where there is smoke...

yesterday i experimented with the fireplace in my basement.
the reigning theory had been that it might possibly heat the whole house.

the truth of the matter is that it is almost completely useless. the flue is not exactly large enough to successfully whisk the smoke away and i was left with a smokey basement and half burnt wood.

this leaves me to wonder if i should leave it there at all. the enormous cinderblock chimney takes up a major portion of the room. but i don't think i could actually remove it without completely restructuring the upstairs. but, someday i might be able to throw a gas insert in it and call it good.

starting to feel an overall desire to work on my basement. the only thing holding me back on the one room is an egress window. any room i build in the basement i would like to be legal. what's the point otherwise?