Which increases home re-sale value more: a fireplace or a woodburning stove installed in a fireplace?

by Fire Places on April 19, 2010

A fireplace is more aesthetically attractive – but a wood-burning stove can reduce heating costs considerably – and it keeps working during electrical outages – a frequent occurence in some communities.


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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }

straightup April 19, 2010 at 3:18 pm

Probably depends where you live, but I would say a fireplace because it would likely attract a larger group. Additionally, you can get a good fireplace that also can reduce heating costs.

fr2fish April 19, 2010 at 3:18 pm

Check with your insurance company, in some states they will charge a premium if you have a wood stove which won’t help the resale value at all.

irene_mi44 April 19, 2010 at 3:18 pm

The fireplace is fine for resale. But to help heating costs use the woodburner. It really won’t add to the resale.

parsonsel April 19, 2010 at 3:18 pm

I don’t know if either would really add to re-sale value as there are "hidden" costs to each. Some people prefer one over the other so it would depend on who’s looking at your house.

I’ve heard that gas fireplaces are all the rage but that the nostalgia of wood is on the rise. Then there’s the pellet stove contingency.

Have to buy wood and if you use it to heat you need a blower to distribute the heat. You also need to jump through some insurance hoops and pay more for said insurance. Chopping, hauling and storing wood a pain and a mess too. Mice are drawn to woodpiles so there’s a chance of infestation with them and with bugs in the wood.

Gas fireplace you need the pilot running all the time so you’re theoretically wasting gas. Also have to have the safety flue block so your heat is going up the chimney more than you might like.

Usual upkeep to both includes cleaning and maintenance of the unit and the chimney.

bokbok2 April 19, 2010 at 3:18 pm

Neither would make me want to buy a home. Actually it would turn me against a home because where I live it increases home owners insurance.

emmettgolf April 19, 2010 at 3:18 pm

It is in the eye of the beholder. Unless a fireplace has a heatilator installed, they don’t do much good but, they do have more appeal to some. Others like the rustic look of a stove.

I have both and only light the fireplace when company is over. The stove heats the whole house faster than the central heat and cuts my heating bill by 2/3. Plus I can set an old iron pot on top of it with water, apples, oranges, cinnamon, ginger, rose pedals, etc and keep the place smelling really good.

quietgiant April 19, 2010 at 3:18 pm

i would go with the fireblace with a blower , where i live a fireplace is a definite asset regarding resale.

braveheart April 19, 2010 at 3:18 pm

It’s just like a swimming pool. You have to want it to be important to you to begin with and a lot of people don’t care to haul wood in and out plus clean the filthy thing. Not to mention the increase in insurance cost. You would be better off leaving it as a fireplace and the next owners can decide what they want to do.

lil'shane April 19, 2010 at 3:18 pm

I would think that the better looking would be a fireplace-My favorite place to visit in winter. I wouldn’t put the stove inside the fireplace.I just can’t see this

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