Lots to learn - Need advice

[m159267]

Great forum - have learned alot but would like some advice. We built 5 years ago and our fireplace in the Great room is one of the typical small-low cost units. Works fine but someday I want to upgrade the unit for more efficient BTUs. I checked out inserts but the only insert that would fit is very small and produced less than 20000 BTUs. My thought is to remove the existing fireplace and replace it with...??? This unit will serve to assist my geothermal furnance in bitter weather as well as be enjoyed throughout the winter season. I have plenty of wood (15 acres) so I am looking for a stove type unit. Upstairs is 2000 sq ft - sort of open. Any ideas / suggestions...? Thx...!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

There are many free standing wood stoves that would work for you but you might have to redo the hearth a bit. In a 5 year old home with a great room, a Woodstock Fireview would be a beautiful stove for you. Not only are they beautiful but they are extremely efficient...as long as you have dry wood (at least a year after split and stacked as all wood should be). We even cut our wood useage almost in half and have stayed much warmer than with our old stove. Take a look at their website and they also are running a big sale now.

Woodstock

 

[the_dude]

You also have the option of replacing the fireplace with an EPA Fireplace. I have a Kozy Heat Z42CD and I love it. I replaced a Majestic ZC firplace with the Kozy Heat when my house was just a year old. There are tons of options in Fireplaces such as Quadrafire 7100 (or Heat n Glo Northstar or Heatilator Constitutions), Fireplace Xtrordinaire FPX36 or 44, BIS Tradition, etc. If I had the room, I would go with a free standing stove. But if you like the fireplace look but just want heat, there are definitely options.

 

[Got Wood]

I installed the FPX Elite 44 this past fall. It has done a super job heating the house through the winter. That said, I would think one of your first factors will be the size of your opening after pulling out your existing unit and how much disruption to your existing install you will be facing. In my case, we ripped everything out and started fresh.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Or get a stove that has a cat and you won't be worrying about that smoldering and creosote.

 

[wldm09]

Great forum - have learned alot but would like some advice. We built 5 years ago and our fireplace in the Great room is one of the typical small-low cost units. Works fine but someday I want to upgrade the unit for more efficient BTUs. I checked out inserts but the only insert that would fit is very small and produced less than 20000 BTUs. My thought is to remove the existing fireplace and replace it with...??? This unit will serve to assist my geothermal furnance in bitter weather as well as be enjoyed throughout the winter season. I have plenty of wood (15 acres) so I am looking for a stove type unit. Upstairs is 2000 sq ft - sort of open. Any ideas / suggestions...? Thx...!

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I am new to the forum but had to comment on your options. I installed a BIS Tradition in the summer of 2008 and could not be happier. So far have saved over 53% on our utility bills here in Northern WI. We love (LOVE!) the look of the fireplace and the feel of a wood stove. Its amazing! I would recommend this fireplace to anyone. Its worth the price.