When my husband and I built our home, I insisted on installing a wood burning fireplace in the bedroom. Construction of the fireplace cost a great deal of money. I chose a fieldstone design with a black walnut mantle and hearth. The finished result is absolutely beautiful and a focal point in the bedroom. I was very excited to have a roaring fire during the winter. I imagined lying in bed, watching the flames and feeling the warmth. I just knew it would be wonderfully romantic. We’ve now lived in our house for nearly six years, and we’ve only built a fire twice. It’s a horrible ordeal. Cutting the wood is a lot of work and dragging it inside creates a huge mess. Getting the fire started is aggravating, and then we deal with smoke, sparks, ash and fumes. The whole bedroom reeks of woodsmoke, and I don’t feel safe sleeping with a fire in the room. Plus, to enjoy the warmth, we need to sit right up near the fireplace. The fireplace is currently a huge waste of space. I’ve consulted with a local HVAC contractor and am looking into converting the fireplace into a gas heating system. We’d still enjoy the ambience of the fire with none of the drawbacks. A natural gas fireplace operates from a cordless remote. We wouldn’t need to get out of bed to turn it on or raise or lower temperature. Because of an effective fan, the heat would be evenly distributed throughout the room. Conversion into a natural gas fireplace is not overly expensive, and this type of heating system is quite energy efficient.