need advice integrating pellet stove with forced air system

[Nammy]

Full open basement in use with new pellet stove in basement. Old pellet stove helped last year in off-setting cost of fuel oil with no modifications. New stove more than twice the BTU's. Stairs to upper floor of bungalow on opposite side of basement. Top of those stairs lead to open concept living/dining/kitchen area. Back hall leads to bedrooms/bathrooms (directly above new pellet stove). These back rooms are colder in winter than other parts of the house. Have opened cold return in basement to allow pellet stove heated air to migrate upstairs in winter. Would like to close off some HVAC registers in the basement to force more oil-heated air into the back upstairs rooms but recommendations are to not close more than 20% of existing registers. Will install fan at top of stairs from basement to draw more heat upstairs. Any recommendations on other steps I can take to distribute the heat from my pellet stove? Improved insulation is already on my agenda. Thanks so much for any suggestions... Nammy

 

[Big E]

Nammy

I opened the blower door and put a switch on the blower and run it continuously. Let's the heat blow through the forced hot air ductwork

 

[LuvMyPellets]

A shame you did not get more reply's but I think what you want to do is just tough with one stove. The only way these stoves heat very large areas without plenums and ducts is with a very wide open floor plan. I know it is too late but it probably would have made more sense with a small stove down stairs and a medium size on the upper floor.

 

[Nammy]

A shame you did not get more reply's but I think what you want to do is just tough with one stove. The only way these stoves heat very large areas without plenums and ducts is with a very wide open floor plan. I know it is too late but it probably would have made more sense with a small stove down stairs and a medium size on the upper floor.

Big E and Luvmypellets, thank you for your replies...

Big E, I dont't know what blower you refer to. If it is in the oil furnace, I am looking into having the furnace fan running full time without burning oil. If I have to tap into the furnace to do what you suggest it's getting beyond my comfort level. Maybe I need to consult an HVAC person?

Luvmypellets, I know what you are saying about an upstairs stove. It was recommended by our installer. For reasons of both cost (I would have to buy 2 stoves as I hated my old one) and aesthetics (our upstairs layout is awkward) So it is what it is. I just need to do what I can with what I have. Our objective is not to eliminate oil heat but to minimize it.

Thanks again to both of you for your replies... Nammy

 

[Watcher1]

Full open basement in use with new pellet stove in basement. Old pellet stove helped last year in off-setting cost of fuel oil with no modifications. New stove more than twice the BTU's. Stairs to upper floor of bungalow on opposite side of basement. Top of those stairs lead to open concept living/dining/kitchen area. Back hall leads to bedrooms/bathrooms (directly above new pellet stove). These back rooms are colder in winter than other parts of the house. Have opened cold return in basement to allow pellet stove heated air to migrate upstairs in winter. Would like to close off some HVAC registers in the basement to force more oil-heated air into the back upstairs rooms but recommendations are to not close more than 20% of existing registers. Will install fan at top of stairs from basement to draw more heat upstairs. Any recommendations on other steps I can take to distribute the heat from my pellet stove? Improved insulation is already on my agenda. Thanks so much for any suggestions... Nammy

Plan B! Buy a new programmable thermostat that has a clean air or fan on setting, that way you can run the furnace fan.

 

[Big E]

Big E, I dont't know what blower you refer to. If it is in the oil furnace, I am looking into having the furnace fan running full time without burning oil. If I have to tap into the furnace to do what you suggest it's getting beyond my comfort level. Maybe I need to consult an HVAC person?

Exactly! I have an Oneida Royal forced hot air oil fired furnace. Bought a Honeywell combination fan and limit control (with manual fan switch). Mine was 11 inch 3/4 inch dia. Part # L4064 B 2210
The switch has an auto mode (push button in) or fan runs all the time (pull button out). I am not an HVAC person nor an electrician. Three sheet metal screws hold it in place and 2 wires...that's it!

 

[xSpecBx]

Had a similar discussion last week.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...any-experiences-opinions.132832/#post-1785042

 

[Nammy]

Exactly! I have an Oneida Royal forced hot air oil fired furnace. Bought a Honeywell combination fan and limit control (with manual fan switch). Mine was 11 inch 3/4 inch dia. Part # L4064 B 2210
The switch has an auto mode (push button in) or fan runs all the time (pull button out). I am not an HVAC person nor an electrician. Three sheet metal screws hold it in place and 2 wires...that's it!

So... we have a "nest" thermostat thanks to my techy son. By turning thermostat to heat mode with temp set low (i.e. 15 degrees) we can turn furnace fan on or off at any time to circulate (or not circulate) house air through the ducts without burning oil. Big E, does that achieve the effect you are describing?

 

[xSpecBx]

The honeywell I have turns the fan on randomly every 10 to 15 minutes

 

[Big E]

Mine is only auto, so it works with the temp(off when oil burner is stagnant, on when oil burner is on) or on when I switch it on continuously (when pellet stove is on)

It does exactly what I want it to