What We’re Doing
We’re swapping our old wood stove for a vent-free propane fireplace in the main living room and, after visiting a handful of showrooms, we landed on the Monessen LCUF42CR-BT from Graves Fireplaces. Our experience there felt 100% genuine and welcoming—the kind of place you want to go back to. The showroom is beautiful, with dozens of fireplaces and stoves displayed in an easy, unhurried layout, and there was zero pressure or upselling. Jimmy, our salesperson, really listened to what we wanted and then walked us through a few thoughtful options until the right one clicked.
Why We’re Doing It
The old German wood-burning stove is absolutely gorgeous—and from what we’ve been told, it was once capable of heating not only the main floor, but the upstairs as well. However, we now live in a log home—and, well… wood burns really easily and really quickly. So before winter sets in, we decided to have the chimney professionally inspected.
The chimney sweep took one look, shook his head, and said,
“Sorry, sir… no more fires in the wood stove. Not on my watch.”
It turns out that over the years, some of the flue tiles have shifted, and our chimney is no longer fire-safe. I’m pretty sure our insurance agent would be thrilled to know that—after thinking it over for about fifteen seconds—we decided to go the safer route and install a ventless gas fireplace instead.
How We’re Doing It
This part of the cabin already features a beautiful rock wall with a raised hearth and log mantel, so we’re hoping to blend the new fireplace seamlessly into the existing stonework. Here are some quick specs and considerations we’re working from:
- Unit: Monessen LCUF42CR-BT (42” Lo-Rider Ventless Firebox)
- Framing Dimensions: 48-1/2” W × 34-1/2” H × 22-3/4” D (selecting vendor now)
- Stone Area Available: 72” wide × 62” tall (including hearth height)
- Raised hearth: 6” from floor
- Propane line: To be installed by Travis Henry
- Rockwork: Will match or extend existing stone wall and surround (selecting vendor now)
- Manual & Specs: Owner’s Manual – linked here
-
Christmas settles in at Blue Ridge Horizon—carolers on the mantle, firelight in the stone.
-
Tony has the initital rock in place.
-
Before – The old wood-stove nook cleared out; that stubbed flue is where the new fireplace will soon live.
-
Framing day – Tony checks level and tightens everything up so the surround sits rock solid.
-
First fit – Firebox set and the opening framed in. You can finally see the new proportions taking shape.
-
Inspiration shot – The sloped-chimney profile we’re aiming for on top: simple, sturdy, and mountain-friendly.
-
This is how the corner originally looked with a wood burning stove.
-
The proposal to repair the chimney was over $50,000. Yeah- I don't think so.
Finding a Gas Pro
The first tech bailed at the gate—said he wasn’t driving up our (paved!) mountain road. Thankfully, we found Travis Henry — “The FireMan.” He was professional, thorough, and unfazed by the climb. As a retired firefighter, he’s serious about doing it safely—the last thing he wants is a 2 a.m. fire call. If you need a propane line run or repaired, he’s your guy.
Finding a Stone Mason
Stone masons are booked everywhere, but Tony Balfa — The Cajun Mason had an opening. Turns out he was not only our first choice - but the best one, too. He expertly framed the unit in, then turned the fireplace into a masterpiece. It turned out exactly as we hoped it would; it blends in beautifully with the original Tennessee flagstone hearth and chimney. He not only showed up when he said he would, did the work agreed upon, and did it beautifully - but he was also very reasonably priced. If you're in or around the Jasper/Ellijay area and are looking for a stone mason–I highly recommend him.
Final result - we're very pleased!
Vent-Free Gas Stove
We also replaced the old wood-burning stove in our basement—an upgrade that turned out to be surprisingly straightforward. Travis ran a propane line to the existing location, and we installed an Empire Heritage Compact Cast Iron Vent-Free Gas Stove, purchased from Fireside Hearth and Home in Blue Ridge.
Like Graves, the team at Fireside was refreshingly low-key. They took the time to understand what we were looking for, walked us through several options, and never once tried to oversell us. In fact, when we asked about adding a blower, they advised against it. Given the size of the room, they felt it would be unnecessary—and they were absolutely right.
Why Two Different Vendors?
We started our search in Blue Ridge but didn’t find the fireplace we were looking for. That said, we really liked the vent-free stove—and were impressed with the level of service—so we purchased it there.
From there, we drove down to Cumming after hearing great things about Graves. And wow—what a showroom. We found several fireplaces we liked and quickly settled on the Monessen. We likely would have considered a wood-burning stove from them as well… if they carried one.
-
Comments
{name}
{comment}
-
Categories
-
Features
All comments are reviewed before publication to ensure Blue Ridge Horizon remains respectful and free of spam. Your mail Address will not be published.