This is why I came to the forum, I need people in the same scenario because the stove stores give you a bunch of what it'. So I appreciate your help. Right now we spend the bulk of the time in the basement as the second foor isn't finished off. In the future the kids bedroom will be up there so you're right. We need to decide where we want the heat and go from there. Thanks ! ! ! I just don't see a stove even sized for 4000 ft working between the 3 separate floors and the spray foam hinderance.
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This is why I came to the forum, I need people in the same scenario because the stove stores give you a bunch of what it'. So I appreciate your help. Right now we spend the bulk of the time in the basement as the second foor isn't finished off. In the future the kids bedroom will be up there so you're right. We need to decide where we want the heat and go from there. Thanks ! ! ! I just don't see a stove even sized for 4000 ft working between the 3 separate floors and the spray foam hinderance.
Ok, so you've seen that basement installs can be a controversial issue. Let's approach the feasability of this from a different angle.
Is a wood stove in your best interest? Other than installation costs (Don't forget the cost of the chimney!), there are fuel costs. Do you have a ready source of wood? Will you be buying it, or cutting your own? Wood takes time to dry, often the purchased wood sold as seasoned is not. Depending on the species, you may be looking at 3 years of sitting in the sun to dry out. If you will be using 3 cords of wood a winter, you may be looking at 6-9 full cords sitting in the back yard at all times. Burning freshly cut wood can be frustrating at best and leads many new burners to hate their investment. At worst, creosote formation becomes a fire hazard with deadly consequences. If you are buying your wood, what will the yearly wood bill run? How about after you buy next year's supply to make sure you have dry wood?
If you do not have room for storage, or the costs of the above are daunting, consider a pellet stove. The lack of a need for a chimney often lowers installation costs. They can be vented out through a wall. The fuel is purchased dry and is available in bulk, and by the bag if storage is an issue.
Both woodstove and pellet stoves are space heaters. Their best at heating the room they are in. Your floor plan and details such as doorway size will dictate how well heat will travel to other areas . The wood boiler connects to your heating system.
Is a wood stove in your best interest? Other than installation costs (Don't forget the cost of the chimney!), there are fuel costs. Do you have a ready source of wood? Will you be buying it, or cutting your own? Wood takes time to dry, often the purchased wood sold as seasoned is not. Depending on the species, you may be looking at 3 years of sitting in the sun to dry out. If you will be using 3 cords of wood a winter, you may be looking at 6-9 full cords sitting in the back yard at all times. Burning freshly cut wood can be frustrating at best and leads many new burners to hate their investment. At worst, creosote formation becomes a fire hazard with deadly consequences. If you are buying your wood, what will the yearly wood bill run? How about after you buy next year's supply to make sure you have dry wood?
If you do not have room for storage, or the costs of the above are daunting, consider a pellet stove. The lack of a need for a chimney often lowers installation costs. They can be vented out through a wall. The fuel is purchased dry and is available in bulk, and by the bag if storage is an issue.
Both woodstove and pellet stoves are space heaters. Their best at heating the room they are in. Your floor plan and details such as doorway size will dictate how well heat will travel to other areas . The wood boiler connects to your heating system.
As described, this is a tightly insulated area that has a fully insulated ceiling. With a freestanding wood stove, most of the heat will remain in the basement. Some properly located return grilles on the perimeter and a large supply grate could make this work as a gravity fed heat system, but it sound like that is not a desired setup. Another option might be a wood furnace or an EPA fireplace where most of the heat is ducted and distributed to the floor above.
Last edited:
maple1
Minister of Fire
Lots of opinions on this one. 
A key point is that a stove is a space heater. You'd be doing a lot to ask it to heat 3 stories. And you already have a central heating system in place to send heat where you want it. I would not give up central heating for space heating, especially if keeping kids warm in the upper reaches is going to come into the picture.
I would first get right on an energy audit & efficiency upgrades, if they are available in your state. Should be priority 1 no matter how you heat. I am a bit boggled why someone would insulate their basement ceiling with foam and do nothing with the walls - that makes absolutely no sense to me. I would do the walls & not the ceiling.
I would then consider either an add on wood furnace, or a boiler, in the basement. Leaning to the furnace. Adding a duct to direct heat into the basement should be a very easy thing to do. I would also consider a heat pump. I would rule out pellets, but that would depend on your local fuel situation. Here, they are no cheaper than oil & a lot more work.
A lot of that depends on your situation & layout which we don't have a real clear picture of. Like, chimney possibilities. If an add on furnace won't fly, and you don't want to do a heat pump - then a stove would at least let you supplement and displace quite a bit of your LP use. Totally eliminating fossil use can be an unrealistic goal for some & it can skew the decision making - if a stove would cut it by say 3/4, then you'd still be quite far ahead.
A key point is that a stove is a space heater. You'd be doing a lot to ask it to heat 3 stories. And you already have a central heating system in place to send heat where you want it. I would not give up central heating for space heating, especially if keeping kids warm in the upper reaches is going to come into the picture.
I would first get right on an energy audit & efficiency upgrades, if they are available in your state. Should be priority 1 no matter how you heat. I am a bit boggled why someone would insulate their basement ceiling with foam and do nothing with the walls - that makes absolutely no sense to me. I would do the walls & not the ceiling.
I would then consider either an add on wood furnace, or a boiler, in the basement. Leaning to the furnace. Adding a duct to direct heat into the basement should be a very easy thing to do. I would also consider a heat pump. I would rule out pellets, but that would depend on your local fuel situation. Here, they are no cheaper than oil & a lot more work.
A lot of that depends on your situation & layout which we don't have a real clear picture of. Like, chimney possibilities. If an add on furnace won't fly, and you don't want to do a heat pump - then a stove would at least let you supplement and displace quite a bit of your LP use. Totally eliminating fossil use can be an unrealistic goal for some & it can skew the decision making - if a stove would cut it by say 3/4, then you'd still be quite far ahead.
Rearscreen
Minister of Fire
My cousin has a lot of wood on his farm. The wood stove is in the basement and he heats his whole house like that. The woodstove is used at full blast and it works perfect for him. It all depends on your setup and how much wood you have to burn.
AlbergSteve
Minister of Fire
Please keep in mind that most jurisdictions require a fire/thermal barrier over all exposed foam insulation in living spaces, even if there is no stove installed in that area.
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