In the near future, I will be purchasing a new Pellet Stove (probably Harman or QuadraFire). I am doing this for cleanliness (cut down on dirt brought into the house and the number of frozen bugs that awaken within the house) and ease of use (wife does not keep wood burners going). I have two options for installation:
1 - Remove existing Buck 91 wood burning insert in First Floor Family Room and replace with Pellet Stove insert. We do not have a fully open plan but the kitchen and family room are connected and the heat can easily rise to the Second Floor via steps. Good: we use Family Room continuously. Bad: When we use the Buck 91, the thermostat is shut down and the basement becomes frigid (unless I run both wood burners or use electric space heaters, both seem waste of fuel). A frigid basement means a cold floor and an uncomfortable First Floor (even though temperature is warm). Also, the Buck 91 is still in good shape and is fairly efficient.
2 - Remove old Fisher freestanding wood stove in Basement Rec Room and replace with Pellet Stove. In the last few years, we have been using this stove much more than the Buck 91 upstairs. If we keep the door to basement open, sufficient heat rises to keep First Floor comfortable. The Second Floor is chilly at night, though. Good: The Fisher is very inefficient (burns through a full load in several hours!), the Fisher does not vent well and frequently emits a "puff" of smoke. Bad: Replacing the Fisher stove means we have no way to heat the house without a source of electricity (the Buck and a pellet stove both require power). Also, I am a bit concerned that a pellet stove would not vent well from the basement (see below).
Either way, I will still have one wood burning stove. I can sometimes get free firewood and on weekends I want to have the option of burning firewood.
The basement Fisher has never really vented well. It vents into an exterior masonry chimney that is very tall. A 5" stainless steel vent runs within the 6" terra cotta chimney. On startup, I have always needed to be very carefull to keep from smoking out the house. Even when it is running hot, I get a frequent puff of smoke when I open the door. The pellet stove dealer tells me that they would run a new vent within the 5" and that the combustion fan in the pellet stove would overcome the backpressure easily. Sidewall venting is NOT an option from the basement becuase it is below grade.
Any comments, recommendations or additional questions?
thanks!
1 - Remove existing Buck 91 wood burning insert in First Floor Family Room and replace with Pellet Stove insert. We do not have a fully open plan but the kitchen and family room are connected and the heat can easily rise to the Second Floor via steps. Good: we use Family Room continuously. Bad: When we use the Buck 91, the thermostat is shut down and the basement becomes frigid (unless I run both wood burners or use electric space heaters, both seem waste of fuel). A frigid basement means a cold floor and an uncomfortable First Floor (even though temperature is warm). Also, the Buck 91 is still in good shape and is fairly efficient.
2 - Remove old Fisher freestanding wood stove in Basement Rec Room and replace with Pellet Stove. In the last few years, we have been using this stove much more than the Buck 91 upstairs. If we keep the door to basement open, sufficient heat rises to keep First Floor comfortable. The Second Floor is chilly at night, though. Good: The Fisher is very inefficient (burns through a full load in several hours!), the Fisher does not vent well and frequently emits a "puff" of smoke. Bad: Replacing the Fisher stove means we have no way to heat the house without a source of electricity (the Buck and a pellet stove both require power). Also, I am a bit concerned that a pellet stove would not vent well from the basement (see below).
Either way, I will still have one wood burning stove. I can sometimes get free firewood and on weekends I want to have the option of burning firewood.
The basement Fisher has never really vented well. It vents into an exterior masonry chimney that is very tall. A 5" stainless steel vent runs within the 6" terra cotta chimney. On startup, I have always needed to be very carefull to keep from smoking out the house. Even when it is running hot, I get a frequent puff of smoke when I open the door. The pellet stove dealer tells me that they would run a new vent within the 5" and that the combustion fan in the pellet stove would overcome the backpressure easily. Sidewall venting is NOT an option from the basement becuase it is below grade.
Any comments, recommendations or additional questions?
thanks!
