Insert or Stove Inside Fireplace?

You can fit a Big Insert in there. Although I haven't been through a winter with it yet I'm sure my Buck 91 Cat stove will heat my 2000 sq/ft just fine. I took out a Buck Model 27000 that I used since 2001. It heated fine but required a Lot of Wood and Middle of the Night Loadings. Now I'm Hoping to Load 2-3 times per day, Not every 4-6 Hrs.. Others will chime in that are way more knowledgeable.. But Good Luck, Don't Skimp, And do as the Experts say

Get an insert and don't sweat it. I heat 1300 sqft in Vermont down to single digits with a 2 cu ft insert. You will be able to heat your house in your climate with a 2.5 cu ft insert. That said, a flush insert will more often require the use of a blower than one that protrudes into the room. You may have to choose which of those two points is more important to you.

Nevertheless, with the height of our fireplace you will have a very limited selection of stoves as most will be too tall. A rear-vented stove will require a tee connection which will impede draft and that may be a potential problem in your case. With a single story your chimney is probably not that long but at your elevation you will actually need a taller flue. PE stoves/inserts usually draft well even on a shorter flue so the Neo 2.5 may be a wise choice. Still, it could be that you need an additional section of class A on top of your chimney. Talk to your installer about those points and insist on an insulated liner. Also make sure to get a block-off plate and put some Roxul insulation on top of it: https://www.hearth.com/talk/wiki/make-a-damper-sealing-block-off-plate/ And if the fireplace is at an exterior wall insulating around it will be a good idea: https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/finally-got-around-to-insulating-my-fireplace.75755/

CozyCabin said:

Hello, all. I thought I was dead set on a flush mounted insert like Osburn Matrix (or the Regency CI2600 but have been a bit scared by others' issues w/the cat) but now wonder if a freestanding stove inside the fireplace might put out more heat?

We live at 6500' elevation in a 1200 sq ft single story cabin. It gets down to upper teens at the very coldest (we're in the mtns of Southern CA). We'd like to use our stove/insert as our primary heat source and would love to avoid needing a blower if possible. Our fireplace opening is 35 1/4" W x 29 1/2" H x 19" D

What would work better for this situation? I'm looking at 2.5 cu firebox inserts. Would I want the same in a stove? Thank you all for your incredible knowledge! This site has been so helpful.

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Stove. I had an insert, changed to stove. If you want heat, stove.

I went though two fireplace inserts before I got a stove. You will need a blower with an insert. Much more heat with a wood stove. Just my 2 cents worth.