How to Install an Amazon Electric Fireplace Insert - Step-by-Step Guide

Follow me as I show you how to install an electric fireplace insert that I purchased off of Amazon. This is a super easy process that just takes a short time to complete depending on your installation plans. I installed mine inside an existing fireplace so I did not have to concern myself with dirt, ash, smoke and the threat of dangerous fire in my home.
Notes on installation:
When planning an installation into an existing fireplace or inside a wall, you will have to do some framing and supporting reinforcement to secure the device from falling out or shifting. I wanted to make sure that I did not damage the original fireplace in any way by drilling holes for screws, or laying any type of adhesive down, so I built a frame with scrap wood and assembled it with "L" brackets. Then I made sure it fit snug into the fireplace opening by using shims to hold it securely into place. This is sufficient for how the insert is going to work, but make sure that you have a support piece BEHIND the insert that you can secure it using mounting screws. This will prevent the insert from falling out which will prevent injury and breakage.
Overall, I am very pleased with how this turned out. It is a beautiful addition to my living room with a variety of color combinations as well as optional heat (if I want it). The job only took a few hours from start to finish, but you need to be prepared to be creative. I encourage anyone with basic carpentry skills to attempt this project if they want to install a similar device as this.
Thanks for watching, and don't forget to "like" and SUBSCRIBE!
I am including a link to this product that I got from amazon. Please know that as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you.
Amazon Fireplace Insert: amzn.to/3J4NnPW
@mattsworlddiy
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#diy #fireplace #renovation

[@tashidolma0613]

Thank u so much for making this video as I have been searching for this one. I have an old brick fireplace that I wanna replace with an electric one so ur video will help me. Once again thanks.

[@mattsworlddiy]

Absolutely! It really is not terribly difficult to do, and I wish you all the best with your project. Thanks for the comment!

[@diamondhands0111]

This is really cool! Thank you for sharing and educating us. It’s a nice change from the cooking videos 😊

[@mattsworlddiy]

Yes, I needed to do this for the house anyway, and it was a nice break from the kitchen! Thanks for the comment!

[@shamimmaureen3950]

I will be saving this for future.I appreciate your time and effort.

[@mattsworlddiy]

GREAT! I'm happy that you found the video useful. Please let me know how it turns out when you complete your job. Thank you for your comment!

[@Cheekles]

Thanks for your video! It's very helpful for me. I have cats and want to replace burn-wood one with electric one. This is only video I've been looking for.❤🙏🏻

[@mattsworlddiy]

Cheekles: Thank you so much for the kind comment. I hope you and your cats have a wonderful holiday season this year. Thanks again.

[@ninjasa1]

GREAT job. Made it look so easy!

[@mattsworlddiy]

Thanks. I love it.

[@ninjasa1]

@@mattsworlddiy for sure!

[@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley]

I'm moving to an apartment next month that has a fireplace, but they don't want us to use them (which is perfectly fine for me, I don't want to use it, either, for fear of burning the place down, lol). The property manager mentioned people using electric heaters in the space the fireplace is at and that sounded like an interesting idea, since I also try not to use central heating in the winter to keep the bill down. Didn't consider that I might have to make my own insert, but my mom I think has power tools from all the DIY's she's done with her apartment and I can borrow hers. Or, have a hardware store cut the pieces I need (but tracking down someone to help is always difficult, lol). Love the way you hid the cord, I was curious about how to still plug the cord on the outside but not make the cord just stick out. I'll be saving this video as one of my references to use once I'm ready to get started, thank you!

[@mattsworlddiy]

Yes, this sounds like the perfect solution to what you might be looking for. You will get some heat from the unit, and it creates a nice ambiance as well. Good luck with the construction. It really isn't all that difficult, and remember that SHIMS are your best friend. Use them to create tension to secure everything, and also great for leveling if needed. Thanks for the comment!

[@ikwuwunnaugochi1301]

Need one of these but I can’t mount it. Can l get any help?

[@Kfive5365]

Did you consider providing a finishing touch for the wood above and below the actual new firebox? Painting the wood black works but what might one use to provide a more finished look?

[@mattsworlddiy]

I did consider it, but I wanted the black of the glass to blend with the wood, so I just went with painting the wood black. Great idea though!

[@jmluisdeoliveiramore]

No issues, no complains , LOVE IT , mantle on the way ……Choose mantle size before hand and build to suite your needs ( must know mantle length and width to start)

[@mattsworlddiy]

Excellent suggestion. Thank you for the tip and response. Sounds like it is going to be beautiful!

[@Cheekles]

Thanks!

[@mattsworlddiy]

My goodness. This is a first. Thank you so much. How kind :)

[@matimusmaximus]

I love this idea. Do any of the settings look real?

[@mattsworlddiy]

I absolutely love having my electronic fireplace installed. Yes, I usually keep it on a low light setting using an orange/red combination. The look isn't 100% realistic, but it is good enough for me. Sets a very nice mood. Thanks for the comment!

[@kathyjackson8275]

How long is the power cord? Can you possibly share a pic of how you ran the cord to the outlet? Thank you

[@mattsworlddiy]

Kathy: I'm not positive about the length of the power cord, but I think it may be between 4 to 6 feet long. Depending on the location of your power source, you may or may not need to get a heavy duty extension cord to safely power the unit. The power plug for my unit was close enough that I did not need an extension cord. I simply ran the cord through the hole that I cut in the front (bottom) of the wood frame that I built so I could reach the power source. I wish I had documented that better in the video. I hope this information is helpful!

[@samuelallen64]

Where’s the electrical part? You showed the hole you drilled for the cord but where did it connect to the power?

[@mattsworlddiy]

The cord is already connected to the unit. You just need to plug into the wall to receive power. I had an outlet nearby, and that is what I used. I hope this helps.

[@03snkvert]

How did you go about sealing off the existing Chimney? Mine does not have a Damper in it

[@mattsworlddiy]

If you don't have a damper, you may want to consider sealing the chimney from the top (outside). I did this at a previous house that I owned. It didn't even have a cover on the top of the chimney. I am not sure of your situation, but I will give you a link to the product I used from Amazon. It was a WONDERFUL solution to my problem. Good luck! amzn.to/3nUdJNm

[@Kfive5365]

And how hard was it to find a fireplace insert equal to the width of your fireplace opening? Could you buy one so that the glass cover extends beyond the brick opening so long as the box fits within the opening?

[@mattsworlddiy]

Fortunately, the sized that were offered that I found on Amazon worked for me, so it wasn't difficult at all. This is the second fireplace that I did for myself, and they both worked out great. The first one I did was a larger opening and made for a stunning presentation.

[@pavel514mtlQC]

What did you do with the actual chimney? Did you just block it with insulation? Thank you in advance

[@mattsworlddiy]

Great question. I only made sure to securely close the chimney flue. I did not want to modify it too much as there may come a time where I want to use it again as a fully functioning wood burning fireplace. The house I had before where the chimney was condemned, I capped the chimney on the outside and made sure it was securely sealed before installing the digital fireplace insert. Thanks for the great question and much luck! I hope this helps.

[@Londoncockney]

How did you build the frame ? I have the same issue where the fireplace is not quite the correct size

[@mattsworlddiy]

Lots of measuring and piecing things together for a snug fit. Thanks for the question!

[@taylormcnearney2162]

How do you run the electrical behind the unit? I would not want to have a cord through my kitchen....

[@mattsworlddiy]

The cord comes out the front through a small hole I made in the front of the frame. I plug it in at a nearby outlet that is close to the fireplace. I hope this clarifies for you. Thanks for the comment :)

[@paulinemarin9481]

Do you have to cap exterior fire place venting on roof ?

[@mattsworlddiy]

I did not cap the chimney on the exterior for this particular install. My current home has a functioning enclosure on the outside so no debris or water comes down the chimney. I did, however, do that in my previous home, but I felt it was necessary because when I bought that house it had never had a cover so water was making its way through the chimney. I was never going to use it with a real fire in it, so I sealed it with a cap and called it a day.

[@sweeetmomma]

Which size did you get I saw your measurements was 36x 26

[@mattsworlddiy]

The measurement on my unit is 36"wide by 18" tall. This is the measurement of the outside glass. I hope this helps, and thanks for the comment. Good luck!

[@sweeetmomma]

What size are those pieces of wood are they 2x4 are 2 x3 to make the frame

[@mattsworlddiy]

Sweetmomma! Yes, I used 2x4's and some remnant wood that I got from Lowe's for free (I believe they were 2x3). On the front top and bottom I believe I used a 2x4 and a 2x6 so there wouldn't be a gap between the framing and the brick of the fireplace itself. I did a lot of measuring, and just made sure that the unit would fit inside the framework, and also that I would not have any gaps showing after the insert was set in place. I hope this helps, and good luck!

[@wendic2547]

That’s what I need. My chimney is in bad shape to run a fire and we don’t want to pay a fortune to get it fixed. We did have them correct the top so no water will come in.

[@mattsworlddiy]

This is the same reason I bought my first insert. The chimney in my previous house was deemed unusable due to years of neglect prior to my purchasing the home. I sealed the top, then added the insert. It was a selling point when I put the house up for sale. Thanks for the comment and good luck!

[@bernettabell3526]

IS THERE A PLUG ON THE MANTLE OR DID YOU HAVE TO INSTALL ONE

[@mattsworlddiy]

I did not install a plug. Instead, there is one off to the right of the fireplace that I used. The chord comes out from the bottom through the hole I made in the frame, and I placed the driftwood in front of it to conceal the cord going to the right, and into the socket there. I hope this is helpful, and thank you for the question.

[@skabettispaghetti5451]

I don't get this. Does the fireplace need wood brackets? If so, why? And do they come with the fireplace? TX.

[@mattsworlddiy]

The fireplace will only come with a hanging bracket if you want to hang it on the wall. Because I wanted to insert it into the opening of an existing fireplace, I had to build a framework so I could attach it into the opening. If you are only hanging it on a wall, you will not need to do anything but attach the hanging bracket. I hope this helps.

[@skabettispaghetti5451]

@@mattsworlddiy OK. Thanks.

[@oilcantoo]

Did it not require dedicated circuit?

[@mattsworlddiy]

All I did was plug in and enjoy!

[@thomasbowman4535]

How long is the power cord?

[@mattsworlddiy]

The power cord is about 6' long.

[@GTRrocker84]

You should paint the bricks so it looks more modern aesthetically. The aged brick clashes with the sleek look of the new insert.

[@mattsworlddiy]

I had thought about doing something with the brick. I still might do something. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@Peg1954]

How did you get the electricity inside the firebox?

[@mattsworlddiy]

Peg: Great question. I drilled a little hole on the bottom/right of the framework that I built to support the fireplace in the opening. I fed the electrical wire through the hole and plugged it into the outlet nearby. I did not want to create a plug INSIDE the firebox of the original fireplace in order to plug in the unit, so I had to feed the wire out so I could connect it to the nearby outlet. I hope this helped, and thank you for your question!

[@pookumsmcgee]

I like the strategic placement of the stick to hide the plug wire…

[@mattsworlddiy]

@@pookumsmcgee thank you. It works out really well as you can't even tell that there is a wire coming out of fireplace. Thanks again!

[@ThePaul197]

How much does it cost to uninstall a gas fireplace & install a electric fireplace?

[@mattsworlddiy]

I'm not really sure about disconnecting the gas. That's actually a "plumbers" job to do. You could, however, keep the gas line active and just install the insert in the firebox if you wanted to . Not sure it that meets code, but you could do that as a temporary fix. Thanks for the comment!

[@michaellewin6075]

Where isthe Fireplace from and what is the brand

[@mattsworlddiy]

Michael: I'm sorry for getting back to you so late. I got the fireplace off of Amazon, and it's made by R.W.Flame (they have a store on Amazon with other products). I am incredibly happy with the product. Here is the Amazon link: amzn.to/3MnyT0S

[@michaellewin6075]

@Matt's World DIY Thanks Matt.

[@ASUSproz]

Where you plug the outlet?

[@mattsworlddiy]

Hey, I plugged it in to a nearby outlet that is very close to the fireplace. The cord is definitely long enough to reach a nearby plug. I covered the front of the fireplace with the driftwood so you can not see the cord coming out. Thanks for the question, and I hope I have been helpful!

[@ASUSproz]

@@mattsworlddiy thank you

[@PeterSchneemann]

Why not just put a mini tv on the fireplace channel? It would be way ore realistic ahahaa

[@mattsworlddiy]

haha....I know. I've seen that done before.

[@jimjohnston7688]

I would disagree about the direction. They were crappy. Installing this into an existing fireplace is challenging. We chose to drill into the brickwork. A press fit is risky. Wood expands and contracts and a press fit installation could come loose over time. This particular insert does not have enough pre drilled holes easily accessible to allow for a confident installation. I certainly don’t trust two screws to hold this up. Sorry

[@mattsworlddiy]

I appreciate your input. I totally agree that wood does expand and contract, and I was aware of this so when I did the fit, I made sure that it was a VERY tight fit indeed. As for the screws for installation, they are surprisingly sturdy in keeping the insert in place. Your opinions are valued, and I appreciate you providing another take on the product. Thanks again for your comment!

[@jimjohnston7688]

@@mattsworlddiy I should have specified that the directions that came with the fireplace weren’t that good.

[@mattsworlddiy]

@@jimjohnston7688 haha...ok, on that we can very much agree. PLUS, I was doing an alternate installation, so I knew that I would have to figure a few things out for myself. Thanks again.