Electric fireplace installation in Essex, Morris and Union County, NJ

HomeGuide puts electric fireplace installation at $200 to $2,500 on average, by type: an insert $200 to $2,000, a wall-mounted unit $500 to $2,500 or more, and a recessed built-in $1,500 to $3,000 or more (updated January 2, 2026). Fixr puts the national average at $750, usually $540 to $1,005 (updated January 31, 2025). HomeGuide adds $250 to $900 for a new circuit and $150 to $350 for a new outlet. These are market ranges, not MDL prices.

Not for a plug-in unit that sits near a good outlet. You do for a hardwired unit, a new outlet, a new circuit or a recessed install. Electric Fireplaces Direct says to hire a licensed electrician for hardwiring, new outlets, dedicated circuits or uncertain electrical conditions, and the Touchstone and Napoleon manuals say a qualified electrician must do the hardwiring. In New Jersey, electrical work may only be done by persons licensed to do it, except a single-family homeowner on his or her own home (N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.15).

Most manuals say yes. Napoleon's Alluravision and Element manuals say the unit must be connected to a dedicated 15 amp circuit. Dimplex's Revillusion guide recommends a dedicated, properly fused 15 amp circuit and says one is required if the breaker trips. Touchstone's Sideline manual says to use a 120V, 15-amp grounded circuit and not to plug other appliances into it. A 1,500-watt heater at 120 volts draws about 12.5 amps, which is most of a 15-amp circuit.

Many models, yes: freestanding units, mantel packages, log sets and most wall-mounted units come with a cord. Plug it straight into a wall outlet. Touchstone's manual says never to use a surge protector, extension cord or relocatable power tap, and Napoleon's says never to use an extension cord or relocatable power tap. If the only outlet is across the room, have an outlet added where the fireplace goes.

Yes, with an electric insert or a log set sized to the opening. Heat & Glo's insert guide says to measure the height, width and depth of the opening first. Seal out drafts and close or seal the chimney flue and damper. Then work with an electrician to get a receptacle placed in the existing fireplace for the cleanest look. Its SimpliFire insert needs a 15 amp, 120 volt circuit with a grounded outlet.

It depends on the type. Electric Fireplaces Direct ranks a freestanding unit as easiest and a mantel package or log set as easy. An insert or a wall-mounted unit is moderate. A recessed fireplace is the most involved, because it can need framing, drywall and electrical work. Fixr says hardwiring is typically a 1 1/2-hour job for an electrician.

Some can. Napoleon's Alluravision deep models are rated 1,450 watts on 120 volts or 2,800 watts on 240 volts, and its Element built-in 1,500 or 3,000 watts. Dimplex's BF33 and BF39 built-in units are wired from the breaker panel to a junction box on the unit, for 120, 208 or 240 volts, on a dedicated 15-amp circuit with 14-gauge wire. The 240-volt hookup in these manuals is hardwired, so it is electrician's work. Many models, like Touchstone's Sideline series, are 120 volt only.

Usually, if you keep the maker's clearance. Touchstone's Sideline manuals call for at least 8 inches from the top of the fireplace to a TV, a mantel or the ceiling. The Touchstone and Napoleon manuals warn that heat above the unit can melt, discolor or damage decorations, a TV or other electronic components. Give the TV its own outlet; Touchstone says not to plug other appliances into the fireplace's circuit.

No. Check the manual first: some units are wall-mount only. Touchstone's Sideline manual says to recess only into non-load-bearing walls, to keep the fireplace off a vapor barrier or exposed insulation, and to finish the inside of the enclosure with drywall. Electric Fireplaces Direct says to frame the opening to the maker's required dimensions and test the fireplace before the final finish work.

HomeGuide's comparison: an electric fireplace is slower to heat a room than a gas one and lacks the realism of a real fire, although it costs less to install, needs little upkeep and makes no combustion gases. The heater is meant as supplemental heat. On high, a 1,500-watt unit uses 1.5 kilowatt-hours every hour it runs.

Plugging a unit into an outlet that is already there changes no wiring. A new circuit, a new outlet or hardwiring is not on New Jersey's ordinary-maintenance list (N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.7), so it needs a permit under N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.14(a). In one- and two-family homes the town may treat five or fewer new outlets as minor work where the existing circuits, or the room for new circuits, can carry the load under N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.17A. HomeGuide puts permit fees at $50 to $85. Your town's construction office decides.

Call 973.809.2339 or send the form on this page with your town, the make and model (or the manual), whether it will plug in, hardwire or go in an old fireplace, which wall it goes on, and whether a TV goes above it. MDL will tell you whether it handles that job. MDL Electric is a licensed New Jersey electrical contractor at 4 Harrison Avenue in West Orange.