Frustrated with insert

[Dacer123]

We have a Quadrafire Bay insert in our fireplace in our lower level of our tri level home. This level is cold all the time due to it being half underground. We've had the insert for seven years now. We have a couple major frustrations. When we run our pellet stove the warm air won't circulate upstairs to either the main level or to the second level bedrooms. What little warm air that goes up to the main floor hits the furnace thermostat and thus the furnace doesn't kick on and it's too cold upstairs. Any suggestions?

The other issue is that if we don't run the pellet stove, cold air pours in from the vents at the bottom of the inserts. I don't know what to do about that. I'm about to take out the insert and just run heaters down in that lower level.

 

[JRemington]

Are you getting a good flame in the stove?

 

[Dacer123]

I think so. It seems to be throwing out heat ok.

 

[zrock]

installing a ceiling fan on each level will help with heat distribution. to heat a split level like that you are going to have to crank up the heat for a day or so from the stove and let the house climatize to the stove. Also if you have a forced air furnace you can switch it over to fan only and have the furnace fan circulate the air from the pellet stove. Iv seen some people even put in a fan control on the motor so they can turn teh fan speed down and just have it turning enough to circulate air.

 

[kappel15]

It is very hard to get heat up from a basement level, to heat a whole house, esp. three levels. You have to remember that these are actually space heaters, that can heat a whole house, but they are talking one level. If there is a door on the lower level where the stove is, I would shut it. And if you are not using the stove, if it vents out a wall above ground level, you can put a rag in it to stop the cold air from coming in. Just be sure to put a pc. of tape on the thermostat, saying exhaust is plugged, so you don't get a surprise trying to use it before you pull the rag. kap

 

[railfanron]

I would check to see if your flue is completely sealed at the fireplace damper. If it isn't the cold air will fall down and come out those vents. I believe that is where the distribution air blower gets the room air to run through the heat exchanger and it's open to the fireplace firebox. I would pull the unit and if there is cold air coming in you'll feel it as the fireplace firebox area will be very cold. Plug the damper area tightly with some mineral wool around the pellet exhaust pipe.
Ron

 

[Mt Bob]

We have a Quadrafire Bay insert in our fireplace in our lower level of our tri level home. This level is cold all the time due to it being half underground. We've had the insert for seven years now. We have a couple major frustrations. When we run our pellet stove the warm air won't circulate upstairs to either the main level or to the second level bedrooms. What little warm air that goes up to the main floor hits the furnace thermostat and thus the furnace doesn't kick on and it's too cold upstairs. Any suggestions?

The other issue is that if we don't run the pellet stove, cold air pours in from the vents at the bottom of the inserts. I don't know what to do about that. I'm about to take out the insert and just run heaters down in that lower level.

Poor install,heat does not"rise" like most people think,lower in the ground actually insulates,a pellet heater is only a room/space heater,not a furnace,or big wood/coal heater,appeases to me you have not given enough information.

 

[bogieb]

I have two stoves because the heat does not rise from my original monster P61a, which should heat the entire 1600 sq/ft of my home easily. Some people's house dynamics is such that the air circulates freely and a convection develops that allows the heat to rise from the basement. Other houses, not so much. I tried cutting vents in my nice wood floors, installing vent fans (up and down) running ceiling fans, tower fans and doorway fans - and still could not keep my bedrooms above the high 40's in frigid weather.

Much better and quieter with my smaller stove on the main floor!