two sided wood burning stove?

[mban112]

Is there such a things as a two sided wood burning stove. Our chimney straddles two rooms and it would be great to carve out another fireplace opening and insert a wood burner that can heat both the living room and the family room. If not, can anyone suggest how to get heat from one room to the next when the fireplace is on one end of the wall.

I made a crappy drawing.

 

[mban112]

oops:

 

[Tfin]

I've seen fireplaces that are open on each end into separate rooms (really cool by the way)....but I've never seen a wood stove with essentially two doors (front and back).

Intresting concept though.

 

[begreen]

There are units made in England that have this feature, but I haven't seen any in the US. I suppose one could import it.

http://www.woodwarm.co.uk/page66.html
http://www.topstakchimneys.co.uk/double.php

Is the masonry exposed in the family room? With some stoves/inserts, you'd be amazed how much heat is transmitted in back of the stove to the masonry. With an exterior chimney this can equate to major heat loss, but in this case it might be used to an advantage. Otherwise, it would help to have a large opening entries on both rooms to allow better heat circulation.