Steady Gas Warmth for Andrews' Mild Lowcountry Winters.

Most propane fireplace and insert installations in the Andrews area run $3,500 to $8,000, depending on the unit, whether you're converting an existing wood-burning fireplace or starting from scratch, and whether a new propane tank needs to be set. A direct-vent propane insert into an existing masonry fireplace with a tank already on the property tends to land on the lower end. Homes that need a new above-ground propane tank installed and a longer gas line run from the tank to the fireplace will sit toward the higher end. Local dealers will give you a firm number after seeing the space.

Andrews doesn't have a natural gas utility running mains to homes, so propane is effectively the standard fuel for gas fireplaces here. That's true for most of Georgetown County outside the larger municipal areas. Propane is delivered and stored on-site in a tank—usually above-ground for residential fireplace use—through a regional supplier such as Blossman Gas. The fireplace itself doesn't change: nearly every model on the market ships in both natural gas and propane configurations, so you're not limited on style or brand by living outside a gas utility's service area.

Yes—a building permit is required through the Georgetown County Building Codes Department for new gas fireplace installations, and any new propane line or tank work typically requires sign-off from your propane supplier's certified installer as well. Most local hearth dealers handle the county permitting as part of the installation, so you're not left coordinating trades yourself. Keep documentation of the permit and inspection—it matters for insurance and for resale.

Most will, with the right ignition system. Units with a standing pilot or intermittent pilot ignition (IPI) and battery backup will light and run without grid power—useful in Andrews during the tropical storms and hurricane-season outages that hit the Lowcountry more often than winter cold does. Valor fireplaces take this further: their pilot assembly generates its own electricity through the thermocouple, so there are no batteries to remember or replace. Ask your local dealer about the ignition system on any unit you're considering, especially given how storm season affects power reliability here.

A gas fireplace is a built-in unit installed into a framed wall opening—the usual choice for new construction or a full remodel. A gas insert slides into an existing masonry fireplace opening and uses the existing chimney chase (lined for gas) to vent, which is common in older Andrews homes with a brick fireplace that's rarely used. A gas stove is a freestanding cabinet-style unit that sits on the floor, similar in footprint to a wood stove but running on propane. For most homes in town with an existing fireplace, an insert is the simplest upgrade.

South Carolina permits both vented (direct-vent) and vent-free propane fireplaces, so the choice is really about performance and preference rather than code. Vented units draw combustion air from outside and exhaust it back outside, which is the safer and more universally recommended option, especially in a smaller or well-sealed home. Vent-free units burn directly into the room and are legal here provided the room meets minimum size requirements and the unit has an oxygen depletion sensor, but they add moisture and combustion byproducts to indoor air. Local dealers can walk you through both, but direct-vent is the more common install in this area.

Plan on an annual inspection, ideally before the first cool snap in November. A technician checks the burner, pilot assembly, gas connections, and venting, and cleans the glass and interior—usually $150 to $250. Because Andrews fireplaces run on propane rather than natural gas, it's also worth having the technician check your regulator and tank connection during that same visit, since propane systems depend on correct pressure regulation in a way natural gas systems handled by a utility don't.

For most Andrews homes, no—wood heat isn't really a fit here. With winter lows averaging 34 degrees and a winter heating load that's on the light side overall, there's rarely a night cold enough to justify tending a wood fire for warmth, and local oak, pine, and hickory are more commonly split for backyard cookouts and hog-smoking than for home heating. A handful of rural properties in Georgetown County keep a wood stove for backup heat during outages, but it's the exception, not the rule. Propane gas gives you the same instant comfort and, unlike wood, doesn't require storing and drying cordwood in a humid Lowcountry climate.

Both work well in this climate, and the choice usually comes down to installation cost and how you want the heat to feel. Electric fireplaces and inserts run $400 to $1,500 installed, plug into a standard outlet in most cases, and work fine as supplemental warmth—an easy option on Duke Energy Progress or Santee Cooper (South Carolina Public Service Authority) rates, which run roughly 11 to 15 cents per kWh in this area. Gas costs more upfront but produces genuine radiant heat and keeps working during a power outage, which matters more here during hurricane season than during a rare cold snap. If ambiance and backup heat matter, gas is worth the extra investment; if you just want a quick electric-bill-friendly accent, electric is the simpler path.

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.

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.

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.

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.