Reliable Heat for Every Washington County Winter.

Most gas fireplace and insert installations in Washington County run somewhere between $3,500 and $9,500, depending on the unit, the venting path, and whether new gas line work is needed. A direct-vent insert going into an existing masonry fireplace with gas already run to that wall sits toward the lower end. A new direct-vent fireplace in a remodel or addition—with framing, venting, and a fresh gas line—lands in the middle to upper range. Homes that need a propane tank set or a longer line run from the meter, common in the more rural townships outside Marietta and Belpre, tend to run higher. A local dealer will give you a firm number after seeing the space.

Yes, and it's a common project in Washington County's older housing stock—Marietta in particular has no shortage of Victorian and early-20th-century homes with masonry fireplaces that were never great performers. A gas insert typically slides into that existing firebox and vents through a stainless liner run up the current chimney, which keeps the original mantel and surround intact while dramatically improving heat output. Cost usually falls in the $4,000 to $8,500 range depending on whether the home is already on Columbia Gas service or needs a propane setup instead.

Either works, and which one you use mostly comes down to where in the county you live. Marietta, Belpre, and most of the larger incorporated towns have natural gas service through Columbia Gas of Ohio—if your home already has a gas furnace or water heater, adding a fireplace is a fairly simple tie-in. In the unincorporated townships and more rural pockets of the county, propane from a local supplier is the standard fuel, either from an existing tank or a new one installed alongside the fireplace. Nearly every gas fireplace on the market can be configured for either fuel; your installer sets the correct orifice and regulator for whichever you're on.

Most will, with the right ignition system. Gas fireplaces with IPI (intermittent pilot ignition) run on a small battery backup—typically AA batteries in the unit itself—that kicks in the moment the power drops, so the fireplace lights and operates normally. Ice storms along the Ohio River can and do take out power for stretches in the winter, so this matters more than it might seem. Valor fireplaces handle it a bit differently: their pilot generates its own electricity through the thermocouple, so there's no battery to remember or replace at all. Ask your local dealer about the ignition system on any unit you're considering if outage backup is a priority.

A gas fireplace is a built-in unit framed into a wall, typically chosen for new construction or a full remodel. A gas insert is sized to slide into an existing masonry firebox, turning an old open fireplace—common in Marietta's older homes—into a sealed, high-efficiency heat source using the existing chimney as the vent path. A gas stove is a freestanding cabinet-style unit that sits on the floor like a wood stove but burns gas, and works well in a room that never had a fireplace to begin with. For most Washington County homeowners upgrading an existing fireplace, an insert is the more common fit.

Generally yes—a building permit is required for the installation, and the gas line work itself needs to be done or inspected by a licensed gas-fitter. In Marietta, that runs through the city's building department; outside city limits, permitting goes through the Washington County Building Department. Most established hearth dealers coordinate the permit, the gas line, and the final inspection as part of the installation, so you're not left juggling separate trades and appointments yourself.

Vented gas fireplaces (direct-vent or B-vent) pull combustion air from outside and exhaust the byproducts back outside through sealed venting—they're the safer, cleaner, universally code-compliant choice. Vent-free units burn directly into the room air with no external venting; they're legal in Ohio but come with strict room-sizing rules and an oxygen depletion sensor requirement, and some states ban them outright. For Washington County homes, direct-vent units are by far the more common recommendation from local dealers—they put out real, sustained heat without any tradeoff on indoor air quality, which matters in tightly sealed newer construction.

Plan on an annual inspection, ideally in early fall before the heating season ramps up. A technician checks the burner, pilot assembly, venting, and gas connections, and cleans the glass and firebox interior. It's a much lighter lift than sweeping a wood chimney, but it matters just as much for safety—a cracked or misaligned burner is not something you want to discover mid-winter. Local gas appliance service providers in the Marietta and Belpre area typically charge $150 to $250 for this annual visit.

Washington County has good hardwood available locally—oak, hickory, maple, cherry—and plenty of homes, especially in the more rural townships, still rely on wood as a primary or backup heat source, including through power outages when gas ignition or a furnace blower might not run. Gas trades that self-sufficiency for convenience: no wood to split, stack, or haul in from the shed, no ash to clean out, and heat at the flip of a switch or a thermostat setting. For in-town Marietta and Belpre homes where daily convenience matters more than backup independence, gas is usually the better fit. It's also common to see both in the same house—gas in the main living space, a wood stove in a workshop or basement for backup.

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.

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.

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.

For an average home—covering the fireplace, the vent pipe, and basic installation—a budget between $3,900 and $5,500 gives you a lot of options across wood, gas, and pellet. By the time you add finish work, gas line, and electrical, the average complete installation lands between $5,000 and $12,000 all-in. In a remodel or new build, a good rule is to put about 2.5% of the total project cost toward the fireplace.