We are building a new home in Yorkville IL. The house will have a two-sided fireplace between the family room and kitchen/dining area. I'm having a hard time deciding what type of fireplace we should use.
* Heat output is not a major concern. We will size the furnace to handle the heat load without the fireplace
* Even if i do put in a wood burning fireplace it will eventually have a gas log. We like the convenience of the gas log, and just probably wouldn't get much use if we were only burning wood.
Choices i've seen
1. Direct Vent: I don't really like the glass on the front, and the fires i've seen in fireplace stores don't seem all that impressive.
2. Install Wood burning fireplace, and most likely a gas log to go with it. The gas logs i've seen at the stores are really impressed me with their realism. But is it crazy to install a wood burning fireplace with the intentions of installing a gas log? Some of the salesmen i've talked to mentioned that wood burning fireplaces would be better for re-sale. I suppose re-sale isn't a big factor for me since i don't plan on moving from this house until retirment age (20+ years).
3. B-Vent gas fireplace. Do the gas logs these fireplaces come with rival the realism of the gas logs intended for wood burning fireplaces?
For all three of these options i've looked Heatilator, Heat & Glo, and Vermont Castings(Majestic). The local stores don't have much in the way of displays for the see-through or multi-sided fireplaces, which makes shopping a little difficult.
Any and all opinoins appreciated.
* Heat output is not a major concern. We will size the furnace to handle the heat load without the fireplace
* Even if i do put in a wood burning fireplace it will eventually have a gas log. We like the convenience of the gas log, and just probably wouldn't get much use if we were only burning wood.
Choices i've seen
1. Direct Vent: I don't really like the glass on the front, and the fires i've seen in fireplace stores don't seem all that impressive.
2. Install Wood burning fireplace, and most likely a gas log to go with it. The gas logs i've seen at the stores are really impressed me with their realism. But is it crazy to install a wood burning fireplace with the intentions of installing a gas log? Some of the salesmen i've talked to mentioned that wood burning fireplaces would be better for re-sale. I suppose re-sale isn't a big factor for me since i don't plan on moving from this house until retirment age (20+ years).
3. B-Vent gas fireplace. Do the gas logs these fireplaces come with rival the realism of the gas logs intended for wood burning fireplaces?
For all three of these options i've looked Heatilator, Heat & Glo, and Vermont Castings(Majestic). The local stores don't have much in the way of displays for the see-through or multi-sided fireplaces, which makes shopping a little difficult.
Any and all opinoins appreciated.
