Full Steam Ahead.

I came home last week and noticed a pile of bricks in the driveway. I had no idea what was going on until I walked in the house and noticed my husband sitting in front of what USED to be my mantel. He tore the fireplace out while I was at work.

We'd discussed it - but I hadn't made a final decision. The reason we were 'thinking' about it was to give us more options. We live in a cape and we have decided to remove the wall between the kitchen and the living room and install a peninsula/counter between the rooms. This meant that we'd have one less wall to work with for furniture, etc.. I figured we'd cut down the wall, install the new kitchen and then figure out what to do with the living room. Guess not.

I'll say this.. I miss the coziness of the fireplace. But it is actually warmer. He took down the entire wall and re-insulated (the insulation was practically disintegrated on that wall!) - and hung new sheetrock. It is warmer in there. And it cost only about a hundred dollars since he did all of the work himself.

So we're going forward with the kitchen and living room re-model faster than I expected!

But I do have a question - because I do miss a fire in my living room..

What do you think of wood burning stoves?

Re: Full Steam Ahead.

Not a fan of woodburning stoves. My parents just took theres out and installed a very nice electric fireplace with a blower. It is really nice. I thought It would be cheesey but it is so nice.

Re: Full Steam Ahead.

i have a wood burning stove. i have to say, when we looked at the house i thought it was awful and ugly. but now i really like it. i wish dh would make fires more often. it heats up the entire house!

Re: Full Steam Ahead.

We have a woodburning stove..We do not have to turn on our heat and it saves so much money. I love it!

Re: Full Steam Ahead.

My aunt and uncle have a wbs. They have a small house and have yet tonturn the heat on. I warms the entire house.

Re: Full Steam Ahead.

My parents have a wood burning stove, it always feels like I'm in the Caribbean when I'm there, and they hardly use any oil for their boiler. They save a lot of money!

But, it is a lot of work on my dad to chop wood, keep the fire going etc. Plus, it gets VERY hot, so kids are not to go near it at all.

Re: Full Steam Ahead.

I love wood burning stoves - those are what produce the heat and can heat your entire house for the winter. Fireplaces were made for cooking not heating. We have a fireplace but we really need to do a tear down and redo it since the entire thing is WAY too huge and with all black tiles very ugly.

Are you closing the chimney?