Recently bought a new house, moved in in the past week, and we're on propane. I've grown up with a wood stove and had a quadra-fire explorer II in the previous house. Being on propane, I want to get back to heating with wood FAST. The house my wife and I moved into is a 1750 sqft (on the main level) ranch with high cathedral ceilings in the living room that is central. It currently has a vent-free propane fireplace that has non-functional valves from the best I can tell (not that I truly care). I'm wanting to do one of three things, either go back to a stove (or two because I would like to heat the basement and use it, additional 1200 sq ft with a second kitchen/bar), indoor wood furnace or outdoor wood boiler.
The wood furnace idea i think is a bad one because the only way I could make the chimney work, is run it horizontal out the back of the house. Unless there is one that'll do this, its out for the most part.
The wood stove option (preferred but not sure how it'll work for heating the basement), heating from the basement would net me what I want if I can get the chimney up (only route that really works is going to put me at 35 plus feet as its the peak of the cathedral). The second stove location I see as being where the gas fireplace is now but being vent-free, I'd have to install a "zero clearance" unit of some sort. I'd prefer to run a catalytic unit to increase burn times.
The outdoor wood boiler option (second pick right now) is where I'm leaning but the cost is pushing me away along with the fact that when I travel the wife has to go outside to load the boiler. It is also reliant on power to work.
With the back story (yeah long) what's everyone's recommendations for stoves that would fit in the fireplaces location? Blaze King and Regency FS5100 are my two top contenders for the basement option, any other ones I should look at? I've had the non-catalytic but am not fond of them as they won't "smolder" when I want them to. I've learned to work with it but don't want to have to.
I realize this is the stoves and fireplaces but thoughts on the boiler and furnace? (I'll post in that section as well)
The wood furnace idea i think is a bad one because the only way I could make the chimney work, is run it horizontal out the back of the house. Unless there is one that'll do this, its out for the most part.
The wood stove option (preferred but not sure how it'll work for heating the basement), heating from the basement would net me what I want if I can get the chimney up (only route that really works is going to put me at 35 plus feet as its the peak of the cathedral). The second stove location I see as being where the gas fireplace is now but being vent-free, I'd have to install a "zero clearance" unit of some sort. I'd prefer to run a catalytic unit to increase burn times.
The outdoor wood boiler option (second pick right now) is where I'm leaning but the cost is pushing me away along with the fact that when I travel the wife has to go outside to load the boiler. It is also reliant on power to work.
With the back story (yeah long) what's everyone's recommendations for stoves that would fit in the fireplaces location? Blaze King and Regency FS5100 are my two top contenders for the basement option, any other ones I should look at? I've had the non-catalytic but am not fond of them as they won't "smolder" when I want them to. I've learned to work with it but don't want to have to.
I realize this is the stoves and fireplaces but thoughts on the boiler and furnace? (I'll post in that section as well)
