Heat that keeps working when the power lines don't.

Most gas fireplace or insert installations in Center run roughly $3,000 to $7,500, with the wide range coming down to whether you already have a propane tank and regulator in place or need one set. Converting an existing wood-burning masonry fireplace into a direct-vent gas insert with a stainless liner tends to land on the lower half of that range if the home already has propane service for a water heater or range. New propane tank installation, longer gas line runs, or venting through brick add to the cost. A local dealer will give you a firm number after seeing the fireplace and the tank situation in person.

Outside of a few pockets, most of Shelby County—including Center—isn't reached by natural gas mains, so propane is the standard fuel for gas fireplaces here. That means a propane tank (either buried, aboveground, or shared with an existing appliance like a range or water heater) rather than a utility meter. It doesn't change what the fireplace looks like or how it performs—nearly every gas fireplace model on the market can be configured to run on propane instead of natural gas—but it does mean budgeting for tank setup and ongoing propane delivery if you don't already have service.

Yes, and it's a common project in a town like Center where older homes were often built with a wood-burning masonry fireplace suited to local oak or pecan firewood. A gas insert slides into that existing opening, uses a stainless liner run through your current chimney, and connects to a new or existing propane line. It keeps the brick surround you already have while giving you push-button heat with none of the ash or creosote upkeep that comes with burning oak or pecan cordwood.

Most will, which is one of the biggest reasons homeowners in this part of East Texas choose gas over electric. Units with IPI (intermittent pilot ignition) run on a small battery backup that kicks in the moment power drops, so the fireplace lights and operates normally. Valor fireplaces go a step further—their pilot's thermocouple generates its own electricity, so there's no battery to remember at all. After Winter Storm Uri left large parts of the Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative and Rusk County Electric Cooperative service areas without power for days, that kind of independence from the grid isn't a luxury feature—it's the main reason to choose a vented gas unit over an electric one for backup heat.

A gas fireplace is a fully built-in unit framed into a wall—the right call for new construction or a remodel that doesn't already have a hearth. A gas insert is sized to slide into an existing masonry fireplace opening, which fits a lot of older homes around Center that were originally built for wood. A gas stove is freestanding, sits out on the floor on its own hearth pad, and can go in a room without any existing fireplace at all. For most homeowners here with an existing wood-burning fireplace they want to modernize, an insert is the straightforward answer.

Shelby County generally requires a building permit for new gas fireplace installations, and any propane line work needs to be done by a licensed gas fitter or propane technician rather than a general handyman. A reputable local dealer coordinates the permit, the line work, and the final inspection as part of the installation, so you're not left tracking down separate trades yourself. It's worth confirming permit requirements with the county before work starts, since rural jurisdictions in East Texas can vary in how strictly they enforce inspection timing.

Vented (direct-vent) units draw combustion air from outside and exhaust it back outside through sealed venting—they're the safest option and deliver real, sustained heat, which matters during a hard freeze even if those are rare in Center. Vent-free units burn without any outside venting at all and are legal in Texas, but they release some combustion byproducts into the room and are restricted to smaller spaces. Given how mild and short Center's heating season typically is (just a short, mild heating season each year), a vent-free unit can be a reasonable fit for supplemental warmth in a den or sunroom—but if you want a fireplace you can lean on during an ice storm outage, a direct-vent model is the better choice. A local dealer can walk you through both for your specific room.

Plan on an annual inspection, ideally before the fall cool-down. A technician checks the burner, pilot assembly, gas connections, and venting, and cleans the glass and interior—a much shorter visit than a wood chimney sweep but just as important for safety. Expect to pay somewhere in the $125–$225 range for a standard annual service call from a local propane appliance technician.

Electric fireplaces are cheaper to install, need no venting or propane line at all, and run on power from Southwestern Electric Power Co, Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative, or Rusk County Electric Cooperative at a residential rate around 13 cents per kWh—a reasonable option if you mainly want ambiance and light supplemental warmth. The tradeoff is that an electric fireplace does nothing for you when the grid goes down, which is exactly when Center's occasional hard freezes tend to hit. A propane-fueled gas fireplace costs more upfront but keeps producing real heat during an outage, which is the deciding factor for a lot of homeowners here after living through Winter Storm Uri.

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.

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.

It's a visit where a hearth professional measures your space, confirms the model you picked actually works in your home, and walks the specs—framing, gas line, venting, finish work—before anything is ordered. Some details you just can't know until you see the house. Never make a down payment without one; it's the single most-skipped step that burns buyers.

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.