I would take the dimensions of the fireplace to a dealer and ask then which models would fit your situation. If possible I would spend the money and get a good unit, Jotul makes a great product. Also have the combustion air hookup installed, you'll never regret it. A dealer can also tell you what. if any' changes would be needed to vent a stove in a masonry chimney. Realistically this shouldnt cause any design changes for the builder, but you can guarantee they will try and make you pay for SOMETHING. When we build our home 10 years ago the builder practially wanted money any time I had a question about the construction.

If you have two cleanout doors, you almost certainly have two flues in the chimney. The fireplace uses one, the old furnace used the other. A wood stove could certainly be added in the basement, but ask yourself if it's worth it. How easy is access for bringing in wood? How willing are you to tend a stove in an inconvenient location? The lack of (any?)insulation will mean that a woodstove will probably take a good long time to heat the basement to a comfortable temperature. The effort to add insulation is pretty daunting. If you do decide to add a woodstove, be sure to have the chimney cleaned and inspected - there's a chance if your old furnace was gas that the flue is not suitable for solid fuels. Also, definitely install a smoke and CO alarm in the basement. You should also check on local fire codes, permits, etc.

Thanks for the information! I know what it's like to have a regular fireplace, and I have to admit that I wasn't crazy about going without a wood stove because the last house I lived in had a fireplace and it had a ventilation system where you'd just flip the switch and the fan would come on. It did a great job with pulling all the smoke and soot up, but the heat went with it as well. I've got someone coming to inspect the chimney and clean it out, and I've already found a replacement stove that I'm hoping to have put in within the next few weeks. This particular situation just threw me for a loop because I've never had a fireplace or wood stove in a basement before. If everything works as planned, I'll keep my fingers crossed for lower electric bills this winter!

I recently got a 'rough' estimate for a Tulikivi masonry heater. It was for their smallest model, which retailed for around $4K. Install with pipe was in the neighborhood of $2K. Additionally, I would have to contract with someone to reinforce the floor (we have a basement). The distributor thought this would cost between $1 and $2K based on his past experience with similar projects. Tulikivi provides the requirments, and you can go to their website to do some research. Bottom line is that it cost between $7-8K. I am seriously considering this product, as it is exactly what I want, but it is about double some of the other products I was looking into. Here is a link that might be useful: Tulikivi masonry heaters