Can You Get “Burned” if You Buy Your New Fireplace Online?

Fireplaces, along with heating stoves and fireplace inserts, are not DIY products. This goes for installing them and buying them. If you’re not sure whether you’d be better off buying your new appliance online or through a local hearth shop, read on.

You normally will find many top-brand fireplaces and stoves advertised online, the same as you’ll find at your local hearth store. As far as getting a high-quality product, shopping online – in most cases – will be about as sensible as driving down to a retail fireplace and stove shop.

But that’s where the comparison ends.

reasons why it’s smarter to buy your heating appliance locally

Product knowledge

Unless a website provides real-time support with an employee who knows the company’s products inside and out, you’ll never get close to the product knowledge that sales staff in a quality hearth store have. If the online shop has no knowledgeable support, you’ll have to take your chances on written descriptions of their fireplaces, stoves, inserts, etc.

Guidance

Choosing the ideal fireplacell be able to learn about your home and heating requirements and then guide you to the type and model of heating appliance that would be best for you. Square footage of the heating area and the amount you want to cut from your central heating bill are both important fa

Installation

As we noted, fireplaces, stoves and inserts are not do-it-yourself products. For safety and performance, your new appliance should be professionally installed by a certified technician. Most hearth stores have a field crew or contract with another local company for installation of their products. These installers know the products inside and out, ensuring that you’ll get an installation that’s done right the first time and provides years of safe operation to you and your family.

Questions

You’ll probably have a question or two down the line about operating, cleaning, repairing and maintaining your new fireplace, stove or insert. A quick phone call to the local shop where you bought the appliance will get you the answers you need. With a website, you may be directed to a support forum, where you’ll waste a lot of time zeroing in on your specific need, or you’ll talk with somebody who really doesn’t know about your appliance, its installation and all the ins and outs of its operation.

Returns

It’s not uncommon for a homeowner to receive an online-bought fireplace and discover it’s either not the right model or size or doesn’t have the features and components it was advertised to have. The unit can be returned, but not without a little – or a lot of – hassle. When you buy from a local hearth professional, it’s highly unlikely the unit will need to be returned.

Magic Mountain Chimney Sweeps provides a full-service hearth store at 210 Pennsylvania Ave., in Westminster, MD. Our field crew works all year long doing installations, chimney cleaning, fireplace and chimney repairs and chimney inspections. Pay us a visit and find out how easy it is to choose the perfect fireplace, stove or fireplace insert when you have caring, trained people helping you. Reach us by phone at (301) 695-6991.