Best place to install pellet stove in a 2-story colonial house and finished basement

[geek]

well, title says it all I guess, I bought the stove and planing to install this week.
I bought the stove with the whole intention to install in basement, which is almost finished (living area 24x14, bedroom 15x10, hallway 12x8, plus a couple more spots......around 850 sq. ft. in basement...ballpark).

However, now I am thinking if I should install on first floor instead.
House is about 1,850 sf for both 1st and 2nd floors combined.

If install in basement I can leave basement door leading to 1st floor open so hot air can rise, however I guess basement will get too hot. Right now without heat temp. in basement is about high 50s or so. I insulated the concrete foundation with foam board first, then 2x4 framing, then R13 insulation batts and finally half inch dry wall.

My heat upstairs is baseboard oil heat and I don't have any registers on first floor (so I could use to let warm air rise up to first floor if stove gets installed in basement.

To install in basement (in ground foundation) the installer told me he needs to cut through foundation concrete and open hole for the pipe.

1. What do you guys think, should I install in basement or 1st floor?
2. Also, installer only mentioned cutting one hole in concrete foundation for the pipe but we did not talk about another hole for outside air intake, would we need to open a 2nd hole for air intake? (my friend tells me it is not necessary to install this.....but manual says it is mandatory......)

..

 

[turbot2112]

i installed my stove in the basement and it does heat the 1st floor to about 70 or 72 but i have to keep the stove cranked up on high . im probablly going to install another 1 on the 1st floor. also, it does get quite hot in the basement.

 

[geek]

thanks for the reply, anyone else with suggestions?
what about my 2nd question in regards to the air intake?

 

[IIFAST4U]

I am no pro as I am installing my pellet stove this week myself. But I did a lot of resaerching and asked a lot of question at different dealers. From what I can gather if your house is really well insulated and air tight then you should run an outsde air kit, if not then don't as it is easier to heat warm air from behind the stove than freezing air from outside.

Shawn

 

[MainePellethead]

Theres no question I would put mine on the first floor in order to get good heat on the 2nd floor. Depends on your temp. comfy zone. IMO I think you'd have a hard time getting the heat you want to 2nd floor in installed in basement......what BTU is the stove?

 

[geek]

Theres no question I would put mine on the first floor in order to get good heat on the 2nd floor. Depends on your temp. comfy zone. IMO I think you'd have a hard time getting the heat you want to 2nd floor in installed in basement......what BTU is the stove?

It is an Englander 25-PDV and I see no reference to BTU in the manual.

First floor is about 900 sq ft and 2nd floor is about 900 sq ft (2 story colonial)
Basement is about 900 sq ft.

I am now inclining myself to install the stove on the 1st floor and my wife is agreeing (am I lucky...LOL)
We could then buy a smaller unit just for the basement next year, or maybe install a couple fans in the drop ceiling of the basement to suck some warm air down to the basement........(maybe that could be another option....

But all in all I think installing on 1st floor make$ more sense.........hope I'm right...!

Again, this stove doesn't mention the BTU.......but it says it can cover up to 2,200 sq ft

 

[turbot2112]

your not going to heat your 2nd floor with the stove in the basement

 

[MainePellethead]

Theres no question I would put mine on the first floor in order to get good heat on the 2nd floor. Depends on your temp. comfy zone. IMO I think you'd have a hard time getting the heat you want to 2nd floor in installed in basement......what BTU is the stove?

It is an Englander 25-PDV and I see no reference to BTU in the manual.

First floor is about 900 sq ft and 2nd floor is about 900 sq ft (2 story colonial)
Basement is about 900 sq ft.

I am now inclining myself to install the stove on the 1st floor and my wife is agreeing (am I lucky...LOL)
We could then buy a smaller unit just for the basement next year, or maybe install a couple fans in the drop ceiling of the basement to suck some warm air down to the basement........(maybe that could be another option....

But all in all I think installing on 1st floor make$ more sense.........hope I'm right...!

Again, this stove doesn't mention the BTU.......but it says it can cover up to 2,200 sq ft

I think that stove is in the 40,000 + BTU range. It says it can do "up to"....but it doesnt tell you just how comfy the warmth will be. I have a 1268 sq. ft. cape. My kids are all on their own. So I close off the upstairs...my downstairs is approx. 800-850 sq. ft. and it heats it nicely. One key is....try to maintain with it.....like at night on 20 degree nights I would set mine down to low and it would get kinda chilly away from stove....so now I put it up on medium and it keeps things nice and even. My stove is a Quad Castille and works fine for us. The stove is rated for up to 1500 sq. ft. and 30,000 or so BTU's. But it does us well...cant complain....I use max. 1 bag a day sometimes less. Have saved tremendous on oil.

 

[lmei007]

I am no pro as I am installing my pellet stove this week myself. But I did a lot of resaerching and asked a lot of question at different dealers. From what I can gather if your house is really well insulated and air tight then you should run an outsde air kit, if not then don't as it is easier to heat warm air from behind the stove than freezing air from outside.

Shawn

I don't think that air is for air circulation but for burning. When you burn the pellet, you need air and those air are throw away with smok and ash by a fan.

 

[MainePellethead]

I am no pro as I am installing my pellet stove this week myself. But I did a lot of resaerching and asked a lot of question at different dealers. From what I can gather if your house is really well insulated and air tight then you should run an outsde air kit, if not then don't as it is easier to heat warm air from behind the stove than freezing air from outside.

Shawn

I don't think that air is for air circulation but for burning. When you burn the pellet, you need air and those air are throw away with smok and ash by a fan.

I believe all "basement" installs need outside air kit.....

 

[rap69ri]

I had the same dilema when deciding where to install my pellet stove. My house is about 1700sq. ft. not including finished basement. I ended up installing the stove on the first floor and have a seperate heating zone off of my oil boiler for the basement. I kept the basement zone at 65 degrees and the boiler ran very little this year. The first floor maintained a temp between 70 -72 all winter, while the second floor hovered around 66 - 68. It was nice sleeping in the cooler temp, and great to sit around in a t-shirt watching tv.

 

[tinkabranc]

[quote author="AwsumSS" date="1206402068]
I believe all "basement" installs need outside air kit.....[/quote]

NOPE- have to disagree with ya there. My stove is in my basement
and we did not need the OAK, nor was it required.

However, some stoves do require it no matter where you are putting it.
Check the owners manual to confirm if that stove needs one.

Best bet would be to put the stove where you spend the most time.

 

[BubbRubb]

My stove is in the basement and does not have an outside air kit installed. That being said, I wish I had a good place for it on the first floor because my second floor doesn't get any heat from the stove.

 

[turbot2112]

if you have gas appliances in your basement,dryer, hot water heater, furnace etc.. it is a very good idea to install a outside air kit.