[3] Using an EPA certified fireplace insert can improve heating efficiency by up to 50% while using less wood fuel, reduce creosote build-up in the chimney and lower smoke pollution inside and outside the home.
[4] Fireplace inserts are categorized primarily by the type of fuel used (natural gas, propane, EPA-certified wood heaters, pellet, coal or electric).
He came upon the idea as a means of using coke (a smokeless fuel made by the destructive distillation of certain types of coal) and incorporated the use of an electric blower to improve efficiency.
[citation needed] The fireplace insert was improved upon by David Rittenhouse who added a pipe bent at 90 degrees to the back of the stove which was meant to direct the smoke out of a chimney.
His model featured a taller, narrower structure with a smaller, shallower firebox and sharply angled coverings on either side.