Like everything I do, I think I explained the current "fireplace" totally incorrectly.
What we have now is basically one of those "fake" - totally fake - the chimney is fake, there's a vent outside if that lets air in or takes air out. If you stand less than 2' from it, you feel heat - move any farther away and there's zero heat. What we have is probably not an "insert" - I guess it's just a fake fireplace with a fake fire. I think it's pretty but I'm more about function than pretty.
The last house we built in Louisiana had a fireplace with a blower and a thermostat and the whole house and separate duct work from the regular HVAC. We could set the thermostat and it kept the upstairs and downstairs nice and warm. Of course, it was southwest Louisiana and zero degrees doesn't happen there. In fact, when we built the house, we had decided not to put central heat in and just use the fireplace. The builder said "You may not live here forever and having no central heat may affect your ability to sell the house." We lived there two years and I'm very glad we listened to the builder.
Here's another question for you.
Here's the room with no furniture.
(1) Here's what I think they're talking about with the wood stove. We'll know more Monday. The stove (probably the black Lopi) will sit in front of the hearth, the pipe will go into the hole where the insert is now and I don't know what happens after that - not sure they can vent it up the current "chimney" or it has to come out and go up.
(2) Here's a thought I had. Tell me if this is a dumb idea. To the right of the fireplace - basically that corner. What if we left the fireplace as it is and put the red stove over there kinda in the corner. That way, if when we start to sell this house, the new person has no interest in a wood stove, they can take it out, patch the one hole in the wall, put in new floor covering (because we'll have to have tile under and around the wood stove) and everything is back to normal.
I'm thinking I might like it better in the corner or almost in the corner because from where we have our furniture, we'd be facing it and be able to see the fire.
It would be a good bit less expensive because they aren't having to tear out the insert and retrofit everything there. And, because the stove wouldn't be sitting in front of the hearth, it would take up a bit less space.
Dumb idea?
I like the stove in the corner. My thought would be to tear out the existing 'fireplace' and just drywall it so you have an extra wall. If I understand correctly, there is no chimney there so why even have it?
ReplyDeleteI am sorry but the fireplace seems redundant with the stove there. I love the stove and would love it but could you get rid of the fireplace? I know more dollars!
ReplyDeleteIf we get rid of the downstairs fireplace, we also have to get rid of the upstairs fireplace so that's another room to have to have drywall redone on one wall (with 14' ceiling), whole room repainted and new carpet. It's more than we want to spend. You're right about the more dollars.
DeleteI like the stove in the corner. I think a lot of people would find a stove directly in front of the fireplace looks odd.
ReplyDeleteThere are actually a lot of them in front of fireplaces because many people put the pipe through the chimney of an existing fireplace. Ours will be in the basement and that's a room I don't think anyone besides us has ever been in except Chad and his family. My preference is not in front of the fireplace but, based on what Vince told me, the other option may not work. :(
DeleteI actually like it in the corner--with or without the fireplace!
ReplyDeleteWe'll see what the fireplace guys say Monday when they look at it. This has been the longest wait! :)
DeleteWhy not take the fake insert out of the fireplace and put in a real gas fireplace? I had a wood burning fireplace replaced with gas and it heats up my living area just fine.
ReplyDeleteYou had a real fireplace. We could put another "insert" in that would be more of a fake (not real fire) type set up but to put in a real gas fireplace would be about the same as putting in a "real gas fireplace" anywhere in the house where there isn't already a real fireplace. The chimney setup (which also isn't "real" as far as being able to safely burn a real fire would have to come completely down. Even if it could be done, it would be cost prohibitive.
ReplyDeleteIf we take the downstairs fireplace completely out, then we have to take the upstairs gas insert fireplace completely out which means re-doing the drywall in that area (texture included), repainting the whole room and new carpet because the current carpet goes around the hearth. It would all cost way more than we're willing to pay.