Hello. New guy here. Did some research on your site but have a question. We built our house 2 years and have an area in our basement that we are planning to put a wood stove. We had duct work ran from the furnace to the area where the wood stove will go. My guess is that a hood will need to go over the stove to help capture the heat. My question is what is the best, most efficient, automated, way to do to tie this into our forced air system? Your help is appericated.
Wood stove - forced air system
- Thread starter chadd77
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Check with your building dept. That is against national fire code. The return air grille is supposed to be a minimum of 10 ft away from the stove.
The stove is an area heater. It's much more efficient to put it where the heat is actually needed.
The stove is an area heater. It's much more efficient to put it where the heat is actually needed.
Wouldn’t it be more efficient if you have a wood stove in the basement to a forced air system instead of just allowing the heat to rise?
Note, I said there is a code violation with the method described. It would be most efficient to have the stove on the first floor if that is the area that needs to be heated. Often the heat losses from basement walls and heat loss through the ductwork negate efficiency. Uninsulated basement wall can rob up to a third of the heat output. Duct losses of 25% are not uncommon.
One option, if you want to heat the house from the basement, is an EPA wood furnace that is designed for this purpose. This can legally be tied directly into the supply plenum.
PS: welcome to the forums!
One option, if you want to heat the house from the basement, is an EPA wood furnace that is designed for this purpose. This can legally be tied directly into the supply plenum.
PS: welcome to the forums!
Thanks for the info.
I was told by my HVAC that it would make sense to tie into the forced air system. That's why I was asking the question.
Thanks for the welcome!
I was told by my HVAC that it would make sense to tie into the forced air system. That's why I was asking the question.
Thanks for the welcome!
We need a bit more information to help with suggestions for actual solutions to the problem. Maybe start from the beginning and describe the house style, size, floor layout and your options. Also, what is the current heating system fuel source? What age?
For info on some wood furnaces, take a look at:
http://www.psg-distribution.com/index-en.aspx
http://www.lamppakuuma.com/Furnaces.html
For info on some wood furnaces, take a look at:
http://www.psg-distribution.com/index-en.aspx
http://www.lamppakuuma.com/Furnaces.html
Backwoods Savage
Minister of Fire
Welcome to the forum chadd77.
If you have searched this forum you no doubt have read over and over about stove in basements and how difficult it is to get that warm air upstairs. Yes, heat does rise buy you have to remember that the whole area above the stove is not open and if you have just a stairway then getting that heat up the stairway is not easy at all. Most folks do set a fan to blow some cool air down into the basement and it helps but as BG stated, it is much better to place the heating stove where the heat is needed rather than to attempt to move the heat to that area. Good luck.
If you have searched this forum you no doubt have read over and over about stove in basements and how difficult it is to get that warm air upstairs. Yes, heat does rise buy you have to remember that the whole area above the stove is not open and if you have just a stairway then getting that heat up the stairway is not easy at all. Most folks do set a fan to blow some cool air down into the basement and it helps but as BG stated, it is much better to place the heating stove where the heat is needed rather than to attempt to move the heat to that area. Good luck.
My house is 2 stories and around 3200 sqft. The HVAC guy ran a return duct to where my stove will be. I’m guessing the easiest way to tie into my forced air would be to install a hood over the stove that goes to the return. If I have my furnace fan set to always run it should blow the hot air throughout the house. I’m guessing a damper will need to be installed in the return so if the wood stove goes out and the furnace heat kicks on it will close. Again, I’m not sure the best what to automate this so I was looking for suggestions. Thanks!
laynes69
Minister of Fire
Just because someone deals with hvac doesn't always make things right. Placing a hood over a stove is a problem in many ways. Some of the major concerns are pulling combustion air from the stove. If the return is too big it can cause pressure differences in the room. When the stove hits coaling stage or a low burn those combustion products can be sucked into the ductwork and distributed through the home. Heat is also a concern, there's no testing for stoves to be installed this way because of codes. Too much heat, and there's potential with fire. A woodfurnace is the only way to have it done correctly if installed correctly. The firebox combustion air is separate from the return and supply air which allows for normal operation. When clearances are followed they are a safe way to heat a home. We heat with a EPA woodfurnace, the Caddy and it burns clean and produces alot of heat. We have a view of the fire which is nice. With heat entering the return of a central furnace is can also damage components. There's too much potential for disaster placing a hood over a stove, don't do it. Find something that can be legally ducted if that's what wanted.
yooperdave
Minister of Fire
welcome chad.
if you have a high efficiency furnace, drawing the heated air from a wood stove across the primary and secondary heat exchangers of your high efficiency furnace is not reccomended-period.
if you have a high efficiency furnace, drawing the heated air from a wood stove across the primary and secondary heat exchangers of your high efficiency furnace is not reccomended-period.
amateur cutter
Minister of Fire
laynes69 said:
HI & welcome. What he said above. Done right, a good quality furnace will provide & SAFE comfortable heat for many years. They are meant to be ducted & work well. While mine is not an epa certified furnace, it's properly installed, & heats 2400 sq feet very well, & quite evenly I might add. I actually tried making a plenum for my woodstove in my shop years back, & while I didn't burn the place to the ground, let's just say the results were less than satisfactory. FWIW, do it right the first time, & enjoy a warm house for years to come, & sleep well knowing that you don't have a potentially dangerous situation in your basement. A C
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