Hmm. I've never seen a double sided insert - does such a thing exist?...In terms of efficiency, you are aware, aren't you, that a wood stove heats better than a fireplace with insert?...I don't know about building a house with fireplace/insert/hearth - just a stone surround for our wood stove would've cost $4000 or so. We decided to use that money elsewhere. Too bad - we're building a log house (expect to be in by Christmas!), a big surround would've been amazing! At any rate, I'm sorry I don't have answers for you except it will likely be costly to do the fireplace/insert route.

Hi Gladys,

I am aware of how much more efficient wood stoves are (and am considering one for the basement), but really want the look of a fireplace in the family room.

I did see a double sided fireplace with what looks like an insert (see link) but am not sure if that is as high efficient as some of the inserts out there for masonry fireplaces.

Setting the double sided feature aside, are there fairly efficient wood burning fireplaces out there that don't require a full masonry chimney? I'm having trouble understanding how the prefab wood burning fireplaces work (why aren't footings required, for example). Investing 10K on a masonry fireplace, then getting an insert is just too much money, but building a masonry fireplace and letting most of the heat go up the chimney doesn't make sense either.

thanks

Here is a link that might be useful: Acucraft Fireplace

I don't know about a two sided insert, but do a Bing images for "built in wood stoves". My neighbor had one installed and it looks great.

These are airtight woodburners that have all the effects of a fireplace. And some manufacturers like Regency www.regency-fire.com have lifetime warranties.

I live in Vermont and woodstoves are common here. When we first built we didn't have a stove, but installed it shortly thereafter. It paid for itself in oil savings in two years.

If you're serious about using wood as a primary heat source, a free standing woodstove is the best choice. You can then decide between a masonry chimney and a triple walled metal one. A hearth can be anything you want it to be as long as the code restrictions are met. Building an expensive full masonry fireplace and then putting in an insert seems an unwise and unnecessary use of a lot of money. Inserts do not put out as much heat and require electricity to run the (usually annoyingly loud) blower. Basement woodstoves are often a bad idea as well. Poor draft is frequently an issue, then there's the heat circulation problem, access for bringing in wood, and the fact that a stove in the basement is almost never as closely watched as one in the main living area. This last is an important safety issue.

We really want a fireplace on the main floor, not a wood stove. The basement will be a full walkout- but we aren't committed to a wood stove down there.

I've done a little more research, and I think what I'm looking for is an "EPA" efficient fireplace. Something like this... Thoughts?

Here is a link that might be useful: EPA efficient Fireplace-Lennox Ladera