please help! insert or furnace

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huntingbuck101

New Member
Apr 8, 2008
35
Northern MN
I'm sure this topic has been beaten to death buy now but I still need to see what people on this forum think for my situation.
I cant decide on either a pellet insert or a pellet furnace.

I live in northern MN -30 to -40 a few day out of the winter but mostly 30 to -20 temps. The house is newer construction 2X6.
1000 sf in block basement open floor plan. 1000 sf main floor also open floor plan with the potential insert spot in the middle of the end wall. big open stair well to the upstairs with a ceiling fan above it. the upstairs is also 1000 sf but has a bit less cubic feet because of a 4' side wall on the two long walls (story and a 1/2). it has 3 bed rooms and 1 bath. all the rooms come off the landing so there is no hallways. also I don't need heat in 2 of the bed (1/3 of the sf) rooms so I could shut the doors on them if needed.

The house is heated with a 76000 btu output, propane furnace in the basement. on the coldest of days the furnace will run 15 min. off 15 min. i do tent to keep the furnace. also I just need enough heat in the basement to keep things from freezing. right now with no open vents it stays about 56 to 58 but the main floor, floor dose feel a bit cold.

would a insert around 50,000 to 55,000 input btu with the ceiling fan running be enough to heat the main floor and the upstairs?

I don't want to go with a furnace if I don't need to because of the duct work needed and also I would like to get rid of my gas insert and see a real wood flame instead.
 
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