I live in an "L" shaped ranch house that is approximately 1800 sq. ft. I currently heat with a breckwell big E pellet stove and it is just not getting the job done in heating the upstairs. I have a full unfinished basement and that is where the stove is located. I know it is not the ideal setup so I have been considering a coal stoker to replace it. I am currently looking at a leisure line hyfire II, alaska channing, and a keystoker 90 or 105. I am looking for some opinions on the stoves I listed as well as any other recommendations that would work well for my application. How many BTU's should I be looking for in a new stove to heat the house? There is ductwork within 8 feet of the stove location so there is the potential to add an accessory blower kit to a new stove and tie it into the ductwork but I am not exactly sure which duct I need to tie it into. Thanks for any help you can provide.
Thinking of Switching to a coal stoker for my house - need suggestions
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shawneyboy
Minister of Fire
Your problem is probably not the stove but the basement. A vast majority of your BTUs are going out the block/cement walls. You would most likely be MUCH better served to use the $$$ to finish the basement rather than buy a new stove.
Fsappo
Minister of Fire
We sell the Reading stoker stoves up here in central NY. I have quite a few customers heating 2000 sf homes (more or less) with 85K btu stoves that make convection heat. The Allegheny and the Juniata. Sure, they are having some heat sucked into the walls, but the Juniata with the top convection take off can be ducted into your heating system and still provide plenty of radiant heat for the basement. They're made in PA so you're in the right country for buying a coal stove. Also, as suggested, insulating the walls is also gonna help.
I have a Harman SFA-1500 she's old school it burns coal very well! 40lbs of anthracite will get me at least a fifteen hour burn. I have a 1200 sqft. Walk out basement, the house stays a strong 74 degree's at 0 F. you pop in here and look around! http://nepacrossroads.com/forum-74.html
I happen to be a Leisure Line dealer in west central Pa, let me tell you that you will not regret switching to coal. I normally tie the hard coal stove into the cold air return as close to the furnace as possible and circulate the warm air with the existing furnace blower. There are many homes using this set-up with great results.
sweeper said:
How are you doing? That sounds like a great suggestion if you have a hot air furnace. I live in NH and own a split. I have a FHW Oil burner. What is the best way to get all that heat upstairs in my house, short of cutting holes in the floor? The 1st level of the split is finished, one car garage under. I have baseboard radiation through out the whole house.. A great system if oil was 1.50 a gal. I understand if money was no object, I could install a coal or combinaton coal/oil furnace. Looks like Leisure just came out with a nice one.
Thanks,
Seasoned Oak
Minister of Fire
I heat with coal and wood in my home and wood in houses i restore. My coal stoker boiler is very cost efficient,in fact it paid for itself the very first year of use. However the price of coal has doubled since my install and sometimes coal is in short supply,and i live in the heart of coal country.Also i want to gradually use something more sustainable and carbon neutral (Wood)and where i control the supply. Pellets are out of the question for me, too expensive for the BTUs. I get the wood free so im biased towards it as well.
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