So my wife and I are buying a home.  It's in "low-grade" state.  One owner home where the owner started out with big plans and ran out of money.  Lots of great unfinished projects around the house, allowing us to finish it how we want.

One such case is a grand fireplace in the basement that's never been used. I want to put a woodstove insert in.  It's a large opening in the fireplace, about 36" tall by 48" wide by 18" deep.  So I can go BIG.  There's an exterior stairwell that enters the basement from outside, so I don't have to drag wood through the house.  

I'd like to stay away from the "catalyst" types that require you to replace the catalyst.  And I think a blower is in order to get the heat out better.

So those of you with experience, please share your advice.

Also, what's the benefit of a steel stove over a cast iron?

Pic of fireplace

First off, Hearth, the Arfcom of Woodburning

My parents had a big fireplace like that with a wood stove insert.  It was a steel Pre EPA Kent, and lasted 25 years.  They kept burning for another five years after the back baffle burned through.  Safe to do, but this reduced output.  This stove had no blower and threw a LOT of heat when fired up hot.  (Most pre EPA stoves do)

They replaced it a couple years ago with a Pacific Energy insert.  More even heat output through the burn cycle.  Lower peak heat output.  Less total wood consumed.  It has a blower but they don't have an outlet in the brick.  Still heats fine without the blower.

Thanx for the hearth.com link, I didn't know it existed.

We had a fireplace when I was real young, later we installed a Fischer wood stove.  After a chimney fire in 84' Mom refused to heat with wood anymore.  I don't want wood to be my primary heat source, but I can't see having such a grand fireplace (on two levels no less) go to waste in case of a power outage.

England Stove Works makes some of the most cost effective wood stoves on the market.  They also make a wood stove insert.  

Insert


Home Depot usually has the best prices

HD link

Burn time is bullshit.  Sure it will put off heat for 12 hours but it won't be enough heat to actually heat the house.  We were very cold that night in bed when I learned that one.  The thermostat is one room over from the insert.  So it was still warm in that area.  But there were still coals in the morning.  Now I get it nice and hot.  Load it up with wood and go to bed.  It will be out in the morning but the bedrooms are still decent.