I am curious about the debate on wood stoves or Fireplaces. What do you have and how do you like it?

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http://www.communitiesbound.com

I did not know there was a debate. Fireplaces exhaust several hundred cubic feet of air per minute so the colder it is the less net heat it produces.

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I have two wood stoves. I love them.

Sorry I was abrupt, I was both in a hurry and preoccupied.

American style fire places are generally used for ambiance. With a decent set of glass doors they are OK as heaters but nowhere near as efficient as wood stoves. A Rumford style fireplace is a different animal and does a better job.
For new construction I would urge everyone to take a look at masonry heaters. The CSIA has one in their building in Indianapolis. I have seen it work but if I said how well, everyone would think I was a liar.

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I was just wondering. I really don't know anything. Was hoping you could enlighten me.

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http://www.communitiesbound.com

I have a 1890s cookstove which we use more for heat than for cooking, but I have cooked on it.

And a broken pellet stove.

I was wondering, if I can't get it repaird and instead must relace, would a wood stove insert for this fireplace be effective? And would it be cheaper than a pellet stove?

I'm more in favor of a wood stove myself, since I like having heat when the power goes out, but husband like the pellet stove.

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"Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'" Isaac Asimov

Way too many variables to hazard a guess. If you give a call, I would be happy to discus it.
R/
Bob
303 838 0717

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If I were building a new house it would be getting masonry heater, retrofitting one into an existing home is probably too cost prohibitive for most people.

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Masonry heaters are awsome. I actually studied these in college, many years ago. We were building them and conducting efficiency tests on different designs. Back then we called them Russian fireplaces, masonry stoves, and a few other names.

We found a few designs to be over 90% efficient - meaning that for every 1000 btu's of wood used in it - 900+ btu's of heat into the living space. A few were about 94% efficient and a house could be heated with just an armload of wood per night.

By the way - I know of no-one these days who is qualified to build a masonry heater properly. Proper design and construction are an absolute requirement to get it right.

I have 2 wood stoves and this is my primary heat source. I would like to build a masonry stove someday for my home similar to those we studied in school.

A traditional fireplace can be as much as 95% inefficient - with alomost all the heat going straight up the flu. The only thing worse than that - is a Fake fireplace - operated with gas.

I consider those units to be the "yuppie special" - especially fit for a McMansion owner with more money than brains, complete with a remote control to turn the fire on and off with.

If you have a fireplace - a wood insert will improve the ability to use it for heating the home. Fireplace inserts are essentially a wood stove placed into a fireplace space. Many wood stoves and fireplace inserts are 70+% efficient these days.

A pellet stove is a way to heat with wood too - except that you have to buy the pellets, and most of those stoves need power to run them.

I like the good ol' fashioned wood stove. The fuel grows all around us. Many of us don't pay much money for the wood, because we cut it ourselves. I like cutting and splitting the wood, but it's not for everybody.

I would not recommend this for Mr. Yuppie Mc Mansion owner - stick to your remote control fireplace.

I get excercise cutting wood - not in a gym but outdoors in the hills - and I pay my heating bill at the same time.

P.S. Somewhere I have all the literature I collected in college - I can't find it but someday I'll go through all my boxes of stuff. For anyone who might be interested in maybe educating some mason's in our area about these awsome fireplaces - I have dug up some information about them. It would be nice to see this technology used more in our area.

This PDF is similar to the designs I saw in the late 70's and early 80's. It will give some idea's of how to build a masonry stove correctly.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBMQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dnr.mo.gov%2Fpubs%2Fpub781.pdf&rct=j&q=missouri%20masonry%20stove%20pdf&ei=f8j3TL-TBoa8lQe9zY2OAg&usg=AFQjCNGpHkQ0O3bBFCJ65cD7tem5Hrzpew

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Neptune - when it's financial feasible, you;re first on my list.

Bear - thanks for reminding me how long ago it was that we were in college. Ppppbbttt.

I like your point about a wood stove - since I don't want a gaping cold hole (no snarky comments please) in my livingroom, and this decorative bookholder needs to become useful then, I think a wood insert might be out best option.

Of course, I'd like to also put a hand pump in for my well, but that's another topic.

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"Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'" Isaac Asimov