Circulating heat from basement.

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jpfouch48

New Member
Jan 18, 2012
4
Central NY
Last year we had an m55 installed in our basement and it keeps the basement nice and toasty as well the main floor in our house. We typically leave the basement door so the head can make its way upstairs. Just above our pellet stove is the main duct for the cold air return for our furnace. I was thinking of putting vent in the bottom of the cold air return duct so that when I run the fan of my furnace the warm air from the pellet stove would get sucked into the furnace and distributed throughout the house. Has anybody tried this? and would it do any harm to my furnace?

thanks,
JP
 
It wouldn't hurt a bit. If you are running the furnace system anyway, it would help distribute the heat from the stove better.

Another option is to cut vents in the basement ceiling into the room above.
 
F6hawk said:
Another option is to cut vents in the basement ceiling into the room above.

That is a code violation in many places.
 
John97 said:
F6hawk said:
Another option is to cut vents in the basement ceiling into the room above.

That is a code violation in many places.

Yep... Dont be cutting holes all willy nilly. Look into your local code.

If they dont alllow, then look into fusible link vents? They close at a certain temp (in case a fire was to happen).


As for the cold air return vent? Not sure either.... Most vents are required to be 10' away from stove? Dont know if that applies? Another thing to check on....

Some locales allow different things and slightly overlook..... Some dont... But until you know for sure, its best not to test the waters.. Insurance agents are not to fond of "Tire Kickers".


Sounds like the stove is doing pretty well... Have you tried small floor fans? Try a small fan pointing down the basement steps. It will push the colder denser air downstairs. While the hotter air rises to replace it. Colder air finds warmer air, easier than warm to cool. Give it a shot.. Sounds ridiculous, right? Blowing cold air around? But it works...

Welcome to the Forums. What M-55 did you get? Cast or Steel???? Also, we like pics..
 
my dad heats his house this way, the cold air duct is hooked to his basement room heated by the pellet stove, his heat co installed a thermostat on the wall that runs the blower in the furnace if the room gets above 70*, keeps the whole house warm
 
We currently have small fans blowing up the stairs and it does well for the first floor. just looking for a way to get some of the warm air upstairs.

-- JP
 
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