Charming features that people look for when buying an older home often include fireplaces. Homeowners look forward to piling up the wood, lighting a fire and watching the flames on a winter evening.

Unfortunately, we’re discovering today that an old-fashioned wood fire isn’t so good for your health or the environment. You can make things safer by keeping your original fireplace and chimney in top shape, and burning wood only under certain conditions (see Sidebar). It may be easier, though, to upgrade your fireplace with a modern insert.

Old Outside, New Inside

"We deal with that (situation) a lot," said Bob McNamara of McNamara Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc., of Pearl River, N.Y. (mcnamaraservices.com). "People are buying inserts to be greener and get higher efficiency. Also, a lot of people are aware that if they upgrade, they may qualify for a (federal) tax credit of up to $1,500."

The new fireplace inserts, he noted, have glass doors for added safety and a variety of designs to suit any style of house.

"Those of the older generation will convert to gas because they don’t want the mess of dealing with ashes and carrying wood," McNamara said. "We’ll give them a gas insert, which is over 80 percent efficient today. A second group comes to us because of the tax credit, to do a wood insert. We can take their cold, drafty fireplace and turn it into a heater."

He said putting a new insert into an old fireplace involves several steps:

* The chimney must be cleaned and inspected

* There must be sufficient clearance around any mantels

* The company providing the insert installs a stainless-steel liner to protect the hearth.

McNamara said that his company offers all the necessary services in-house, and the installation price varies by what has to be done.

"Our products range from $3,500-$4,500, depending on the size, the number of BTUs and the design of the front," he said. "A general install is $725."

Beyond that, there are many a la carte features a homeowner can add, ranging from $250 to $1,000. "We can do accent lighting inside, remote-controlled (ignition) or a remote-controlled thermostat," McNamara said.

Two manufacturers he recommends, for the homeowner who wants an old-fashioned look, are Jotul and Valor. "Jotul offers very traditional products for both gas and wood inserts," he said. "Their cast-iron front fits nicely into an older house. Valor has gas units with an old coal look or a log look."

All of these products will give your older fireplace modern efficiency, he noted —"There’s a huge savings, once you upgrade your unit."

Beautiful Surroundings

Sometimes the exterior or "surround" of the fireplace needs a facelift, too. The bricks may be blackened or the wooden mantel may have become damaged over the years.

One option is to look for a replacement mantel at an antique center or salvage yard. Of course, not everything you find will work for the measurements of your fireplace.