Installing a Gas Fireplace in our Fifty Plus Years Old Don Mills House!

We had our New Fireplace Installed!

There is something special about sitting in front of a roaring fireplace! I always love watching a fire burning, reading my favourite book, and listening to beautiful music playing softly in the background.

The Fireplace Team was at our house to put in a fireplace for us 

 Not wanting to move and living in a suburban home for the past thirty years, we have to go down to the   dark, unwelcoming basement every time we want to use the fireplace in our home.

They figured out where the fireplace would go and make a hole venting outside

Not anymore, we have finally decided to install a modern gas fireplace in our living room so that with a touch of the switch, a roaring fire will be brought to life in our home.

Installing a gas fireplace in a home can be a daunting task these days. With the large number of choices available, one can be confused and not sure what to choose.

It took two teams of trades people working together

We met with a fellow who has been installing fireplaces for a long time, recommended by our interior designer. He measured our living room, checked out the gas pipes in and outside our house and explained to us what needed to be done.

We did not want the fireplace sitting on the floor, so a platform was built

Before we picked the fireplace style we spent sometime doing our research as we didn't want any post renovation regret.

Then, the fireplace guys came. They drilled holes through the basement wall and a hole to the exterior wall. The gas pipes were connected to the gas supply with a vent leading outside of the house.

Working with another team of renovators, two fellows built a wooden platform on which the fireplace was placed.

The fireplace is elevated about 9 inches off the floor

I was glad that I took time off from work and was present as the young workers set the fireplace on the wrong side of the platform.

After I caught that mistake, they rectified the problem putting the fireplace on the right side of the platform from where the frame was built to the ceiling.

Our new gas fireplace is easy to operate

I am glad that these two fellows are quite polite and easy to deal with.







 My previous experience with another contractor who retiled our kitchen and hallway was not pleasant at all.

After the fireplace team installed the fireplace, we turned on the fireplace, It started just like that!!! So easy!

Though the exterior to the  fireplace was unfinished, the connection to the gas and the installation work was done.
We used it at night right away; it was beautiful and warm, except for one problem. After about 15- 20 minutes of putting the gas place on, our fire alarm in the hallway kept going on making an extremely loud noise.

Installing cement drywall on the fireplace surround 

We opened the door and windows, and the fire alarm stopped. However, as soon as we put on the fireplace for twenty minutes or more, the same thing would happen again.

We called the fireplace installer and he explained that for the initial burning, we must burn the fireplace for at least four hours to get rid of some fumes and smell with windows opened and a fan turned on to take away the chemicals.  We followed the instructions and the fire alarm did not go off again.

Our new fireplace with cement drywall

Lenny and his partner came back and installed the cement drywall on the area surrounding the fireplace the following day.  They also put in the mantel which looks great!





The installation and initial burn off of our new fireplace have been completed. We are looking forward to having the renovators come in and do the finishing touch on the facade of the fireplace!

R.T.
Don Mills, Toronto