Raised ranch question

[Bsteeves]

Hey everyone,

Newbie here fed up of high oil prices here in the northeast. Currently live in a raised ranch with chimney located in the basement, approximately 600 square feet or so. Main level is about 1200 square feet with three bedrooms. The main level is currently heated by baseboard heaters with two zones, living area and bedrooms. The goal would be to install a wood burning stove that would heat the main level. Is this even possible with the fireplace located in the basement?

Not sure if it is viable to install a wold burning stove in the living room and cut through the side of the house to vent? If so any approximations on cost.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance?

 

[begreen]

Both options may work, though in the second case, it's strongly recommended to run the flue straight up and not outside if at all possible.

Usually the best results happen when the stove is located where the heat is needed. That sounds like the first floor. But if the basement is insulated and if there is a large open staircase to the first floor for the heat to easily convect upstairs, then it might work. Is the basement chimney unused or in a fireplace? Describe the stairway to upstairs. How wide and open it is to the next floor?

 

[Bsteeves]

The downstairs chimney is currently a fireplace that I don't use. It is in the middle of the basement facing the stairs. There are about 5 stairs up to a landing where the front door is. There are another five stairs leading to the living area and kitchen. Above the landing are cathedral ceilings.

I have a nice spot in the corner of my living area where a wood stove would work assuming it would be feasible to cut a hole in the side of the house.

 

[Bsteeves]

The chimney goes through the middle of the house and is currently framed in forming a wall between the kitchen and living room. Would it be better to tie In the stove to the chimney or exhaust outside the house from another location?

Not sure which would more expensive.

 

[soupy1957]

Our "Raised Ranch" (A.K.A. "Split Level") leaves us with the quandry about making sure that the below-grade finished basement gets enough heat.

You are correct to think about locating your wood stove on the main level, since that's where most of the "living" is done. Folks who install in basements, often find that there's not enough heat migration to the upper floors. Best advice is to locate the stove on the floor where the most activity is.

As for installations, we chose to do a stand-alone wood stove on the main level, going directly up and out with our chimney flue from the stove, and not utilize the existing chimney. Using the blower on the furnace (we have a forced hot air system) has been a wonderful way to balance out the heat in the whole house (including the basement). We typically can maintain at least 65ºF on the basement level, and 75ºF on the main level and upper bedroom level.

-Soupy1957

 

[cityhick]

My hunting buddy has his stove in the basement and it works great. The open floor plan lets the heat warm the whole basement and he cut some holes in the floors in each room for a flat floor register and the whole house stays warm. Remember heat rises and you allready have a chimney that may be able to be used......Good luck

 

[begreen]

By the description, my concern would be that the heat will convect out of the basement and right on up to the peak of the cathedral ceiling. A ceiling fan at the peak would help, but this is not an ideal setup.

It is often less expensive to install a flue pipe straight up, through the next floor and out the roof than to run it outside. Aesthetically it is more attractive and functionally it is a much better installation.

Tell us a bit more about the chimney. What is the interior throat dimension? Is it tile lined? Would you be ok with totally decommissioning the basement fireplace in order to use the chimney on the main floor? Is its position on the first floor in a good location for a wood stove?