You don't need a lot of heat, just a way to move the warm air that the stove will generate to move around the house. I think you may like some of the stoves I suggested.
**Best Insert for (ICF) Large Ranch - what would you buy!?
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WHOA! Thanks mellow!! That's freaking awesome! I'm proud of my Irish roots - so very appealing!!
Depends what is in the back and behind the sides of the fireplace. If that is the outdoors it is like any wall, some heat will go through and heat the outside. If it is an interior wall, the heat will end up in the room behind it. When you get a stove with a low rear clearance it will project more heat to the front which may reduce your heat loss. Rule of thumb: The smaller the clearances the more convective and less radiant a stove will be.
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mellow - I looked up the fusible link dampers. Do you have any pics of your setup by chance? What kind of fan (floor or ceiling)? If floor, curious where you place it to get the best results.
Thanks!!
I installed an Airflow Breeze Ultra, I have it blowing the cold air from upstairs into my living room downstairs where the stove is located. I installed it on the furthest point from the stairs so it would form a thermal loop to the furthest back room upstairs. I have a fusible link register installed upstairs just incase we have a fire, I used Roxul and rigid foam board to make my air tunnel between the ceiling and the upstairs floor. Just keep any protrusions in the ceiling 10+ feet away from the stove for codes. I also installed a CO monitor above the vent upstairs just incase.
This is the fan I Used, I got it because it has a remote and it has an in-line temp sensor that kicks it on and off, but I have found I just keep it on all the time on medium when we are awake and switch it to high when we go to bed at night due to it being noisy on high.
Links:
Register: http://www.hartandcooley.com/produc...inum-1-way-register-ms-damper-1-2-fin-spacing
Airflow 1000: http://www.smarthome.com/airflow-technology-1000-0011-airflow-breeze-ultra-with-remote.html
I don't have any pictures, I keep forgetting to write a review on it as it just works in the background, it works OK for me when it is warmer outside (uninsulated house) but with an insulated house I bet it would work 1000 times better.
This is the fan I Used, I got it because it has a remote and it has an in-line temp sensor that kicks it on and off, but I have found I just keep it on all the time on medium when we are awake and switch it to high when we go to bed at night due to it being noisy on high.
Links:
Register: http://www.hartandcooley.com/produc...inum-1-way-register-ms-damper-1-2-fin-spacing
Airflow 1000: http://www.smarthome.com/airflow-technology-1000-0011-airflow-breeze-ultra-with-remote.html
I don't have any pictures, I keep forgetting to write a review on it as it just works in the background, it works OK for me when it is warmer outside (uninsulated house) but with an insulated house I bet it would work 1000 times better.
Makes sense. I have read a ton of posts saying that if you can go larger - do so. That's my only concern.
In that setup, a stove makes perfect sense. Especially when you factor in the smaller liner needed.
Here's a thought - just throwing this out there...
Let's say (for grins) my budget is 5k. Going by the numbers you're thinking a smaller 2 to 2.5 cubic ft stove or insert will do the job, instead of the monster Buck 94 that the dealer suggested.
What about a smaller cubic ft stove in the basement and a smaller cubic ft insert on the main level? Quadrafire is the only site with some numbers. Some of them starting under 2k. If I could get two smaller stoves (and/or insert) for about the same price as one larger, would it make more sense? Especially since our home is built with ICF and we have excellent insulation.
Of course it's more maintenance and probably better off just putting a larger/nicer stove in the basement. Just curious what thoughts others may have? Again, just throwing it out there.
Thanks again!
Let's say (for grins) my budget is 5k. Going by the numbers you're thinking a smaller 2 to 2.5 cubic ft stove or insert will do the job, instead of the monster Buck 94 that the dealer suggested.
What about a smaller cubic ft stove in the basement and a smaller cubic ft insert on the main level? Quadrafire is the only site with some numbers. Some of them starting under 2k. If I could get two smaller stoves (and/or insert) for about the same price as one larger, would it make more sense? Especially since our home is built with ICF and we have excellent insulation.
Of course it's more maintenance and probably better off just putting a larger/nicer stove in the basement. Just curious what thoughts others may have? Again, just throwing it out there.
Thanks again!
Just one stove/insert with liner and install will probably be closer to $4000. There is not that much drop-off between a large and a small insert plus you have other cost that remain the same.
Why a medium stove? One cord of wood is 128 cu ft. Let's assume you would fill your stove the same as you stack the wood to dry (usually you would stuff the firebox more tight), that would be a bit more than 4 cu ft per day. Two loads of 2 cu ft per day (one in the morning, one in the evening) would be all you need to fulfill your heating needs (in one of the coldest months we had). Thus, one medium sized stove will be plenty for your home. Your problem will be to figure out how to move the air around your large home.
Maybe take a look if one of the stoves of the BlazeKing 20 series would fit. They will give you a long enough burn time without heating you out of your home unless it is in the single digits outside.
I personally would hold off on the second insert/stove upstairs until you know how well the downstairs stove heats your home but that's your decision.
Why a medium stove? One cord of wood is 128 cu ft. Let's assume you would fill your stove the same as you stack the wood to dry (usually you would stuff the firebox more tight), that would be a bit more than 4 cu ft per day. Two loads of 2 cu ft per day (one in the morning, one in the evening) would be all you need to fulfill your heating needs (in one of the coldest months we had). Thus, one medium sized stove will be plenty for your home. Your problem will be to figure out how to move the air around your large home.
Maybe take a look if one of the stoves of the BlazeKing 20 series would fit. They will give you a long enough burn time without heating you out of your home unless it is in the single digits outside.
I personally would hold off on the second insert/stove upstairs until you know how well the downstairs stove heats your home but that's your decision.
Does this include heating the basement? Where do you set the thermostat? DHW and dryer?
I would go stove over insert any day, but that's just my opinion.
Sounds good and that's why I'm here! I appreciate the explanation. Next steps will be narrowing it down to make and model. There is a BK dealer fairly close. There's also a dealer that has Enviro and Pacific Energy close to me. Thanks Grisu!!
Yes, that includes heating the basement. I tried to keep the thermostat at 66 when home, turning it down to 64ish when gone. Which reminds me, we do need to get a programmable thermostat. Dryer is electric. By DHW, do you mean the water heater? The water heater is propane - but not sure what that uses. It's set fairly high, but not all the way up.
Yes, DHW=domestic hot water.
That's pretty good on the propane usage, considering the area heated.
I'd still be thinking really hard about a Woodstock. A cat stove would be more versatile in your well-insulated situation, and they're all rear vent and would work with your fireplace. The really big plus is that they will take the stove back if you buy the wrong one. You can call and talk to them about it. They are really nice people.
That's pretty good on the propane usage, considering the area heated.
I'd still be thinking really hard about a Woodstock. A cat stove would be more versatile in your well-insulated situation, and they're all rear vent and would work with your fireplace. The really big plus is that they will take the stove back if you buy the wrong one. You can call and talk to them about it. They are really nice people.
Thanks! I've read a lot of good things about Woodstock, so I'll def look into them a little further. I just saw they have sales until the end of April. I'm also going to start looking at what dealers are close - and start making a few store visits to see as many as I can in person. No reason to rush, so I'll just take my time choosing a great stove.
I'm also going to start splitting and stacking lots-o-wood!
The problem with the Woodstock stoves is that they are side-loaders. You will need to check if you have sufficient hearth depth that you can pull them out far enough. The Fireview would probably be ideal, but the Keystone/Palladian may also be enough already from a heating perspective.
2 thumbs up!
2 thumbs up!
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Woodstock always has a 'sale'. The free shipping right now is attractive, though.
Hard to get perspective from a picture, but the hearth looks plenty deep for a side loader. You may or may not have to extend it for ember/thermal protection, depending on the stove specs. That may also be true for a front loading stove.
Hard to get perspective from a picture, but the hearth looks plenty deep for a side loader. You may or may not have to extend it for ember/thermal protection, depending on the stove specs. That may also be true for a front loading stove.
Lockpicker
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I am not an expert by any stretch. If it were me and if most of my time is spent on the level above the basement thats where the stove would go. I believe you said it is wide open with high ceilings. I have a similar set up. A free standing stove in the basement and a new this year insert in the living room on the first floor. The stove in the basement worked its tail off but never gave that warmth we wanted. The insert in the living room gives a warmth that the stove on the lower floor could never match. To me its a no brainer, put your stove where it'll do the most good, and where you spend your time. With an insert I dont think you'll need to worry about cooking yourself out of the room.
Just when I thought I had a plan (stove in basement). Now there's this. Hmmm - what to do? If only there were a way to test one out in each location.
Can you zone your heat? Turn it up in the basement and down in the 1st floor and you will see how well the heat travels upstairs. Or use some electric space heaters if your circuits can handle it.
Not easily. I can shut vents and dampers and give it a try, but now that it's warmer it would be tough. Our house gets full sun and really heats up with warmer temps quickly. One reason we covered all of the windows recently. As an example, if it gets up to 57 or so today sunny, the inside temp will raise to at above 60 easy. If we were to open all of the blinds and curtains it would go up to 65+.
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Numbers from yesterday (clear sky and sunny all day):
Outside temp high: 61 degrees
Inside temp (heat off, blinds and curtains closed): 66 degrees around 7pm
Numbers from this morning:
Outside temp low: 26 degrees
Inside temp (heat off, blinds and curtains closed): 61 degrees around 6:30am
Turned the heat on at 6:30am - set thermostat to 64 degrees. House reached 64 degrees within an hour.
Outside temp high: 61 degrees
Inside temp (heat off, blinds and curtains closed): 66 degrees around 7pm
Numbers from this morning:
Outside temp low: 26 degrees
Inside temp (heat off, blinds and curtains closed): 61 degrees around 6:30am
Turned the heat on at 6:30am - set thermostat to 64 degrees. House reached 64 degrees within an hour.
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