Pellet Stove Insert in basement Fireplace Pros/Cons?

Pro's
you wouldn't need the dehumidifier much. Either wood or pellet. Both are solid fuel and dry the air a lot!

Con's
You probably won't see much heat upstairs without using fans. It will be toasy down there, If thats where you hang out!

On the PRO side;

I have a 5000 sq ft Colonial, I use to use about 1200 gals of oil per year for heat. The house was insulated very well. I installed a Englander 25 in the basement,I run this unit about 2 or 3 for heat range with the blower on the same level 24X7. I only shut down once a week for cleaning. Last winter my oil use dropped from 1200 gal to 637 gallons of oil. I burned just under 3 tons of Green team pellets that I purchased at Lowes for just under 200.00 per ton. If anything the basement does get a bit warm, I have my den in the 1800 SF basement so I need to wear shorts in the winter. The heat is brought up to the first floor from the basement by an open staircase, no blower. Also I have two floor vents, one just above the pellet stove that feeds into a first floor office, the second at the oppisite side of the house through what use to be a laundry shoot. The first floor stays about 71 degrees. The third floor heat only comes on fro a few hours a day and typically stays about 64 to 66 degrees with out additional heat. A pellet Stove let running 24 X & seems in a well insulated house to provide nice radiant heat.

IMHO, listening to your needs and circumstances, just keep running the dehumidifier.

I'd opt for a wood stove in your position.

So you just want a stove for the only purpose of not having to use the dehumidifier? You are not trying to heat the home for just the sole purpose of staying warm?

If this is the case i would not change anything keep the dehumidifier. Alot less expense and hassles.

If not looking for heat. Then this is gonna be one expensive and time consuming dehumidifier. IMO.

If you are looking for some heat, it may heat pretty well. Considering that your basement is finished and insulated. The heat will have to be persuaded up the steps. But a little fan blowing the cold air down the steps, will help with the convection (cold air is more dense and is easier to blow cold air and let hot air replace it)

I agree with the others. Lots more work involved with a stove than the dehumidifier!

xxnonamexx said:

...Wouldn't the heat from the pellet stove radiate with the door open up the open staircase to the top floor? Thanks

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In a perfect situation, yes. But most of the time, the heat doesn't make it up the stairs as well as you'd think....it's pretty much a crap shoot...it might work, it might not.

Better to put the stove in the place you want to heat. You might be better suited getting a free-standing pellet stove and put it upstairs.

Just my 2 cents.

xxnonamexx said:

Maybe I misunderstood. I would love to use a pellet stove insert in my basement fireplace to help heat the house and keep the oil use/cost for heat down in the winter.
I have a finished basement next to a laundry room that house my workshop/furnace. I have a door closing off the laundry room from the finished basement as well as another door closing off the finished basement from the open staircase. Wouldn't the heat from the pellet stove radiate with the door open up the open staircase to the top floor? Thanks

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Maybe, there are a lot of posts on basement installs, many times heat just does not move well to upper floors. It would dry out the basement and you may find the finished basement a different cozy place to hang out. My guess there would be at least a 10 degree difference floor to floor. My arrangement is not like this, perhaps someone else can fill you in.

I would lean toward the basement install if the increase in the comfortable living space in your house would be used. It would keep the basement dry and also would keep the shop/laundry area warmer if doors are opened. It would no doubt lower your HHO use. Having said that I am not sure there would be much of a payback period if at all because the heated area is being increased substantially.

xxnonamexx said:

The basement is 294 square feet if that helps

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Is that footage accurate? That is very small, like maybe 10x30. You said it is basement in a raised ranch. Maybe a room in the basement?
Anyway, lots of us have stoves in the basement. Works better if basement walls are insulated. In not insulated, I wouldn't even try a pellet stove. I don't know anyone who is happy with a pellet stove in any home that isn't insulated.