Basement Stove & Chimney Installation

[Jibba]

I just moved into an "unfinished" cape (meaning the 2nd floor is unfinished for now) with 2br and 2ba on the first floor. The finished first floor comes in at about 1850 sq ft, of which around 350 sq ft is 3-season/den space. Primary heat source is oil, but looking to supplement that with wood. There's an old, small stove in a fireplace on the first floor that'll help for this winter, but looking to go bigger in the spring to be ready for next year.

I have an old (but very lightly used) Alpiner stove that I'm thinking of throwing into the basement and attaching a plenum and blower with a couple of ducts to registers that I'd cut in. The problem is that my existing chimney is already 'full' with the fireplace upstairs venting into it and then the furnace venting as well (2 flues). So my thought was to have a dedicated, external brick chimney installed in the spring/summer. One concern I'm having is that, based on the (lack of ) space I'd have above grade, I'd have to dig down 4' or so, pour a foundation for it and cut a hole in the foundation to vent the stove into the chimney.

Has anyone had experience with an installation like this? Is it worth my money/effort to pursue it? I'm always concerned with poking holes in the fort....

 

[Grisu]

That sounds like a really expensive renovation project for an interim solution. If anything I would add a class A chimney with chase to the house but even that only after careful consideration whether it is really worthwhile. If you want to duct a woodburner in your existing system I would look for a wood furnace. Or replace your upstairs stove now maybe with a budget unit until you have figured out which stove you like to have there.

 

[Jibba]

Sorry, the basement stove is a more permanent, not interim solution. I wouldn't be ducting into an existing system, just new ducting up to registers in the floor.
The upstairs stove isn't much of an option due to tiny clearances, etc. I think I'd have to get a new wife if I were to do anything other than brick outside. (Maybe that'd be cheaper...)

 

[Chimney Smoke]

I would try to install a free standing stove into your chimney on the first floor first. That being said, I have a cape as well around 1600 SF. My wife and I don't like the room temp to be real warm and we heat from a woodstove in the basement. Unless it's really cold out the heat from the basement keeps our house in the mid 60's which is what we like. Last winter I burned 3 cord of wood and about 200 gallons of oil. Sometimes I consider installing a chimney and stove on the first floor but I think it would be too warm for us. This past weekend the highs were mid 30's and windy out and the house was at 70 degrees all weekend just using the woodstove in the basement burning dry white pine.