Have Natural Gas Insert. Want Wood Burning instead.

[okotoks guy]

So we bought a newer home and it has a natural gas insert on the main floor in the living room.(Boring)
Is it possible to remove the current insert and install a wood burning unit? The house is a 2000 square foot 2 storey.
If this is too much hassle or can't be done; then 2nd question.................

If I install a wood stove in the basement, will I get any heat benefit on the main floor and upstairs?

Thanks in advance.

 

[zzr7ky]

Hi =

The insert you may may be a newer 'zero clearance' that's tucked into a fairly unfinished place that's not going to meet clearance to combustibles requirements. Is there a chase for the vent going up from the gas unit Where does the vent go?

I went with a free standing stove just in front of the fire place opening. It's quieter without the fan.

Basement installs are frustrating. very little gain upstairs, and I fear you'll want it upstairs even more.

ATB,
Mike

 

[Wood Heat Stoves]

If the gas unit is truly an insert, it means it is a gas unit installed into a wood burning fireplace. In this case you could install a woodburning insert into it, as long as it was approved for the fireplace and installed with a chimney liner if that is required by the insert's installation instructions. Heat does rise if you give it an open path but you're usually better of installing a heat source in the main living area of the house.

 

[Fsappo]

Hey, take a snapshot of your fireplace inside, and the vent outside and post them. That way we can be sure you are correct on your definitions and we can make the proper suggestions.

I have lots of customers that heat their homes with a basement stove. It makes sense to do it if :
1. Your basement walls are insulated
2. you have a finished basement and want to have heat down there
3. You want to keep the mess down there
4. You have an existing hot air heating system that can help move the heat around the house.
5. You had an existing chimney down in the basement that was not in use and could just plug a stove in and go.

If you dont have at least a few of the above situations, using your existing upstairs fireplace area may be a better option.

Keeo in mind, if you do end up with a stove in the basement, it will need to be much larger than a stove in the "living" area upstairs. You'll also want to go with something that makes gobs of convection heat, which may narrow your choices down somewhat.

If done smart, heating from a basement works just fine for a lot of people.