New stove, or room modifications?

[mgh-pa]

I've posted before regarding my difficult heating situation. Basically, I have an open ~600 sq ft basement, with an equally open main living floor above that (although that is a little larger at ~840 sq ft). The basement is half below grad with a walk-out entrance (block wall). The exterior walls of this are insulated, but the interior is still block wall. The ceiling of the basement is also insulated with fiberglass batting and sheathed with 1/2" MDF. I have a Shenendoah wood stove in the basement (~30 yrs old) heating the basement and supplementing the upstairs through natural rising of heat (I have one register and two returns). Basically the basement stays toast warm, and we really don't see too much of an effect in the main floor (it helps, but it certainly isn't 70+ degrees).

Now, there is NO main access to the basement from the main floor. This will change this spring/summer. The plan is to make a stairway from the foyer above, down into the basement. Obviously this will help move warm air into the living area much better, but am I better off finding a more modern/newer stove? Is the ~1500sq ft I'm trying to heat with this old Shenendoah asking too much?

I know sheathing the INTERIOR walls would also be ideal, but how much of a difference would it make?

 

[FLINT]

I've read that putting 1" 4'x8' sheets of foam insulation over the block walls help a tremendous amount with heat retention. I think the block walls really suck the heat out of a room.

I think the key is insulating the basement and also providing both a means for heat to rise into the upstairs and also for cold air to return down to the basement.

I would try putting two small fans into the ceiling of the basement. one of them right over the stove blowing warm air up to the upstairs, and one blowing down from the upstairs into the basement at the other end of the house. this will create a nice heat cycle.

 

[mgh-pa]

My only concern is the proximity of the stove to the wall. It's close, so would a non-combustible heat shied be necessary?

 

[madison]

You will use less wood, and pollute the air less with a newer unit.

Clearances for some of the stoves very tight, so a newer unit, would also allow you to insulate, as well as carry/burn less wood, and stink up the neighborhood less.

 

[pyper]

I bet that taking the insulation out of the ceiling would make a big difference -- it would turn your upstairs floors into radiant heat.

If you can position the doorway for the future stairs so that it opens into a central area of the house it would let some heat up through convection.

Concrete block has an R-value of 1

1/2" R-Matte foam has an R-value of 3.8, plus a radiant barrier.

R4+R1 = R5, which is 5 times what you have now. That should be a big difference. If you put the insulation on furring strips, then the airspace adds R3.

 

[begreen]

My only concern is the proximity of the stove to the wall. It's close, so would a non-combustible heat shied be necessary?

How close, specifically at the rear and sides of the stove? Many modern stoves have tighter clearances. Maybe post a picture or two of the current set up so that we can see if there are issues not discussed.

 

[mgh-pa]

Sorry for the long delay guys. Here's a picture (not the current stove in the picture, but the location is the same. Those two walls in the corner are exterior, but are insulated with 2" styro and 1/2" sheathing.

Also, the efflorescence is from previous moisture problem from the past owner. That has been taken care of.