Install up or down?

Wondering where in the house would be better to install a pellet stove.

The house is a raised ranch/bi-level.

Would it be best in a downstairs room with the heat rising?

Or upstairs in the living area?

I also live in a bi-level. Im having my stove installed upstairs in the family / living room.
Since we spend little time downstairs, I think it best to set back the downstairs themostat (oil burner),
and hopefully enjoy a well heated upstairs. Also easier to monitor the pellet stove when its in my 'living' area.

Put it where you want the heat, it's a space heater. OTOH, placing it below will allow some heat to make it's way upstairs (don't go in expecting miracles) if you're trying the warm the entire place. Placing it upstairs will make that area warmer, but you'll get little heat down below... you have decide what you want.

I live in an open concept cape that is over 2000 sq feet. Since I installed my stove on the 1st floor in the open area/cathedrial ceilings, I have not had to turn the heat on in my second floor. Not once. Never. It's typically 6 degrees warmer upstairs. I have to keep my bedroom door shut to prevent heat from going in there or it is too hot sleep. Heat rises.

Not sure why I keep hearing a pellet stove being considered as a space heater. I heat my whole house with it, 2200 sq feet, and don't use my oil heat at all. I live in Central Maine.

I'm in the same boat as you, 2 story a-frame with 3/4 finished basement. Spiral staircase through the center of the house. 2nd floor is half loft. About 2000 sqft total space about 1700 being heated. No problems with a little enviro empress heating the entire house, it does get warmer on the 2nd floor but the ceiling fan pushes the heat back down nicely. Stove is located in the basement.

Put the stove where you spend the most time if you want to get the most out of it.

How does the Quadra Fire Castile handle that size house?. Is it constantly on high or burn somewhere in the middle of it's power range?

any "stove" is a space heater. now if the "space " it heats is your whole house, so be it , it heated that "space" but like a ceramic heater , or a little portable electric heater, it heats from a single point , unlike a "furnace" which distributes heat through several points via ductwork , or a "boiler" which does the same through pipes and radiators. in essence a pellet stove or wood stove is very much like one of those little ceramic heaters on a much larger scale.