My question is this. I have a condo approx 1400 square feet.....its an up and down model with about 700 feet on each floor. I have gotten conflicting opinions regarding the ability of a pellet stove to heat the upstairs effectively. My heating bills last winter were obscene so I would be looking to have the pellet stove as my sole heat source.( perhaps flip the heat on once in a while on really cold nights) so, will this stove be able to heat the upstairs sufficiently is my main question
I know heat rises but.........
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backpack09
Minister of Fire
What kind of a Condo are you in? Townhouse or appartment style? Usually you only own to the drywall or to the studs. Putting a hole through the exterior for an exhaust will more than likely be against the rules. IMHO.
That being said, you will most likely have very little convection up a set of stairs into your bedrooms even with your doors open.
Let me guess you have gas heat in your condo? Stupid gas company thinking they can bend you over a barrell with price increases and service charges.
That being said, you will most likely have very little convection up a set of stairs into your bedrooms even with your doors open.
Let me guess you have gas heat in your condo? Stupid gas company thinking they can bend you over a barrell with price increases and service charges.
Thanks for getting back to me....its a townhouse style ....and we are allowed pellet stoves only ...and we have electric heat its outragous... so you say its not going to get up the stairs????
Corie
Minister of Fire
I actually think you'd be surprised at the amount of heat that will work up to the second floor. I think a pellet stove would be a great way to heat your home.
Gunner
New Member
I heat a 2 story from the main floor. Second floor is usually 2-5 deg cooler than the main floor.
backpack09
Minister of Fire
mayhem
Minister of Fire
The upstaris will probably always be cooler, but the heat will work its way up, no question.
Condier helping it with the use of stratgeically placed fans, maybe even running the upstairs bathronn exhaust fan or something to make it move some air up there more effectively.
Condier helping it with the use of stratgeically placed fans, maybe even running the upstairs bathronn exhaust fan or something to make it move some air up there more effectively.
babalu87
New Member
Upstairs will always be a bit cooler ( thats what you probably want for the bedrooms anyway) but a 1400 sq ft up and down townhouse would be an easy heating job. can you sketch up a quick floor plan?
WarmGuy
Minister of Fire
It may also depend on the location of the stove and the topography of ceiling/stairs etc.
Also, look at how you use the rooms. Will you be upstairs in a bedroom sitting in a chair and studying? If so, might not be enough heat up there. But if you are usually in the bed when upstairs, you may be fine.
Also, look at how you use the rooms. Will you be upstairs in a bedroom sitting in a chair and studying? If so, might not be enough heat up there. But if you are usually in the bed when upstairs, you may be fine.
babalu-no chance I have enough artistic ability or computer knowledge to sketch a floor plan...thanks everyone for your input. So from the responses I am more confident that this is the way to go. anyone ever hear of bosca as aq brand? made in Chile. crap? decent? they seem to be considerably less than the others Ive priced....quadrafire,country, st croix, enviro
Metal
Minister of Fire
- Nov 18, 2005
- 701
If you can get good support locally, it may be okay. Pellet stoves take more maintenance and if troubles arise a good local technician is worth their weight in gold. To get the air moving you could put your current furnace on fan only while running the pellet stove, most furnaces have the ability to run the fan at a lower than normal RPM (you may have to switch a few wires). This will also keep the air filtered somewhat.
How large is the stairwell to the second floor? If it is a fairly large opening with no doors, then the upstairs should get heated rather well.
As to the Bosca stove, I would stick with a major brand with a good track record, that you know you can get parts easily for. They have only had a pellet stove on the market for a year so it's too early to tell how good a unit it is or how well it will stand up. Their unit is also not as clean burning as some of the main US brands and it only has a 40 lb hopper which means more frequent refills.
It sounds like you will be using the pellet stove as a primary heater. This means you want one that burns cleanly, easily, reliably, safely and with low maintenance. That and a good local dealer would be my top priorities. Secondary priorities would be hopper size, low noise operation, style, etc.
As to the Bosca stove, I would stick with a major brand with a good track record, that you know you can get parts easily for. They have only had a pellet stove on the market for a year so it's too early to tell how good a unit it is or how well it will stand up. Their unit is also not as clean burning as some of the main US brands and it only has a 40 lb hopper which means more frequent refills.
It sounds like you will be using the pellet stove as a primary heater. This means you want one that burns cleanly, easily, reliably, safely and with low maintenance. That and a good local dealer would be my top priorities. Secondary priorities would be hopper size, low noise operation, style, etc.
Vermontster
New Member
Can you run the heat in the first floor only, keeping the heat turned off upstairs? Might be a good test.
When I bought my house, there was no heat installed in the second floor of the house, and I was a bit nervous being an old one room schoolhouse built in 1864, I came very close to having heat installed in the upstairs. I am glad I saved my money. The upstairs of my house gets all the heat! It can be 5 to 10 degrees warmer at times, but I think that the central location of the schoolhouse stove is a major benefit.
and what about floor registers?
When I bought my house, there was no heat installed in the second floor of the house, and I was a bit nervous being an old one room schoolhouse built in 1864, I came very close to having heat installed in the upstairs. I am glad I saved my money. The upstairs of my house gets all the heat! It can be 5 to 10 degrees warmer at times, but I think that the central location of the schoolhouse stove is a major benefit.
and what about floor registers?
kalevi
Member
I have the fireplace with insert in the family room but by running my furnace fan, I can get the upstairs to warm up pretty well when the fire is going.
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