Hey everyone,
Some Info:
My house is 2000 sq. ft. split evenly between two levels. The top floor is a Panabode cedar log home with sub par insulation for my climate (only 4 inch wide logs in the Yukon where we see -40 C/F or colder every winter). The bottom floor was added later and it is regular construction with proper insulation. The two levels are not connected as the previous owners took out the stairs to have a rental suite, which I am currently still renting out.
Upstairs is heated by a 2015 Blaze King Princess non cat which is big enough to keep us warm in the coldest weather even while burning spruce/aspen. The downstairs has a ~1995 RCF stove. I'm not sure of the model but its a big one. it has ~18 ft of 7 inch (it might be 8 inch not sure) Class A from the stove all the way to the cap. That stove heated the entire house for ~15 years. The issue with the RCF is that it is not certified anymore and way too close (~3") to the wall for my insurance. In addition it needs two new boxes for where it goes through the floor and the roof of the house as well as a bigger hearth pad. As far as I know it hasn't been used in at least 5 years. The inside looks pretty burnt out as well. Currently heating the downstairs with the oil monitor since I personally don't trust a renter with a wood stove, even if it was a legal one.
My Question/Conundrum:
My wife and I want to rebuild the staircase in a few (<5) years and heat the entire house from downstairs with a large stove, preferably a Blaze King King 40. While leaving the Princess upstairs as a backup.
My brother and his wife are moving back up north and will be renting from us come the fall, hopefully for a few years. I obviously trust them to run a stove. Should I go ahead this summer and install the King with a new chimney/hearth to heat only 1000 sq. ft. for now until the stairs are put in? Or should I get a smaller stove/chimney set up that's more suited for the space but knowing I'll have to re-do the install in a few years? I really don't want to have to keep two stoves going all the time once the house is joined. I could possibly cut registers into the floor to allow heat to rise to upstairs, but I'm worried that even turned way down the King will be too big for just downstairs, even temporarily. But saving the cost of a second stove/install is huge, as I could do the new hearth pad and wall protection but the stove and chimney has to be done professionally for my insurance. Also, if need be the chimney could be extended by one or two 4-foot sections of Class A easily. Has anyone run into a similar situation or installed a King 40 in a small space?
Sorry for the wall of text!
Any input is appreciated!
Some Info:
My house is 2000 sq. ft. split evenly between two levels. The top floor is a Panabode cedar log home with sub par insulation for my climate (only 4 inch wide logs in the Yukon where we see -40 C/F or colder every winter). The bottom floor was added later and it is regular construction with proper insulation. The two levels are not connected as the previous owners took out the stairs to have a rental suite, which I am currently still renting out.
Upstairs is heated by a 2015 Blaze King Princess non cat which is big enough to keep us warm in the coldest weather even while burning spruce/aspen. The downstairs has a ~1995 RCF stove. I'm not sure of the model but its a big one. it has ~18 ft of 7 inch (it might be 8 inch not sure) Class A from the stove all the way to the cap. That stove heated the entire house for ~15 years. The issue with the RCF is that it is not certified anymore and way too close (~3") to the wall for my insurance. In addition it needs two new boxes for where it goes through the floor and the roof of the house as well as a bigger hearth pad. As far as I know it hasn't been used in at least 5 years. The inside looks pretty burnt out as well. Currently heating the downstairs with the oil monitor since I personally don't trust a renter with a wood stove, even if it was a legal one.
My Question/Conundrum:
My wife and I want to rebuild the staircase in a few (<5) years and heat the entire house from downstairs with a large stove, preferably a Blaze King King 40. While leaving the Princess upstairs as a backup.
My brother and his wife are moving back up north and will be renting from us come the fall, hopefully for a few years. I obviously trust them to run a stove. Should I go ahead this summer and install the King with a new chimney/hearth to heat only 1000 sq. ft. for now until the stairs are put in? Or should I get a smaller stove/chimney set up that's more suited for the space but knowing I'll have to re-do the install in a few years? I really don't want to have to keep two stoves going all the time once the house is joined. I could possibly cut registers into the floor to allow heat to rise to upstairs, but I'm worried that even turned way down the King will be too big for just downstairs, even temporarily. But saving the cost of a second stove/install is huge, as I could do the new hearth pad and wall protection but the stove and chimney has to be done professionally for my insurance. Also, if need be the chimney could be extended by one or two 4-foot sections of Class A easily. Has anyone run into a similar situation or installed a King 40 in a small space?
Sorry for the wall of text!
Any input is appreciated!
