Warm, reliable gas heat for Drew County homes.

Most gas fireplace and insert installations in Drew County run roughly $3,500 to $8,000, depending on the unit, whether you're on propane or natural gas, and how much venting and gas line work is involved. A direct-vent insert going into an existing masonry fireplace with gas already run to the house tends to land on the lower end. A new built-in fireplace in a remodel—with framing, a fresh gas line, and a new propane tank if you're not already set up—sits toward the higher end. A local dealer will give you a firm number after seeing the space in person.

Yes, and it's a common upgrade for older Drew County homes with a masonry fireplace that doesn't get much use. A gas insert slides into the existing firebox and vents through a stainless liner run up your current chimney, so you keep the look of the fireplace while gaining instant, consistent heat. Conversions typically run $3,500 to $7,000 depending on whether you're running natural gas or propane and whether new gas piping is needed. Homes already set up with a propane tank or natural gas line are usually on the lower end.

Propane is the standard choice for most of Drew County, since much of the county sits outside a natural gas mainline. If you're on a farm road outside Monticello or in one of the smaller communities like Wilmar or Winchester, plan on propane—either an existing tank or a new tank set by a local propane supplier. Homes closer to town with natural gas service already run to the house (for a water heater or range, for example) can usually run a fireplace off that same line. Most gas fireplace models can be configured for either fuel; your installer sets the correct orifice and regulator for whichever you have.

Most modern gas fireplaces will, which matters in a county where summer storms and the occasional ice event can knock out power for a stretch. Units with intermittent pilot ignition (IPI) run on a small battery backup that kicks in automatically when the power drops, so the fireplace still lights on demand. Valor fireplaces take it a step further—their pilot generates its own electricity through the thermocouple, so there's no battery to remember at all. Worth asking your local dealer about the ignition system on any unit you're considering if backup heat matters to you.

A gas fireplace is a fully built-in unit framed into a wall—the right call for new construction or a remodel. A gas insert is built to slide into an existing masonry firebox, turning an old wood fireplace into a sealed, efficient gas unit using the existing chimney as the vent path. A gas stove is a freestanding cabinet-style unit that sits on the floor, similar in footprint to a wood stove. For the many older homes around Monticello and the county with an existing brick fireplace that doesn't get used much anymore, an insert is usually the simplest and most cost-effective fix.

Yes—a new gas fireplace or insert installation typically requires a building permit and, since gas piping is involved, work by a licensed gas or propane installer. Most established local dealers handle the permitting as part of the job, so it's not something you have to chase down yourself. This is one of the clearest reasons to avoid a DIY or handyman install on a gas appliance: the gas line, venting, and clearance requirements all need to pass inspection, and a certified installer coordinates all of that in one visit.

Vented (direct-vent) gas fireplaces pull combustion air from outside and exhaust the byproducts back outside through a sealed pipe—they're the cleanest and most universally recommended option, and they deliver real, substantial heat. Vent-free units burn gas directly into the room with no external venting; they're legal in Arkansas but come with strict room-size rules and an oxygen depletion sensor, and they release some moisture and combustion byproducts into your living space. For most Drew County homes, especially anyone using the fireplace for actual heat rather than just looks, a direct-vent unit is the better long-term choice. A local dealer can walk you through both if you're weighing them.

Plan on an annual inspection, even though it's far less involved than a wood chimney sweep. A technician checks the burner, pilot assembly, venting, and gas connections, and cleans the glass and interior—usually $100 to $200 for the visit. This matters even in a mild climate like Drew County's, where a fireplace might only run a few months a year but still needs the pilot and igniter checked before the first cold nights of the season.

With oak, hickory, and pine readily available across the county and no air quality restrictions on wood burning here, wood heat is still a practical and affordable option, especially as backup heat during a power outage. But given Drew County's mild winters—average lows around 34°F and a mild, short heating season overall—most homeowners aren't relying on any fireplace as their primary heat source. Gas tends to win out for daily-use living spaces because it's instant, requires no wood handling, and looks clean without soot or ash. Plenty of local homes split the difference: a gas fireplace or insert for everyday comfort, with a wood or pellet stove (pellets from brands like Lignetics are available regionally) kept as backup for the rare hard freeze or extended outage.

An insert does two things: it seals the chimney completely, so you stop losing air you already paid to heat, and it radiates warmth into the room through the firebox and glass. Most add a heat-exchange fan that pulls cool room air underneath, wraps it around the hot firebox, and pushes it back out warm. Your home is more efficient before you've even lit the first fire.

Open fireplaces suck—literally. As the fire burns, it consumes air your furnace already paid to heat and pulls it out through the chimney, so the house is actually colder after the fire goes out than before you lit it. An insert fixes this: it seals the chimney, puts fixed glass across the front, and turns that hole in your house into a real heat source.

On average, a fireplace adds back to the home about the same amount you spent installing it. Add the monthly savings from heating the rooms you actually use instead of the whole house—often hundreds of dollars a year—and the value case is strong before you even count what a fire does for how your family uses the room.

Yes—by creating a comfort zone. A furnace heats every square foot of the house just to warm the one room you're in; a gas fireplace on low burns roughly a sixth of the gas a typical furnace does. Set the furnace around 55–60 degrees as a baseline, then heat the rooms your family actually uses. Families who heat this way commonly save $20–$60 a month.