"Bob" wrote in message news:Mtl4d.239348$mD.96458@attbi_s02...
"Don" wrote in message

I have a fire place "insert" with chimney. The house is about 6
years
old. Wanted to put in a gas log but my gas bill is crazy. I
have to
get my tank filled up 3 or 4 times a year.

Debated putting in a wood burning stove as I remember having
one when
I was younger and they heated a house up quickly. But someone
said i
would probably have to change the chimney pipe ot the "double
insulated kind"

If what you have in the fireplace is what is normally called an
"insert", it IS a wood burning stove. Does it have a fan to
circulate heat around the part hidden in the fireplace? Have you
tried it? I used my insert last year for all the heat in my
house.

In any case, opening the vents where it is cold, and partially
closing those where it is not should help. Insulation additions
will help more, and save $ also.

Bob

And ... with any stove, if you run it much of the time with
uncontrolled draft, you'll not get any efficiency. The impact will be
determined by the difference between inside/outside temps, and we got
not clue as to area climate.

IOW, as possible, close the doors; regulate the draft.

Then there are the issues of sealing at connection to flue and
distributing heat from the insert, which can be hugely important.
Later.

HTH,
John