Since it will probably get lost in translation, I will post the krux of my problem right at the beginning:
How do I heat this house as effectively and as cheaply as possible?
Forget trying to draw what the floorplan actually looks like... it's much easier if I explain it this way (this may be the most effed up layout you've ever seen, but here goes...): Imagine two 28x32 structures (approx. 900 sq ft per floor), linked together by a 9x12 foyer. One structure is the "living" structure... kitchen, dining, family, living, open floor plan, cathedral ceilings, ceiling fans (lots of air flow). This structure has a fully finished basement that is lived in as much as the upper floor. There is currently a 45000 BTU Woodstock soapstone woodstove on the upper floor, on an outside wall (not perfect, I know, but it's the only spot that would work).
The second structure (the "bedroom" structure) has a 2 car garage on the first floor and 4 bedrooms on the second floor. No stove here. The structures are connected by a 9x12 foyer.
I have a free pellet stove sitting (unconnected) in the basement. Nice little 40,000 BTU unit (about 7 years old). My backup heat throughout the entire house is baseboard oil on a 15 yr old furnace.
Since wood is free to me, I want to (obviously) heat as much with wood as I can, but I'm afraid it would be a waste in an area just comprised of bedrooms. I've thought of putting the pellet stove in the lower level of the "living" structure (to make 2 stoves total in that structure)... but then I worry I'll be using too many pellets ($). Then I thought to put the pellet stove somewhere in the bedroom structure and turn it on just at night, but what about during the day? Let it get ice cold? Keep the oil thermostat low?
Next, I thought of putting a second woodstove in the living structure instead of the pellet stove. I have no idea if it's a lot more work to run two wood stoves... I understand it's twice the wood, but is it twice the work to load, clean, etc? I assume so, but there are a lot of you running two stoves and not minding it!
I'm both confused and perplexed. Any and all help is much appreciated!
How do I heat this house as effectively and as cheaply as possible?
Forget trying to draw what the floorplan actually looks like... it's much easier if I explain it this way (this may be the most effed up layout you've ever seen, but here goes...): Imagine two 28x32 structures (approx. 900 sq ft per floor), linked together by a 9x12 foyer. One structure is the "living" structure... kitchen, dining, family, living, open floor plan, cathedral ceilings, ceiling fans (lots of air flow). This structure has a fully finished basement that is lived in as much as the upper floor. There is currently a 45000 BTU Woodstock soapstone woodstove on the upper floor, on an outside wall (not perfect, I know, but it's the only spot that would work).
The second structure (the "bedroom" structure) has a 2 car garage on the first floor and 4 bedrooms on the second floor. No stove here. The structures are connected by a 9x12 foyer.
I have a free pellet stove sitting (unconnected) in the basement. Nice little 40,000 BTU unit (about 7 years old). My backup heat throughout the entire house is baseboard oil on a 15 yr old furnace.
Since wood is free to me, I want to (obviously) heat as much with wood as I can, but I'm afraid it would be a waste in an area just comprised of bedrooms. I've thought of putting the pellet stove in the lower level of the "living" structure (to make 2 stoves total in that structure)... but then I worry I'll be using too many pellets ($). Then I thought to put the pellet stove somewhere in the bedroom structure and turn it on just at night, but what about during the day? Let it get ice cold? Keep the oil thermostat low?
Next, I thought of putting a second woodstove in the living structure instead of the pellet stove. I have no idea if it's a lot more work to run two wood stoves... I understand it's twice the wood, but is it twice the work to load, clean, etc? I assume so, but there are a lot of you running two stoves and not minding it!
I'm both confused and perplexed. Any and all help is much appreciated!