Replacing open fire with wood burning stove?

[Rhubarbgarden]

Dh wants to replace our lovely big open fire with a wood burning stove because they are more efficient, don't suck the heat out of the rest of the house blah blah blah.

I think it's a bad idea. It's a large inglenook fireplace in a high ceilinged Georgian living room. I think a wood burning stove would just look wrong. I think they are lovely in the right setting, but not here.

Any thoughts?

Oh dear, you might have come to the wrong place if you're after support. A recent thread was about 90% in favour of stoves.

I, on the other hand, love both. There's no question that the stove would be more efficient, and it would reduce the heat loss from the room when it's not lit, and they can look great. But I do just loooove the look of an open fire, and particularly an original or good reproduction in keeping with the style of house.

So that's me firmly on the fence. ;-)

I'd agree with you.

I love wood burners and am trying to talk dh into agreeing to one but idont think it would look good in a Georgian property.

We're putting one into a Georgian property

I dont know about it not looking authentic, but I can't afford to heat the house solely by oil anymore. The open fire just doesn't cut it. I'm afraid the practicality of keeping warm wins for me.

You can get some very large woodburners. One of those may look OK. Having said that I very much agree with you. Maybe it boils down to the aesthetic value (in terms of lower efficiency) of the open fire?

We've an open grate in the lounge and wood burner in the hall/dining.

We've just been sat round with our little boy all roasting marshmallows on sticks - it's not the same if you've no open fire! For me at any rate

radiators and wi-fi aren't authentic either.

up to you, but using an open fire is very wasteful.

Hmm yes I think it does boil down to aesthetics for me. And wanting to keep things in keeping with the period and style of the room/house. Dh is in practical mode in view of recent heating bills, which I think he should have thought about before buying a large draughty old house!

True about radiators and so on. But the fireplace is the main focus of the room. Radiators are hidden behind furniture and I don't have to look at wifi.

Is the room warm enough with the open fire ?
Because putting a log burner in is not cheap .

That's a good point. A decent sized stove and fitting may be 3-4k which is a good few years difference between stove and open fire efficiency

I'd block up the chimney tightly so you don't lose any heat from it, keep the appearance of the fireplace, and sply use your rads for heating. You must be losing heat through your chimney every day of the year, but I can see that a polite-style Georgian room shouldn't have a woodstove.

The room is warm enough. Dh has just got a bee in his bonnet about how open fires suck the heat out of the rest of the house.

But £3-4K should be enough of a rude awakening to shut him up for a bit! Thanks for that tip.

I've just been through this with a new (to us) property. 400 years old.
We have a great big inglenook & really wanted an open fire to suit the room. Sadly the chimney has been tampered with years ago & it's just not feasible.
There are log burners that you can have the doors open (Dovre 2000 & Jotul I18 spring to mind) but in the end we went for the efficiency of a more traditional one.
If we didn't have to have one, I'd have a big log fire in an inglenook.

We have massive inglenook in a Tudor cottage. We put in a wood burner about 4 years ago an haven't regretted it for one minute. Our hearing bills have lowered substantially and the fireplace is still the focal point of the room.

You will grow to love it, I can guarantee. Why don't you google pictures of wood burners in Georgian properties? In sure you'll find a look you like.

Because of the heat generated you need a special liner for the chimney put in. I didn't realise they were so expensive! We got our morso modern style on eBay for £800.