Newbie with a problem, can't get an insert to fit my fireplace what do I do now

OK, here is my problem. I own a manufactured home that has a fireplace in it. I am trying to research my alternative heating options so that I can get away from my high propane bill. The wife and I were seriously considering putting a wood stove insert into our fireplace but I found out today that my opening is way to small to go this route (17" H, 36" W & 15.5"D). My question is what are my other options for alternative heating for my home?

brooktrout said:

How about a freestanding stove set in front of the fireplace? Or somewhere else in the home?

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I've thought about this but don't really know how pleasing to the eye this would look. Wouldn't this mean that I would need to run a new exposed chimney right in front of the existing fireplace as well?

fossil said:

Where do you live (climate zone-wise)? How big's the home? Single story or more? What's the layout? Where's the existing fireplace? What are your heating aspirations (wood heat as primary, or backup)? What's your budget? How much time & effort are you willing to put into woodburning? These are a few of the many questions that need to be addressed. Stick around, there are a lot of smart people here (certainly not talking about me, but they are here!). Rick

EDIT: Oops, I just saw you already answered question number 1...sorry :red: Rick

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Sorry for not providing enough info on my original post. I live in West Michigan, not sure what the climate zone is but at our coldest times in the winters we can average daily temps in the 20's with lows in the single digits and below zero temps at times. We have a 2000 sq ft double wide HUD modular home, single story. The layout is two bedrooms at one end of the house then a very large living room (28 X 20) connected to the kitchen and dining room with the third bedroom and main entry at the opposite end of the home. The existing fireplace is in the living room and I'd like to heat with either wood or wood pellets. I don't really have a budget at this time, just mainly looking at my options and will then seek out costs of each. I've got three kids (oldest is 5) so I don't have that much time to put into cutting/splitting/stacking which is why I am also interested in the pellet option. Thanks for all the replies so far.

Webmaster said:

The fireplace is most likely a metal pre-fab and I doubt you have ANY options with it, including a stove in front. Given a single story structure, your best bet is to start from scratch and install a free standing stove.....and chimney - or pellet stove and venting system.

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This is the one thing I definitely want to stay away from. If I rip out the corner fireplace that I have I'll need to rip out the entire corner back to the walls and thus would have to redo the floor, walls and ceiling throughout the whole living room to make it all match.

What about an outdoor furnace? I'm not talking about the big tin can's with a smoke stack that are getting wildly popular lately. I'm referring to an outdoor furnace that I saw at our local Menards (simlar to Lowes or Home Depot), it looks like an actual furnace but it burns wood and can heat the entire home. Unfortunately I can't find anything online discussing them since every search comes back with the other outdoor furnaces that I was referring to. Sorry if my description doesn't help you know what I am talking about, I'm new to most of this.

rosencra38 said:

What about an outdoor furnace? I'm not talking about the big tin can's with a smoke stack that are getting wildly popular lately. I'm referring to an outdoor furnace that I saw at our local Menards (simlar to Lowes or Home Depot), it looks like an actual furnace but it burns wood and can heat the entire home. Unfortunately I can't find anything online discussing them since every search comes back with the other outdoor furnaces that I was referring to. Sorry if my description doesn't help you know what I am talking about, I'm new to most of this.

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I think I just found what I was talking about and it looks like it is an indoor wood furnace which I wouldn't have any place to put that so looks like that is out as well.

Thanks everyone for the replies. I didn't mean to sound like I wasn't greatful for the replies in my earlier post. Unfortunately I don't really have any other space to put a wood stove other than were the fireplace is at. My options are limited since on the same wall as the fireplaces is a sliding glass door out to our deck, the opposite wall has a large picture window and the front entrance door. The other walls in the living room, one has very limited space as it joins into the kitchen on one side and the dining room on the other, the opposite side buts up against the front entrance door and our entertainment system pretty much takes up most of this wall. So other than putting it in the kitchen or dining room which I am not thrilled about, I think I should start looking at outdoor options. Thanks again for everyones help.