Fireplace and woodstove in the same room

[Moose032]

I have a log home that was build in 1985 with a huge mountain stone fireplace that goes up through the center of the house and about 10 feet away from that I have a freestanding Quadrafire 3100 that was installed later (around 1999) and which I discussed replacing soon in another thread). I’ve never tried burning both at the same time because a neighbor had told me the old owner had told him it never worked for him but is there any reason I couldn’t?

The main stove I’ve been looking at is available both freestanding and as an insert and I’ve often wondered if I should just put an insert in the fireplace when I eventually replace the other stove since it just seems like a waste to have both of them so close but only use one. The fireplace does have a metal heatform firebox so I’d have to cut part of that out to put an insert in. I was wondering if anyone else had this type of setup and if not would you keep both if you did?

 

[begreen]

The fireplace can radiate decent heat if the fire is large enough and burns for long enough, but it will be sucking heat out of the house as the fire cools down.

Putting an insert in the fireplace and keeping the Quad is definitely worth considering. It would greatly increase the heating ability of the fireplace. Depending on the floorplan, heating might change to using the insert for day to day heating and firing up the Quad on the very cold days.

 

[NickW]

If they both are drawing inside air for combustion I can see why it wouldn't work well. The stove would theoretically draft better than the fireplace which might make smoke roll into the room from the fireplace if both were going. An outside air kit on the stove could resolve this (except at start up/reload on the stove - any time the stove door is open it would draw inside air).