"Free Heat Machine" Fireplace Exchanger (not the outdoor boiler)

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utidcapaco

New Member
Jan 8, 2012
3
Northern NM
Hello all. My family recently moved into an older (1961) home in northern NM. The house is 3700 square feet on two levels. Downstairs is a large fireplace with two openings (adjacent, not opposite), located approximately 2/3 to one end of the house. Ultimately, I'd like to remove the fireplace and put in a wood stove (we heated our previous home extensively with an awesome Jøtul wood burner). However, the fireplace is in a large open room, and I don't know how much ceiling support is behind the brick. The main issue right now is funds, but I'd really like to put a stop-gap in place to lower my gas bill (forced air furnace) and have an emergency backup.

The dual openings make a fireplace insert tricky, but a "Free Heat Machine" heat exchanger made by Aquappliances is being sold locally for $75. This is a set of tubes through which a fan circulates air (see link below). It includes a second set of glass doors which would close off the side opening. Granted, without electricity, it is useless, and the unit is pretty old. Here's a link with the best description I can find: http://alturl.com/4b44j. I guess my question is whether anyone has used one of these, and if so, what is your experience/recommendation? Will I get enough bang for my buck to pay for the unit? For what it's worth, I cut my own firewood very cheap. I welcome any and all feedback. Thanks!
 
Thanks pen. Your link is the same one I posted above (I just shortened the URL). I'll measure the fireplace and post later today, maybe with a photo. It is not big enough to house part of a stove, yet it is large enough that putting a stove in front of it would substantially decrease the room's utility (and my wife would probably skin me).
 
Thanks pen. Your link is the same one I posted above (I just shortened the URL). I'll measure the fireplace and post later today, maybe with a photo. It is not big enough to house part of a stove, yet it is large enough that putting a stove in front of it would substantially decrease the room's utility (and my wife would probably skin me).

sorry, I couldn't open the link you left. Might be the computer I'm on.
 
Main (front) fireplace opening is 29" wide by 30" high by 25" deep. Hearth sticks out 16" past the brick face. Overall fireplace/chimney size, not including the hearth, is 70" wide by 43" deep.
 
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