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.

 

[stoveliker]

Make sure the ductwork is inside the insulated envelope.

If you have an attic,.make sure the ceilings (e.g. light fixture penetrations) and top plates of the walls are sealed as well. Having an outlet in a wall that then has a 10 ft long 1/10" gap into your Attic creates a lot of warm air flow up and out (and then low pressure where your stove is).

 

[d-dayman]

Make sure the ductwork is inside the insulated envelope.

If you have an attic,.make sure the ceilings (e.g. light fixture penetrations) and top plates of the walls are sealed as well. Having an outlet in a wall that then has a 10 ft long 1/10" gap into your Attic creates a lot of warm air flow up and out (and then low pressure where your stove is).

What stove do you use heating from your basement with your setup?

 

[stoveliker]

A Blaze King Chinook 30.2

 

[all night moe]

Silly question....

Is it possible to switch? Install a wood stove on the 1st floor ad use the pellet stove in the basement.

 

[d-dayman]

Silly question....

Is it possible to switch? Install a wood stove on the 1st floor ad use the pellet stove in the basement.

Not not easily. It is much more convenient to install the woodstove in the basement. The pellet stove on the living floor is conveniently tucked into the corner since it is vented through the exterior wall. The location of the chimney would cause the woodstove to interfere with the dining area. I’ve attached a couple pictures of the layout of my main floor. I sketched in where the chimney and pellet stove are located.

The second floor is a two bedrooms and a bathroom directly above the kitchen, bathroom and first floor bedroom. It is an open walkway with a railing accessing each.

The basement is primarily open with a washroom, and a small office under the main floor bedroom and bathroom. Those doors always remain open. The furnace can be repositioned to utilize the chimney.

The walk in doorway to the basement makes the movement of firewood to and from the stove very convenient. Plus the roofed storage area is directly over the basement door.

Like I said, previously, I will be installing floor vents to help a circulation along with using my existing ductwork. The stairway leading to the basement from the first floor is directly under the stairs leading to the second floor.

 

[fao1989]

Not not easily. It is much more convenient to install the woodstove in the basement. The pellet stove on the living floor is conveniently tucked into the corner since it is vented through the exterior wall. The location of the chimney would cause the woodstove to interfere with the dining area. I’ve attached a couple pictures of the layout of my main floor. I sketched in where the chimney and pellet stove are located.

The second floor is a two bedrooms and a bathroom directly above the kitchen, bathroom and first floor bedroom. It is an open walkway with a railing accessing each.

The basement is primarily open with a washroom, and a small office under the main floor bedroom and bathroom. Those doors always remain open. The furnace can be repositioned to utilize the chimney.

The walk in doorway to the basement makes the movement of firewood to and from the stove very convenient. Plus the roofed storage area is directly over the basement door.

Like I said, previously, I will be installing floor vents to help a circulation along with using my existing ductwork. The stairway leading to the basement from the first floor is directly under the stairs leading to the second floor.

d-dayman - little off topic, but what did you use for your sketch and visualization. They are well done and I'm looking to be able to do something like that.

 

[all night moe]

I see no reason not to put a stove on the main floor. It can live where the pellet stove is now. You won't have the convenience of using the masonry chimney but a stove pipe into a class A chimney can be installed straight up from the stove.

If your home is a newer build, insulated well with good air sealing, perhaps the pellet direct vent can be used for an OAR.

Venting the pellet stove in the basement should be a non issue as well.

With this configuration, the whole main floor can enjoy a real wood burning stove. It would be the best heat distribution also.
Hopefully there is a ceiling fan in use to circulate heat as a bonus.

 

[d-dayman]

d-dayman - little off topic, but what did you use for your sketch and visualization. They are well done and I'm looking to be able to do something like that.

The app is called 4Plan. I have it on my IPhone

 

[bholler]

I see no reason not to put a stove on the main floor. It can live where the pellet stove is now. You won't have the convenience of using the masonry chimney but a stove pipe into a class A chimney can be installed straight up from the stove.

If your home is a newer build, insulated well with good air sealing, perhaps the pellet direct vent can be used for an OAR.

Venting the pellet stove in the basement should be a non issue as well.

With this configuration, the whole main floor can enjoy a real wood burning stove. It would be the best heat distribution also.
Hopefully there is a ceiling fan in use to circulate heat as a bonus.

He has a finished basement with a walkout and covered area outside. Why wouldn't you want to utilize that and have warm floors? I really like heating from the basement honestly and wouldn't do it any other way. Yes the basement needs to be well insulated if its going to work well. But if his is finished I assume it is

 

[fao1989]

The app is called 4Plan. I have it on my IPhone

Thank you.

 

[d-dayman]

He has a finished basement with a walkout and covered area outside. Why wouldn't you want to utilize that and have warm floors? I really like heating from the basement honestly and wouldn't do it any other way. Yes the basement needs to be well insulated if it’s going to work well. But if his is finished I assume it is

Yes. The convenience of the walk-in basement and covered storage is a big factor in my decision. Also, to get firewood to the main floor, there are quite a bit of stairs involved.

The majority of the basement is finished and walls are insulated. I intend to build a stone hearth for the stove, so some of that may change, as I will be pulling the combustibles away from the wall at the hearth to put up stone.

How many square feet do you heat? How big is your basement, and what size stove do you use to heat your house from the basement? I should be able to get the air circulating well, but I do not want to overheat my basement. I’m looking at a total of 2200 ft.² with all 3 floors. What size stove would you recommend for my needs here in central Pennsylvania?

 

[EbS-P]

Yes. The convenience of the walk-in basement and covered storage is a big factor in my decision. Also, to get firewood to the main floor, there are quite a bit of stairs involved.

The majority of the basement is finished and walls are insulated. I intend to build a stone hearth for the stove, so some of that may change, as I will be pulling the combustibles away from the wall at the hearth to put up stone.

How many square feet do you heat? How big is your basement, and what size stove do you use to heat your house from the basement? I should be able to get the air circulating well, but I do not want to overheat my basement. I’m looking at a total of 2200 ft.² with all 3 floors. What size stove would you recommend for my needs here in central Pennsylvania?

Definitely not less than 2.3 cu ft. You can get 12 hour reloads on a 3 cu ft and every 8 hours when it’s cold. Moving heat be your biggest hurdle.

 

[bholler]

Yes. The convenience of the walk-in basement and covered storage is a big factor in my decision. Also, to get firewood to the main floor, there are quite a bit of stairs involved.

The majority of the basement is finished and walls are insulated. I intend to build a stone hearth for the stove, so some of that may change, as I will be pulling the combustibles away from the wall at the hearth to put up stone.

How many square feet do you heat? How big is your basement, and what size stove do you use to heat your house from the basement? I should be able to get the air circulating well, but I do not want to overheat my basement. I’m looking at a total of 2200 ft.² with all 3 floors. What size stove would you recommend for my needs here in central Pennsylvania?

As big as possible honestly