Another couple of Newbe questions.

[Ratherbfishin]

Hello all, I can say I am an addict of this site. your help is outstanding and very enjoyable to read. I will be installing a Quad 5700 ST in my living room since you all have convinced me not to put it in the basement. With that said I have an open basement non finished and have baseboard hot water. If I am heating the upstairs with the Quad (ranch 1500sqft) will my basement freeze along with my water pipes? Should I put a kero heater or something down there or other suggestions?. I cannot wait to burn wood. I of course had 5 cord delivered last week that the guy said was well seasoned and good to burn this year but after I started splitting the rounds noticed twigs with green leaves!. luckily a guy I work with is hooking me up with some wood that is good to go. I was so bummed out with the not so seasoned wood and I do not want to throw green wood into my new Quad and chimney right off the bat ot ever for that matter.

Thanks a bunch!

 

[Wet1]

Welcome to the forum!

A lot of it has to do with how protected your basement and pipes are. If it's all below grade, you will most likely be alright. Sometimes just leaving the lights on down there is enough to keep things in the mid 30's or better. Another option is to place a electric space heater down there, set at 40° you should be fine. Installing a remote thermometer with a warning alarm is a good idea as well.

Do a search, this has come up many times.

BTW, it sounds like you're now one year ahead on your wood supply. Don't burn that green wood this season...

 

[firefighterjake]

Hello all, I can say I am an addict of this site. your help is outstanding and very enjoyable to read. I will be installing a Quad 5700 ST in my living room since you all have convinced me not to put it in the basement. With that said I have an open basement non finished and have baseboard hot water. If I am heating the upstairs with the Quad (ranch 1500sqft) will my basement freeze along with my water pipes? Should I put a kero heater or something down there or other suggestions?. I cannot wait to burn wood. I of course had 5 cord delivered last week that the guy said was well seasoned and good to burn this year but after I started splitting the rounds noticed twigs with green leaves!. luckily a guy I work with is hooking me up with some wood that is good to go. I was so bummed out with the not so seasoned wood and I do not want to throw green wood into my new Quad and chimney right off the bat ot ever for that matter.

Thanks a bunch!

This was a concern of mine as well . . . only in my case it is a 4 1/2 foot crawl space (dirt floor, cinder block walls). As mentioned it seems as though the temps stay warm enough since the bulk of the crawl space is under ground and many of the home's domestic hot water pipes (run off propane) are warm enough to keep things above freezing. Other options include runinng a space heater on thermostat, leaving the light on, runing the boiler occasionally when it's wicked cold outside (I do this somewhat in middle of the winter during the sub zero temps) and there is also a company and member here who sell a device that will automatically kick on your boiler to circulate the water without firing it up (I can't remember the name of the company or member here who sells it unfortunately . . . maybe he will chime in here . . . or someone else will remember the member's name.)

 

[Ratherbfishin]

I figured I would need to run the boiler once and a while.perhaps even only run one zone. I lived 22 years in Brunswick Maine and know what wicked weatha it can be My dad had what they call a russian fireplace in the basement and man did that pump out heat. Anyhow i went through 2 full tanks of oil last winter and vowed it was going to be the last winter I donated to the oil guru's. I hope the thing doesnt run me out of the house but from what I have read from here bigger is better so the 5700 it is. My wife really wanted the Cumberland gap but I felt it may not heat the whole house since it is a bit smaller and I couldnt argue with the ratings and performace of the QF 5700 I havent read anything bad about them other than the ash pan is a bit small. What really makes my head spin though is the fact that when I want to do something in the basement its going to be cold and I'll want a wood stove there. which makes me think I should of spent the 10k for the central boiler but my heart was set on a wood stove. believe me I understand everyones addiction to them!

 

[Wet1]

The stove installed in the basement can work well, but you'd need to insulate that space for it to make sense to do so. Being uninsulated, you're going to need some type of heat down there to keep things above freezing.


BTW, the device Jake is taking about is the "Thermguard"
http://www.bearmountaindesign.com

 

[firefighterjake]

The stove installed in the basement can work well, but you'd need to insulate that space for it to make sense to do so. Being uninsulated, you're going to need some type of heat down there to keep things above freezing.


BTW, the device Jake is taking about is the "Thermguard"
http://www.bearmountaindesign.com

Thanks Wet1 . . . that's the company and device I was thinking about.

 

[PunKid8888]

I have an non-insulated half crawl space, dirt floor basement and all I monitored my temp all winter with a probe. Coldest it ever got was 38F, I did freeze a pipe once but that was because my basement doors blew open a bit on a very cold night. I had a pellet stove running almost every night and the furnace kicked on maybe once or twice a night. I thought I would need an electric heater but if you insulate all your pipes you should be fine.

 

[stejus]

I have a small thermometer (remote) that I put along the foundation rim joist where I have water pipes. This is generally the coldest part of the basement. If I see the temp get near 35 degrees, I will cycle the oil heat for about 5 minutes to get the water moving and nice and hot. Even in the dead of winter last year with sub zero temps, I really didn't have to do this very often. Most of my water pipes are below grade or in the center of the basement.

 

[humpin iron]

The Quad 5700 is capable of 3000 to 3500 sq ft. This stove is plenty capable of heating your home from the basement. There are situations where bigger is not better, at 1500 sq ft you will not be able to get this stove to work properly. You may want to rethink your install or go down to a 4300 step top

 

[Ratherbfishin]

The Quad 5700 is capable of 3000 to 3500 sq ft. This stove is plenty capable of heating your home from the basement. There are situations where bigger is not better, at 1500 sq ft you will not be able to get this stove to work properly. You may want to rethink your install or go down to a 4300 step top

Anyone else care to comment on this? The installation is next Tuesday! Do I have the Tim Taylor mentality? it is too bad you can not "test drive a wood stove" . I do not want to go smaller than wish I went bigger as I have read many times here.

Also thank you all for your comments

 

[wendell]

I'm not familiar with the stove and how accurate their claim is but double what you need might be pushing the "go big or go home" a little far.

jtp sells these stoves. Maybe he will be able to weigh in.

 

[Yagminas Masonry and Wood-heat]

The Quad 5700 is capable of 3000 to 3500 sq ft. This stove is plenty capable of heating your home from the basement. There are situations where bigger is not better, at 1500 sq ft you will not be able to get this stove to work properly. You may want to rethink your install or go down to a 4300 step top

Anyone else care to comment on this? The installation is next Tuesday! Do I have the Tim Taylor mentality? it is too bad you can not "test drive a wood stove" . I do not want to go smaller than wish I went bigger as I have read many times here.

Also thank you all for your comments

Yep, everyone seems to buy too big a stove. As long as it will hold a good load of wood go for a smaller one and run it hot!

 

[bridgerman]

The stove installed in the basement can work well, but you'd need to insulate that space for it to make sense to do so. Being uninsulated, you're going to need some type of heat down there to keep things above freezing.


BTW, the device Jake is taking about is the "Thermguard"
http://www.bearmountaindesign.com

Thanks Wet1 . . . that's the company and device I was thinking about.

Hi Guys,

John Walsh just checking in. Thanks for the ThermGuard and Bear Mountain Design information. If anyone has any questions that are not answered in the forum, just PM me. I'd be happy to help. Frozen pipes are the worst!

Cheers,
John

 

[gibson]

From what you are saying, you can't go wrong with a bigger stove. The initial cash outlay might sting at first, but you are in this for the long haul. You can always back it down with a big stove, but you can't make a small stove bigger.

 

[savageactor7]

I'm in the same position as the OP and over the years some pipes would freeze at 20 below. Then we wrapped 'em in pipe insulation so they were OK. There were 2 areas we couldn't defend against so I just set some straw bales against the outside of the house...problem solved. If you have a field stone basement use caulk on any cracks to stop any cold air movement. Sometimes when it's below 0 if I get up in the middle of the night I'll run the water for a few seconds.

 

[Hurricane]

I was in the same boat when I bought my Quad 5100 insert. My house was only about 1600 sq ft. When it was in the 30's outside I could chase you out of the house, and usually had windows open. I since have added 1000 sq ft to the house and I get to use the stove much more.
The issue is that to get that stove going on a chilly morning will soon overheat the space and will not cool down quickly. I do not think you want to run cool smoldering fires and if you run hot pretty fires the heat will be too much.
Running a stove cool causes creosote and smoke and leaving the windows open does not really work well either.

If you want to use the stove regularly I might consider going a little smaller. I made your mistake but have since added lots to the house.

Ray

 

[Ratherbfishin]

After a lengthy discussion about house layout,insulation,roof/rafter design etc. with the dealer a new Quad 5700ST has been installed. It is staring at me much like my dog does when she wants a biscuit to feed it it's break in fires. It is certainly not cold enough for that yet. Also thank you for the Thermguard suggestion. I want to add to the people who post looking for info or advice on stove size (and please do not be offended) as any opinion is worthy of pondering. But the more you read on this site the more contradictions you will find. One of the most quotes you will see is "you can build a small fire in a big stove but you can't build a big fire in a small stove". More opinions suggest going for the bigger firebox. Then people come out of left field with whoa that stove is too big go smaller... I went with a big gun based on professional advise but more importantly he has heated with wood,coal for years and years. I considered a basement install but he has been there done that and he told me he always had to have the basement at 90 to 100 to get 70 upstairs. I guess what I am trying to say is since you cannot " test drive" a wood stove you need to weigh everything and rely on experience of others to guide you to the best choice. Sure it is going to be hot in here but I would rather the wife complain about that than being too cold and I don't want to spread my wallet open to the fuel company to stay warm.

Steve