Instant Heat for Every Corner of the Wyoming Valley.

Most gas fireplace and insert installations in Luzerne County run in the $4,000 to $10,000 range, depending on whether you're converting an existing masonry fireplace or starting from scratch, and how far the gas line has to run. Century-old row homes in Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton that already have a working chimney and gas service nearby tend to land on the lower end—a direct-vent insert into the old coal-era fireplace opening is a fairly quick job. Homes in the Back Mountain or other propane-only areas without an existing gas line, or new-construction installs requiring fresh framing and venting, run toward the higher end. A local dealer can give you a firm number after seeing your fireplace opening and gas access in person.

Yes, and it's one of the most common jobs local hearth dealers see in Luzerne County, given how many homes in Wilkes-Barre, Kingston, and Hazleton still have the original masonry fireplace or coal-stove chimney from the early 1900s. A direct-vent gas insert typically slides into that existing opening with a stainless liner run up the old flue, so you keep the chimney you already have. Cost usually falls between $4,000 and $8,500 depending on the insert and whether new gas line work is needed. It's a practical way to retire decades-old open masonry hearths that were never efficient to begin with.

Either works, and which one applies depends on where in Luzerne County you live. UGI Utilities runs natural gas lines through Wilkes-Barre, Kingston, Plymouth, and Pittston, so homes there typically just tap into existing service. Out in the Back Mountain—Dallas, Shavertown, Harveys Lake—and in more rural townships like Sugarloaf and Fairmount, propane from a local supplier and tank is the standard setup. Nearly every gas fireplace on the market can be configured for either fuel; your installer sets the orifice and regulator to match whichever you have.

Most modern gas fireplaces will, as long as they use an IPI (intermittent pilot ignition) system with battery backup—typically a set of AA batteries built into the unit that kick in the moment the power drops. Given the ice storms and heavy snow that periodically knock out power across the Wyoming Valley in winter, that backup matters. Valor fireplaces handle this a bit differently: their pilot generates its own electricity through a thermocouple, so there's no battery to remember or replace. Worth asking your local dealer which ignition system a given model uses before you decide.

A gas fireplace is a fully built-in unit framed into a wall—the right call for new construction or a remodel without an existing chimney. A gas insert is built to drop into an existing masonry fireplace opening, which is why it's so popular in Luzerne County's older coal-era housing stock in Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton. A gas stove is a freestanding unit that sits on the floor, similar in shape to a wood stove, and works well in homes without a fireplace opening at all, including many of the smaller rowhomes and duplexes around the county.

Yes—a building permit is generally required through your local municipality's building department, whether that's the City of Wilkes-Barre, City of Hazleton, or a township office for unincorporated parts of the county, and the gas line work itself needs a licensed gas-fitter regardless of jurisdiction. Most established hearth dealers handle this paperwork as part of the installation, coordinating the gas line, venting, and inspection so you're not left juggling separate trades and separate permit offices.

Vented (direct-vent) fireplaces pull combustion air from outside and exhaust it back outside through sealed venting—they're the cleanest and most broadly recommended option. Vent-free units burn gas directly into the room without external venting; they're legal in Pennsylvania but come with strict room-sizing rules and oxygen depletion sensors, and they release some water vapor and combustion byproducts indoors. For Luzerne County's older, sometimes tightly sealed row homes and duplexes, a direct-vent unit is usually the better fit—it delivers strong heat without adding humidity or byproducts to already snug interior spaces.

Plan on an annual inspection, ideally before the start of the heating season each fall. A technician will check the burner, pilot assembly, venting, and gas connections, and clean the glass and interior—a much quicker job than a wood chimney sweep, but still important for safety and efficient operation. Local hearth service providers in the Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton area typically charge in the $150 to $250 range for this visit.

Wood still has a following in Luzerne County, where oak, hickory, maple, and cherry are all common locally and burn well in a stove or insert—and wood keeps working when the power doesn't. Gas trades that self-sufficiency for convenience: instant on-off heat, no ash or wood handling, and steady output that pairs well with the propane or UGI natural gas service already reaching most of the county. If you're near existing gas or propane service and want daily, no-fuss heat in your main living space, gas is usually the simpler choice; if backup heat during outages matters most, wood—or a pellet stove using regional fuel like Energex or Hamer Pellet Fuel—is worth a look too.

If it was installed more than 15 years ago, probably. Older gas fireplaces keep a standing pilot light burning all the time, and that little flame can cost a couple hundred dollars a year. Newer models use pilot-on-demand ignition—the pilot lights only when you use the fireplace and goes out when you turn it off.

Yes—with an asterisk. Fireplaces are hot and TVs don't like heat. Either put a mantel between them to deflect rising warmth, or choose a fireplace with heat-management technology that creates a cool zone on the wall above—the wall stays around 125 degrees, barely warm, while the room still gets full heat. If you like clean lines and don't want a mantel, heat management is the answer.

If you're putting a fire in your house on purpose, it's best to work with an expert. Unless you're genuinely experienced in framing, gas line, vent pipe, and the national code on clearances to combustibles, have a professional do it—and ideally the same company that sells you the fireplace, so warranty, service, and liability all live under one roof.

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.