Good question! I'm one of those people that can't stand the sound of blowers, so that would be a pretty easy decision for me, but hopefully other people can give you more rational feedback on which way to go. :)

I don't know what style your home / room is, but I'm really in love with the new fireplaces that have a bed of "stones" and a long row of flames. It doesn't look like a true "fireplace" but has a look all of it's own that is beautiful and unexpected. From what I've checked into, I believe the price would be within your budget...

http://www.heatnglo.com/

thank you!

Lindsay, I'm afraid the ship may have already sailed, but I have to put my two cents in.

Is your budget $3500 for the whole kit-and-kaboodle, including the surround and mantel, or just for the fireplace?

I'm a little perplexed why you are connecting a wood burning fireplace with or without a blower to propane heating costs . . . maybe you can explain?

If it will help ease your mind, you will not get an efficient wood burning fireplace installed for $3500. Period. Blower or not, it will suck the heat out of your house. You really need to spend at least about $5000 to get a woodburning fireplace that will do any good.

On the other hand, if you get one without the blower capability, at least you can cover up the flat sheet metal on the front and not look like "something awful from the 80's".

If this is still an open topic, or if you'd like some help dealing with whatever you've already committed to, comment on this thread and I'll be glad to help however I can.
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I agree having a blower installed will save some energy costs. It would be better if the blower can be turned on and off as you wish.

I usually agree with Dytecture, but at the "Builder" box budget level, a blower doesn't usually do any more than make noise. And since an open woodburning fireplace usually exhausts 50 cfm + of air that you've already paid to heat out of the house, the net heat advantage is about zero.

There are woodburning fireplaces that are very energy efficient (70%+), but not at a lower investment.

we went with a wood burning fireplace with a blower and a door. budget was 3000 for all of it meaning the insert,labor,and 20 feet of materials.we ended up spending 4200 very middle of the line and got what we wanted. our home is being built on 5 acres in the middle of nowhere so it was geothermal heat or having a huge gas tank in my yard.the gas is expensive but cleaner than the wood so my dilemma was..should I get a gas fireplace and pay all that extra$to run the dang thing or go with a wood burning fireplace and have to clean up the mess of it.i have a unlimited supply of free wood so wood it is!...still stuck with a big ugly tank in my yard regardless but thats another problem.:)