One of the selling points when we purchased our house was the huge fireplace in the living room. The fireplace is constructed out of large fieldstones and entirely takes up the one wall. With the large mantle and hearth, it’s a beautiful focal point. Since we live in an area with especially long and harsh winters, heating is essential. My husband and I were both excited by the opportunity to cut wood, build a fire and enjoy a free source of heat. Plus, I looked forward to the ambience. I imagined us spending a cold winter night sitting in front of the fireplace sipping a glass of wine. We’ve lived in the house nearly five years and have built one fire. It was a tremendous amount of work and created a huge mess. First we needed to cut down trees and create logs of a suitable size. The wood was wet and couldn’t be burned until it dried out. The logs were heavy and difficult to carry and hauling them through the house left a trail of dirt. We struggled to get the fire started and then dealt with smoke, fumes and ash. Our whole house smelled like a campfire. The heat was contained right near the fireplace. Afterward, it was necessary to hire a company to clean the flu. Since then, the fireplace has been entirely ornamental. I recently got the idea to have it converted into a natural gas heater. Our house is already equipped with natural gas that runs the furnace, stove, clothes dryer and water heater. From what I’ve read, it would not be that difficult, invasive or expensive to install and insert into the fireplace. It would still have the look of a real fire but with none of the disadvantages. We could start up the fireplace with the tap of a button on a remote. The fireplace insert would include a thermostat and fan, allowing us to set the ideal temperature and distribute the heat throughout the room.