Looking at Pellet Stoves - Quadra fire Santa Fe - Questions

[burtman4]

Remodeling my basement and updating my old wood burning insert. I have a ranch and the basement area that the pellet stove will service is 1200 sq feet or so. I have a Kuuma Vapor Fire wood furnace in the other part of the basement that feeds the whole house including the basement, but during the real cold days and the way I have my system balanced, this part of the basement will stay around 66-68 when the main part is 72. Been thinking of a pellet stove to augment this area in the rare times that its real cold and I have company staying and need a little additional heat. Will add heat and some ambiance too.

Looking for a smaller stove, with a modern look that is simple, yet with some reliability. I keep going to the Santa Fe for some reason. First question is, are there any other pellet stoves that are smaller with a modern look that I should also consider, or is the Santa Fe decent for this application. I bet it will get used a dozen times or so in a year.

Second question is on installation. I have a 8" stainless liner in a masonry chimney the was there for the fireplace insert Wondering if I will need to run another liner for the pellet stove all the way up, or can I just can connect to this liner. I haven't been able to make to my local quadra fire dealer yet to ask. Figured I would see what the thoughts were here.

Located in Southern Maryland for reference.

 

[bogieb]

If that part stays at 66-68*, then a pellet stove is a fairly expensive way to raise it a degree or two when there is company. Especially a Sante Fe that looks like it is going for around $3k (new). The pellet stove would only run for a short time before shutting itself off. If using the manual option (or whatever it is called in Quadrafire speak), then I would think the basement would get pretty hot in a short time.

Maybe there is an LP/NG option that would be cheaper and look as nice?

That is my 2 cents. But, it's your money and your remodel so you shouldn't necessarily listen to me.

 

[burtman4]

Good points. My wife has asked about a gas insert, though I have no gas option in my house and wasn't sure I wanted to start for this. I have also thought about a mini-split just to augment this area when needed. Thanks for input.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Yeah, I'd look at electric baseboard for that. Its cheap, and silent. And best yet, in no maintenance.

 

[bogieb]

Good points. My wife has asked about a gas insert, though I have no gas option in my house and wasn't sure I wanted to start for this. I have also thought about a mini-split just to augment this area when needed. Thanks for input.

If you want ambience, perhaps an electric fireplace or stove? I don't know anything about them, but the Duraflame electric stove looks decent (on my monitor anyway - LOL) and is cheap at a couple hundred dollars. Or you can go all the way up to a really nice, fireplace looking unit that is $1,000+.

Don't get me wrong, I love both of my pellet stoves and would recommend them to anyone that is looking for an actual heat source. But for the uses you described, I think you would be generally disappointed in the long run by the cost, maintenance and inconvenience of having to keep pellets around.