Looking for the right size wood stove.

[d-dayman]

I have a 2 1/2 story house. It’s a very open floor plan. I have a bedroom and a bathroom on the first floor, along with the kitchen, dining room, and greatroom that are all open with a vaulted ceiling to the second floor containing two bedrooms, a bathroom, and no hallways. It’s around 1300 ft.² total. The stove will go in the partially finished basement approximately 750 ft.² tying into an existing masonry flu that’s approximately 22ft. I plan to install an insulated flue liner. I currently have a pellet stove in the great room, but would like to add the woodstove to the basement to cut back on pellets. I currently burn 5 to 6 ton per year.

I plan to install several floor vents to allow the heat to rise from the basement along the exterior walls of the house as well as from the basement stairway. The stove is going to be on the opposite side of the basement from the stairway approximately 25 feet, so I’m counting on the floor vents doing more than the stairway. I also plan to use my Harman PF100 furnace to help circulate the air as I have a cold air return open in the basement as well. That air return is approximately 15 feet from the stove around a corner.

A couple options that I’m looking at are the Lopi Liberty, Quadrafire 5700, Regency S2400, and Napoleon S4. These are a couple used options I have access to currently. I’m thinking the Regency would be the best option as the Lopi, and Quadrafire are the larger options, and I’m afraid would cause the basement to become too warm. We do use the finish area of the basement often as a game room and office space.

What is everyone’s thoughts?

 

[stoveliker]

Installing floor vents carries risks: these are holes in a fire retarding floor construction (yes, wooden floors take time to burn through, so they delay fire spreading - holes make that very different). You may have to install fusible link fire dampers.

This is how I do it, with my stove at a side wall, and stairs centrally located.

Post in thread 'Moving heat from basement'

May 1, 2023

I heat from the basement, and if I include my basement squre footage, I have 2500 sqft.
825 in the basement and 1700 above that. Late 70s. Brand new triple pane windows, fantastic sealing and insulation (R57) in the attic. Mediocre wall insulation.

My basement walls are insulated, but the floor is unfortunately not.

Heating my home above the basement is easy. Only when it gets to be 5 F do I have to push the stove (as in 8 hr reloads), still keeping my main floor around 70 F.

However, I second the comment above that heating from a basement benefits from consistency, i.e. you heat...

• stoveliker

• 

The fan creates an air loop spreading the heat.

Then again, having a stove where you want the heat is best (i.e. main floor).

With high ceilings, do you have a ceiling fan (running in reverse)? Heat will pool at the ceilings otherwise.

 

[d-dayman]

Fire dampers in the floor vents are no problem. I figured I would have to do that. I do have a ceiling fan at the peak of the ceiling.

The pellet stove on the main floor is what we use in the fall before the frigid temps kick in, and we use it in the early spring. It does a great job heating the living area, but the basement is always cold. The pellet furnace works great when the temperatures get below 20° consistently, but the cost per ton of pellets,getting too much they justify it, when firewood for us is readily available.

 

[EbS-P]

5-6 tons for 1300 sq ft seems like a lot. I like my Drolet for a cheaper stove. I’d recommend a damper and a wireless Auber at200 to measure flue gas temps from upstairs.

 

[stoveliker]

I do suggest to read that post linked above. Not for copying exactly but for getting the main thinking based on which you can optimize for your situation.

Is your basement walk-out?
Carrying wood down stairs sucks.

Given that you need a lot of heat for your home, it may be leaky. Maybe the pellet stove could do much better if you spend some $$ on sealing and insulating?

Th sealing will also help avoid big problems with low pressures in the basement leading to smoke roll out and CO issues at the end of a burn.

Do have CO detectors both in the basement,.on every floor and at the paths where heat will convect up.

 

[d-dayman]

I do suggest to read that post linked above. Not for copying exactly but for getting the main thinking based on which you can optimize for your situation.

Is your basement walk-out?
Carrying wood down stairs sucks.

Given that you need a lot of heat for your home, it may be leaky. Maybe the pellet stove could do much better if you spend some $$ on sealing and insulating?

Th sealing will also help avoid big problems with low pressures in the basement leading to smoke roll out and CO issues at the end of a burn.

Do have CO detectors both in the basement,.on every floor and at the paths where heat will convect up.

I read it. A lot of good info there. I like the duct idea you mentioned from your living room to the basement. This is kind of the same thing I was thinking about doing with my existing ductwork.

It is a walk in basement with the flue access already there. Also have a 10 x15 area with a roof over it right at the the basement door to store firewood. Pretty good setup.

House is sealed up good. I’ve been around it with a thermal camera. The heat loss is minimal with any spots I’ve found addressed.

It’s the Harman PF100 furnace. It eats the pellets. I’d like to cut that out.

 

[d-dayman]

5-6 tons for 1300 sq ft seems like a lot. I like my Drolet for a cheaper stove. I’d recommend a damper and a wireless Auber at200 to measure flue gas temps from upstairs.

I’m liking the Drolet stuff. Was checking out a HT3000.