Well - we didn't do a fireplace in a similar room.

Maybe it depends where you live?

Maybe having more fireplaces than occupants is enough? I mean we live in an extravagant house by any standards so I shouldn't throw any stones. But I think more fireplaces than people has gotten a little over the top. Not really what you want to here but maybe it will make your decision easier.....

I don't know about your community. But virtually no one here puts in wood fireplaces anymore. Even when people are not putting in a basement direct vent fireplace, I include the connections for venting and the piping if the space is to be finished.

Worthy - all of our fireplaces will be gas. However, in this area, if it is not a masonry fireplace, then they use the inserts with gas logs because the inserts are deeper & look more realistic (or so I'm told).

So, our main level "fireplace" breakdown:

* Great Room: vented gas logs that will have a faux chimney extending above the roofline covered in brick or stone veneer.

* Keeping Room: direct vent, cast iron "stove" with visible pipe coming out the top & bending to go out the wall. (DH wants this because it reminds him of the coal stove they used to heat the house when he was a kid. Whatevers -shrug-)

Master Bedroom: direct vent gas, portrait style raised fireplace in a corner cabinet. This is for "romance". I would point out to the nay-sayers that retirees just might have the time & energy for "monkey business" since we don't have the distractions of raising a family and pursuing a career. That, and "Better Living Through Chemistry" is a slogan that has been co-opted for a 2nd time by the now aging Boomers. ;^P

David - I hear you. I think there is such a thing as fireplace "overload", but every house we've seen in The Cliffs has a lower level fireplace, as does our next door neighbor. So, even though 3 fireplaces is more than enough, I just want to know if it makes sense to "stub" for a 4th in the lower level since we don't even know how we plan to use the rec room when it gets finished in a few years.

Jo Ann

Ok - so NC mountains?

You can easily stub for a fireplace in the future if the space is unfinished. The venting is probably not that hard either - depending on the wall behind. If you are looking to add to the chimney above - I don't know about that.

Chew on this - As far as romance, a direct vent will overheat a bedroom pretty quickly. I don't know about you and your SO, but combined with your own heat, it can make for a sweaty mess.

Also, inserts with gas logs are far less efficient than direct vent so that more relistic look comes at a price - not just money but finite resources.

David - nope, the Upstate (SC), but pretty close to the NC border. I'm assuming you live in/near Cary. DH went to State & wanted a climate like Raleigh's. (He was born & raised in the Piedmont just on the NC side of the border.)

For most of the basement area, we plan to finish it, per plan, up to & including the dry wall. The builder planned to install the ductwork, gaslines, insert and frame the chase, so implementation is not the issue. We're just not sure we want a 6'x 2' chase stuck into a room that we may eventually use for our version of Roadside America if we get bitten by the same train set bug as several of our neighbors. (or, turn it into a pool hall or the INDY 500 for future grandkids' trikes on rainy days). So, my idea is run the ducts & gas lines, cover them over & we'll decide, later. Is that reasonable?

Direct Vent in the bedroom - the unit we are looking at (something like Avalon's "Hideaway") is rated for 16,500 BTU on high down to 3,150 BTU's on low for LP. It says it heats up to a 650 sq ft room which I would assume is going all out @ 16,500 BTU's. Our master is ~275 sq ft, so I'm assuming we can get the Hideaway low enough to be comfortable. Does that make sense?

Agree that the direct vents are much more efficient than an insert with gas logs. The insert is in the great room & will be used mostly for ambiance during the few hours we have company over during the winter months. I'm hoping that the two direct vents on opposite sides of the house will allow us to keep most of the house at lower temps and just give a little boost when we need it in the areas where we will do most of our living.

Jo Ann

In Upstate SC higher end homes have a fireplace in the lower level/basement.
I would do it or run a gas line to the area for installation at a later date.

Rough in the pipe and vent if you are doing drywall. I was faced with the same decision and decided not to. The reason is that the fireplace is the dominant feature upstairs and the room downstairs is similiar in size and function - why repeat the fireplace was my thought. It competes with the TV.....