Every article on FireplaceIQ goes through the same process. This page describes it, so you know what you are reading and how much to trust it.
How topics get chosen
We write about questions real people actually ask. Topics come from search data, fireplace and home improvement forums, and reader questions sent to us directly. We do not publish filler to hit a posting schedule.
Where the numbers come from
Cost figures are compiled from three kinds of sources:
- Retailer price sampling. We record current prices from major retailers for the specific product categories in an article, and we note the date we sampled them.
- Published installer quotes and industry pricing data, cross-checked against each other rather than taken from a single source.
- Government and industry data, mainly the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), energy.gov, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA).
When a number is an estimate or a range, the article says so. When we built a table ourselves, the article says when and how.
Safety claims
Anything touching gas, venting, carbon monoxide, or chimney condition is checked against CSIA and NFPA guidance and manufacturer documentation. Where the honest answer is “hire a licensed professional”, we say that instead of pretending a blog post can replace one.
How articles get made
We use software tools to help with research and drafting. Every article is then edited, fact-checked, and finished by a person, and includes firsthand input: our own experience, our own price sampling, or original comparisons we compiled. Nothing publishes without a human deciding it is accurate and useful.
Updates
- Cost guides are refreshed before each heating season (September and October) with current prices.
- The year in a title means the content was actually reviewed for that year, not just relabeled.
- Product recommendations are re-checked when models are discontinued or widely reported problems emerge.
Corrections
Found an error? Email hello@fireplaceiq.com. If you are right, we fix the article promptly and note the correction. Getting it right matters more than looking right.
Independence
Affiliate commissions and advertisers have no input into what we publish or recommend. The details are on our Affiliate Disclosure page.