Help with Layout of House

[ryhiggs1]

i have about 2300 sg ft house and want to put a wood insert into my fireplace. I hae narrowed it down to the Lopi Freedom due to size, sq ft heating capacity, and fact wife likes that model. The lady at the dealer store told me it might be too much stove and wont heat my house. I have attached a rough layout of my house. Its a split level and the fireplace if in the bottom portion. House was built in 1975. cinderblock foundation with syrafoam insulation on bottom portion. House recently had asbestos exterior taken off and siding replaced. with insulation. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

It's harder to heat multiple layers of house than one open room. Stoves are pretty much big versions of the little electric space heater that you plug into the wall outlet. I'm not saying it can't be done, but the room with the fireplace will be much warmer than the rooms on other floors far from the fireplace.

Matt

 

[begreen]

The main issue is going to be getting the heat upstairs. Is the staircase wide open to upstairs? How wide is it? Also, is the basement room insulated?

 

[ryhiggs1]

there are 7 steps going upstairs, then you are on the entrance landing. The landing is all open to the upstairs no walls between landing and dinning room/living room. There is also a return in the hallway right outside the room with the fireplace. Could I use a standing fan to help circulate air out of that room.

 

[begreen]

That will help. How wide is the opening? Is the basement insulated?

 

[ryhiggs1]

I believe there is styrofoam insulation on the bottom half. and regular pink insulation on the top half of the wall. not sure what the r value is. as to the opening of what? the opening out of the room the stove would be is in a 30 inch door opening.

 

[ryhiggs1]

also the room with stove has a sliding glass door to outside.

 

[Dix]

also the room with stove has a sliding glass door to outside.

I don't blame you for not wanting to lug the wood upstairs


If you don't want a stove upstairs, I say a stove as close to that stairway as I could get it. Bigger fire box, easier wood in & out.


The bedrooms are at the lower end of the layout on the second floor, I take it?


Welcome to the forums !!

 

[ryhiggs1]

the stove will be in the fireplace which is on the downstairs floor. Downstairs is on grade. its a split level, no basement. Bedrooms are upstairs and living room, kitchen and dinning room are directly above where the stove will be.

 

[begreen]

How wide is the staircase opening to upstairs approximately?

 

[ryhiggs1]

about 4.5 ft wide up 7steps then landing and landing is open to whole upstairs. Fire place is 16 ft directly across from doorway to stairs

 

[begreen]

I think you will be ok then with the Freedom. The Revere would also work, especially if this is going to be mostly evenings and weekends. The stove floor will be hotter but you can greatly reduce this overheating by placing an ordinary, 12" table fan at the top of the stairs, on the floor, pointing downward so that it blows the cooler, upstairs air down into the stove room. Low speed usually works fine for this. This will create a strong convection loop that will help get the heat upstairs, while reducing downstairs temps.

Remember, with a big stove that you don't have to fill it up when the weather is mild. Often a few splits is all you'll need to be comfortable. Save the full loads of wood for when the temps dip into the twenties and teens.

 

[ryhiggs1]

begreen,

Thanks for all the info. I was worried I was wasting money going with the bigger freedom vs a smaller/cheaper stove. Hoepfully I can heat the living,kitchen and dinning room. I like it colder in the bedroom when i sleep anyhow. Thanks Again.

 

[begreen]

Take some pictures of your install. And do try the fan trick, it can work really well for an installation like yours.