new stove advice

Hello,
First time poster here looking for some help with selecting a stove. Our home is a 1981 ranch w/ walkout basement around 3400 sq ft. It was originally built with wood stove in basement , prefab fireplace upstairs and electric baseboard heat. Then in late 90's baseboard and wood stove where removed for propane furnace w/ duct added. The furnace and finished basement make original chimney in center of house unusable.
My plan is to add a free standing stove in basement under upstairs prefab fireplace. This location would be ideal for adding a new chimney and near walkout for wood. What worries me is house is 68 ft long and stove would be in far corner.That's a long way to push heat.
What do you think? Try a big stove in basement (Equinox/Blaze King) or replace prefab fireplace w/ new fireplace and smaller stove in basement?

KaptJaq said:

Why is the original unusable? Center of the house is always the best location, and a central/internal chimney is better too...

I have a long ranch with a walk-out basement also. Central masonry chimney with 3 flues, boiler, upstairs fireplace, and downstairs thimble. I have an insert in the upstairs fireplace, and a wood/coal stove downstairs. I usually only use the insert and that takes care of the upstairs. Weekends or very cold spells I run both stoves. I find running two stove gently is better than one stove very hot. Helps with both heat distribution and stove life.

KaptJaq

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Center masonry chimney has only one flue and is surrounded by stairway,added bathroom, hot water heater and furnace. Prefab chimney is stainless and in SW corner of house. The bigger stoves are rated 3000-3500 but do they keep up in a Wisconsin winter? I prefer to have one if possible. The prefab is for the wife, more heat goes out the chimney than in the house.lol

begreen said:

Is the plan to use the prefab chimney? Many are not rated for wood stove use. Have you thought about replacing the current prefab with a modern EPA ZC fireplace that can actually do a good job of heating?

This article may be a helpful read:
http://woodheat.org/wood-stoves.html

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No, I plan on running a new one thru floor alongside of prefab. Then box it in with prefab, it sticks out 2' from wall. Had a local stove dealer look at it , said 8" pipe would have enough air gap. Yes I've looked at them but close to double the money for big enough fireplace. 5k for free standing or 10k+ for fireplace not a deal breaker just looking at all options.

Local dealer quoted me 6500 for Blaze King princess parlor w/ chimney install. There quote for removal of prefab,old chimney,new chimney and install of RSF Opel fireplace was 11,200. There is stone work included to fill in around huge opening from prefab. At a different dealer I found a Kozy Heat 2312c demo w/ venting for 2k . Maybe better off to go with two 2000-2500 sq ft stoves. I like what Kaptjaq said run two stoves gently rather than one wide open.

begreen said:

That sounds like a reasonable approach. In mild weather you may be able to heat mostly with the basement stove if the heat circulation issue can be addressed.

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I run my furnace blower 24/7 all year long to circulate air. Would i be able to continue doing this with stoves or does this affect the stoves draft to much?