Bio Ethanol burners and localised insulation

[DAL3001]

Hi all, 

 

I'm currently renovating my Victorian terrace house and am thinking about what to do with the fireplaces in the living room. I've opened them up as they were boarded over and filled with rubble. I'm now considering how I want to use them/put them back together.

 

I was thinking that for aesthetic reasons and a little bit of supplementary heat, a Bio Ethanol stove (The kind that looks like a black cast iron log burning stove) might be the way for me to go. I was wondering if I was to go this route, if it would be especially beneficial to box out the fire opening and insulate it at the same time. I'd essentially be creating a new fire opening using battens and fixing insulated fire board or cement board with insulation behind. I know this wouldn't be regs compliant for a real log burner but I could make this work as far as the recommendations I've seen for spacing around a Bio Ethanol stove. Obviously this would be insulation of a very small and isolated area of the house, none of the other external walls are insulated in any way. 

 

My main question is, is it even worth the added effort of adding this insulation? I can't find much information or examples online where someone else has done this for a Bio stove. I know there are also issues with blocking up chimney flues and not allowing adequate ventilation but not sure if this applies in my case. 

 

Any input would be welcome! Essentially, I'm looking to decide between going through the extra effort or just cleaning the brick up and painting it black 😂 and would like to know if I'd be giving up a lot of the benefit of the stove. I know they don't kick out a ton of heat but I'd like to give it the best chance it can to make a difference. 

 

Thanks!