Open face fireplace Vs. Woodstove

I grew up on open face fireplace, and always loved the feeling of seeing and feeling the flame. Made it very homie to me. But as I see more and more wood stoves, I'm starting to debate on getting one at my first home rather then an open face fireplace. I refuse and will not have a home without a fire place. I love the heat wood stoves, produce compared to open face F.P's and people say wood stoves can heat a lot of the house and save tons of money on heat in the winter. I just am unsure of all the components and whats needed to install a wood stove. Is it just a pipe and a hole in the wall connected to a wood stove sitting on fireproof tile? Do I have to have a open face fireplace first to be able to insert a wood stove into it? Im very confused and need help/advice/arguments on wood stove and open face fireplace, i know this is the perfect place for help....

 

I am still new to a lot of this but one thing I know about FHC; it is the place to be and the folks here can really help one to learn. I can not say it enough how much I appreciate the help I have received here; even when they chastise me at times; they really care about you doing things the right way.

 

Wow, that is nice, I like the way it angles in at the top. I want to do something on the wall behind my stove. I see what looks like a vent at the top and two down at the bottom. Is that air circulation to pull heat off the top and out the bottom?

 

ok what does zero clearance mean for this....and also looks very nice and all...but i feel without the whole wood stove out in the open radiating heat from the entire thing heating up sending out heat, compared to yours which is enclosed in the brick doesn't it not give out and heat as much of the house being its all kept inside but surrounded by bricks? rather then a whole metal wood stove out in the open like some people have, which therefore radiates and puts off a ton more heat because the wood stove itself is heating up a ton and then radiating that heat through most of the house?

 

do you use your heat at all? Or does this thing literally provide all the heat for the winter?

 

Ok so either way no matter what I decide, if i want a wood stove...I have to get a house with an open face fireplace no matter what...because a wood stove has to be inserted into it no matter what. I can't buy a house without any kind of fireplace or chimney if i expect to install a wood stove...correct? Watching videos on youtube on installing wood stoves lmao, their all just inserted in open face fireplaces and connected to a huge metal pipe up the chimney.

 

There is a whole lot of stuff to learn. First start with the house; the layout, square footage, etc; existing chimney, etc and people will know more about your needs to help guide you in what can be done; stove types, etc. I like the look of the stone fireplaces but I am quite happy with my Madison and the big glass door where I can enjoy the fire. The first lesson I learned is that it can be costly. I had $700.00 gifted to me and thought that would buy everything; I was very wrong.

 

No, not at all. I live in a manufactured house. No chimney, no fireplace, nothing. I built the chimney using Class A stainless steel chimney pipe. Made a hearthpad for the stove from plywood and porcelian tile. The stove is a Madison from Lowe's made by England Stove Works. I had the temp to 85F in the lounge and even my bath was warm.

 

pics ?

 

It comes down to what you want and how much money you have to make what you want come true. I am poor; so I had to go with what I could managed. I am heating with wood because I had some generous friends; which I helped in in various ways, that got tired of me sitting in a 48F house during the winter; I would get sick each winter; last year it was for three weeks of coughing and such. They donated money and I scrimp and scrounged to get the chimney up; the pad built and I am still paying on the stove.

If you want the look of a fireplace and have the money, then you can make that come true in any house.

 

Here is a photo of my chimney; not the best photo and I have a better one somewhere. Pretty? No, not really. If I had the money I would frame it out and cover with stone veneer; leaving an access panel to get to the clean out for the chimney. However, there are many Class A chimneys in use exposed.

 

By the way, I built that chimney myself, designed myself; with some advice on the forum, the support bracing. I couldn't weld so that is why I went with the slotted; thought about seeing if I could get a welding shop but there was no money to hire welders. Dad could weld but I never got him to teach me. I had to do a special support because I needed to offset more and did not want to cut into the facial board

 

Yes, you can add a wood burning stove to any house. If you have an existing fireplace, you can put an insert into it like I did with my Quadrafire. The insert uses a stainless steel liner inside of the existing chimney. It's very efficient as well.

Last winter was my first winter with the insert, but my furnace only turned on rarely.

 

An open fireplace is for aesthetics; they are romantic but basically all your heat is sucked up out of the house through the chimney. You get some infrared heat when standing in front but your house will stay cold. It is why Ben Franklin came up with his Franklin stove..

 

Basically a wood stove requires: stove, chimney and hearth.
Can be installed in any house.