or your gas company's emergency line, not us.

A suspected leak is the utility's job. They have the equipment to find it. Once they've made the property safe, call us about the fireplace and we'll take it from there.

A vent-free install into an existing masonry opening starts at $2,000. A direct-vent unit with new venting or gas-line work starts at $4,500. Your exact price comes from an in-home consultation, free with your fireplace purchase, and it doesn't change once the work starts.

• Annual service & cleaning: from $175
• Diagnostic call: $100 (waived for Hearth Care Plan members)
• Gas log sets: from $1,199
• Repairs: quoted after diagnosis, and you approve the price first

Yes. Financing is available on new fireplace installations, so you can enjoy it this season and pay over time. Ask us for details when we come out.

We come to you. On an in-home consultation, free with the purchase of your fireplace, you see your options, we take measurements, and you get a price at the hearth where the fireplace is going. We can also show you video of units we've installed so you know what you're getting.

New Bern and the greater Crystal Coast. We're fastest along the Highway 70 corridor between New Bern and Beaufort, often same day. Outer towns are usually within a day or two. Tell us where you are and we'll give you a time window.

No. Wayne's is a family business that has served North Carolina for three generations. When you call, you get a local specialist who'll still be here next year. We offer White Glove Service and upfront pricing, and we're pet friendly.