Experiences with fireplace with water jacket

... Rumor has it that it costs €2500, ...

I estimate that €2500 refers to a water-bearing fireplace insert (which fits better with the price), probably plus everything else

Connection
(water side, pipes, storage, etc. = heating engineer)
& construction
(flue gas, construction, masonry, plastering, etc. = chimney builder)

Anyone who has endless wood should definitely consider it!

PS: Fireplace inserts transfer about 2/3 of the heat into the water and 1/3 directly to the room via radiant/convection heat...

For the water-bearing pellet stove, there is a 2000 euro subsidy from BAFA! Pellets can also be bought in bags, which is no more work than using wood, rather less (no chopping, sawing, and storing required). I would rather choose a pellet stove than a log wood stove. The question is, is it all worthwhile in a completely uninsulated house? Maybe you can achieve more with insulation, and there are also affordable subsidies from KfW for that. We once got a renovation loan with 0.75% interest, but I think the rate is now 0.25%. The BAFA subsidy for the stove is on top of that. Energy is not getting cheaper, and with the insulation condition, a few inexpensive measures can certainly achieve something worthwhile.

Edit if you want firewood, you can also use a firewood boiler or a wood gasifier. There are also Bafa subsidies for that (I think it's even 3000 euros, and firewood boilers like the Atmos are already available for 2500 euros. So you might come to about an extra thousand including installation.

Pellets can also be bought as bagged goods, involving no more work than with wood, rather less (no chopping, sawing, and storing). I would prefer a pellet stove to a log wood stove.

So if you have plenty of wood available for FREE, what should you do with a pellet device?
Everything else is, for example, a matter of "taste": do I want a cozy fireplace in the living area? Or a "basement device" where appearance doesn't matter?

PS: I’m supposed to be "neutral" by profession ... but personally, I think pellet systems are TERRIBLE! Such a thing would never go into my living room; the flame is as "elegant" as with an oil burner, but like everything, it’s purely a matter of taste... and regarding "work": pellet devices need to be maintained/cleaned more often than you think! Weekly, monthly, and yearly maintenance with tasks like removing the flue pipe and vacuuming the connector, brushing out the burn pot, brushing the heat exchanger, and so on and so forth...

Hi Feueronkel

But these are all tasks that are also necessary for a water-bearing wood stove.


Olli