Lovnlivin:
I have a fireplace insert. Pretty much the largest one that is made - enough to heat a 2500 sq. ft house (so the literature said). It uses outside air for combustion, and a fan to circulate air around the unit.
For the amount of wood that I burn, I would have gotten more heat from a stand alone wood stove, and probably burn less wood. My sister has one in their basement, and it heats the whole house with less wood than I use. Their house is insulated about the same as mine, and is about the same square footage.
If I had to do it again, knowing what I know now, I would have figured out a way to make room for a stand alone wood stove instead of an insert.
