We had a gas insert added to our wood burning fp. One of the best investments in the house that we've made. We use it all winter long. If the next owners of our house don't like it, they can just pull out the insert, and use it as a wood burning fp again.

We've used ours during power outages for heat. The blower doesn't work during outages, but the flames do (as does the remote control). It still warms up the FR and the rest of the ground floor of our raised ranch/bi-level type house.

I think this is the model we have:

Regency Horizon HZI390E

But it appears they might have changed the model numbers/styles on their site (linked below).

http://www.regency-fire.com/Products/Gas/Gas-Inserts.aspx

I also had my wood burning fireplace converted to gas. Use it every day in the winter. It is vented so there are 2 pipes in the flue. Seemed like a straight forward job. They had to extend the gas line I had in the basement and they had to put the two pipes in the chimney. I went with a well established company and the guys made it look easy. I have a remote for mine so I can easily turn it off/on, adjust the flames, blower. Even without the blower on it gives off a good amount of heat. One of my favorite improvements I have made to the house.

There is no way a gas unit will heat a floor - may a room but not a floor.

The heat transfer from an old wood burning fireplace and a gas one is radically different. A wood unit can burn in excess of 200,000 btu's and a gas fireplace maybe 20,000-60,000. A wood fireplaces chimney would also heat up and radiant heat would be given off.

Gas fireplace heat is a luxury heat and is not the best for primary heating needs because it is not that efficient....

I have a small home (1500 square feet) with an open floor plan. I turn the heat down low and just use the fire place to heat the main floor (living/dining room, kitchen) and the fireplace is more than capable of heating that floor. I am sure if I had a larger home that wouldn't be the case, but in my home, the fireplace (with the blower on) is sufficient to heat the main floor.

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