new guy, needs help deciding what size stove to buy

[Further79]

Ive spent a lot of time on this forum, and Ive got to say that this is a great place
Thank you in advance for all those that are patient with the "newbees"

I bought an old farm house in New jersey, about a year ago and as soon as I moved in I put as much energy in to being able to heat an old (1880) drafty home.
The first thing we did was replace the doors and the windows in the whole house, this improved the drafty-ness, yet I still have no insulation in the walls. The attic has a layer and I plan on putting another layer in before the winter, yet it is still difficult to keep the house warm.

I bough a sheet metal wood stove that I did my best to work with, last year, but I know now that I need something with some more substance for this year.
My home is an old 2 story, with the stove to be installed in the basement.

We have a gas boiler, with floorboard radiators, and we timed the system to come on and take some of the chill out of the house but it was still a cold winter.

I heated last year with seasoned cherry and oak that friends gave me, but still I never saw a burn time of over a couple hours.

We only use the stove from about 5 PM to 10PM, but it usually takes about 2 hours to start feeling any heat up from the basement.

I have an 8" double wall insulated pipe that I installed through the foundation that is about 40 feet to above the ridge of the house.

I have cut three holes in the floor about the stove to try to get more heat to the first floor and set up a series of fans that pushes the cold air towards the stove, but even then the amout of heat coming up the basement steps is minimal.

I need something that will be powerful enough to heat half of the basement (about 400 sq ft) and be able to heat the first floor (about 1500 sq ft) and hopfully travel up to the second floor to some degree.

we really dont use the basement that much so if it gets hot down there then thats not a problem.

We have decided not to go with a "cat" model

Should I get the largest BTU stove that I can afford or is a smaller model better for my situation?

What are some good names and models that have served you well?

Are there any models of stoves that would work well for this spicific situlation?

is part of my problem getting the air up to the first floor regardless of stove?

How can I get more heat to the first floor?

The basement is an old stone foundation with about 4 feet above ground, should I go through the effort of insulating it?

 

[leeave96]

First I would make sure everything you are doing is up to code and safe.

One stove that has a great reputation as a heating monster would be the Englander 30 series woodstoves. If you outfit it with the heat shields and blower, you got a mighty convection stove that will move some heat.

Most likely you are looking at a 3.0 cu ft stove. The Englander 30-NCH (or was it the NCH-30... ) was on closeout at Home Depot with free shipping for $649. I bought one and will give it a try this fall. If you want something with better looks, plan on spending much more $$$'s. I think the Englander quality is on par with the most expensive stoves inspite of it's lower price.

Good luck,
Bill

 

[Mt Ski Bum]

I too would say go with a 3 cf stove... in addition to the Englander, some other stoves to consider might be the Avalon Olympic (tied with the Hearthston Equinox for my fav. stove) or its cousin, the Lopi Liberty. They're both the same stove, just different "outter-shell". Avalon/Lopi is known for making high-quality products (as are many other stove companies mentioned on these forums!). Both are convective stoves, which I would reccomend over radiant-only in your case. You might also take a look at the Pacific Energy T-6, which is also a very good convective stove.

Also, since you don't really use the basement, & don't really care about the temp. down there, have you considered maybe putting the stove on the 1st floor instead? Not only would the stove be in a better position to heat the desired parts of the house, but you'd also be able to enjoy the fire more!

Also, just curious, why have you ruled out a catalytic stove? Even though I'm not much of a "cat" guy myself, I normaly wouldn't hesitate recommending a catalytic stove depending on the situation. Most of the Blaze King stoves are catalytic, & are know for very long burn times- their burn times are literally jaw-dropping when compared to other similar sized stoves (don't go near the Blaze Kings if looks are important to you, though!).

One last option, if you're willing to spend a bit more money, would be to install a nice EPA zero clearance fireplace. They usually cost a bit more than a stove, plus the extra cost of the fireplace surround, but alot of them really throw out the heat! I'd reccommed looking into the Fireplace Xtrordinair (made by same company as Avalon/Lopi) 36-elite or 44-elite, or the Heat-N-Glo North Star. The 36-elite has a 3.7 cu. ft. firebox, the 44-elite has a 4.3 cu. ft. firebox, & the Noth Star (if I remember right) has a 2.7 cu. ft. firebox. I have seen the FPX 44 in action before, & all I can say is, man do it throw out the heat! I do not have any 1st hand experience with the North Star, but several members on here have it, & are very pleased with its preformance.

Welcome to the forums, & good luck on your stove hunt!

EDIT: back when I was looking at moving into a place with a fireplace on the 3rd floor, I remember the gal at one of the local fireplace stores suggested that if you have a central air furnace, you can use the furnace fan to help circulate heat from the wood stove area to other parts of the house. So if you have a forced-air furnace (or I guess central A/C would work also) in your house, you could use the "fan only" setting to help circulate warm air from the wood stove to other parts of the house.

 

[begreen]

Welcome further. What's the sq ftg being heated? Is the basement insulated or just raw walls?

If this is a big place and the basement is uninsulated, you might want to consider either putting the stove where it would have been placed in 1880, on the 1st floor. Or perhaps considering the more complex installation of a wood boiler or combi-boiler.

 

[snowleopard]

Hi and welcome.

Congratulations on your new house. It sounds like you've been going at it hard, and that you'll feel the benefits for years to come. Insulation is harder to pull of in some situations than others, but it is going to make such a difference that I encourage you to prioritize that as much as possible.

Another voice for getting that stove upstairs, for multiple reasons:
It's easier to tend and tweak and finesse your fire, and easier to get to know your stove when it's right out there and accessible;
it's usually easier to get wood in and ashes out;
a woodstove becomes a central point around which family and friends gather, relax, talk, laugh--or next to which a solitary person can relax and enjoy the companionship of the fire.

To me, a woodstove in the basement is like getting an intelligent, good-hearted puppy, and then chaining it up to spend its life next to a doghouse near a freeway. In the rain. With soggy dogfood. It's just wrong. Unless it's a Blaze King King, maybe, in which case it might be more like a mercy banishment . . .

Is there plumbing down in the basement you're worried about? Or something else you need to keep warm? Why do you want to heat half the basement if you don't spend time down there?

 

[ddddddden]

WoW! No love for the homely puppy named BK? Mr. Further, there are many threads mentioning the insatiable appetite for BTU's that uninsulated basement walls have. +1 for putting the stove on the 1st floor.

 

[firefighterjake]

Random thoughts . . .

Most folks here will tell you from experience that heating a home with the woodstove in the basement can sometimes be tough . . . and if you have an uninsulated basement it's nearly impossible as much of the heat generated by the stove is sucked up by the surrounding concrete, rock, earth, etc. . . . not to mention moving the heat can sometimes be tough. If you really insist on keeping the stove in the basement it really should be insulated.

That said . . . most folks will also tell you that it makes a heckuva lot more sense to put the stove in the living space. Yes, it will take up some square footage and yes . . . there is a bit of a mess . . . but the benefits of losing that bit of square footage and having to sweep a bit more around the hearth is well worth it . . . mainly because you will feel the heat much more . . . woodstoves are designed to heat up the immediate space . . . and they do this best by putting the stove in the area where you spend most of your waking hours . . . plus as mentioned . . . having it in the living space means you can enjoy the view of the fire (not to mention the fact that you will be able to easily see when you need to reload the stove.)

Spacing the stove . . . I would figure out your home's square footage and then match the stove to the manufacturer's recommendations . . . and then go at least one step larger. It's rare that folks buy a stove and complain about it being too big and putting out too much heat. I hear far more people buy stoves that are too small since they got a good deal, didn't realize their spacing needs or simply bought a stove based on its looks . . . and then complain about it not generating enough heat. Factor in the lack of insulation and you definitely want a stove at least one size larger than what you need . . .

Insulation. I got lots of good advice before I bought my stove and one bit of advice was to insulate first. It's not as sexy or as cool looking as putting in a stove . . . and you would think it would not pay off as well or as quickly . . . and it can be a pain to put in . . . but the pay off is relatively quick and it just makes sense to keep as much heat in the house as you can . . . whether you're heating from wood, oil or gas . . . in my own case I found that putting a bit of work into extra insulation made a pretty big difference in my heating oil bill . . . and now that I'm mostly heating with wood I know that all my hard work processing this wood is heating my home . . . not the surrounding neighborhood . . . which means I am more comfortable and I am not plowing through my wood supply.

Seasoned wood. Another good bit of advice. Make sure you get your wood sooner rather than later. If you buy your wood, get it now . . . actually it should have been got a few months back. Don't wait until the Fall and expect the dealer to drop off well seasoned wood. Oh sure, he'll say it's seasoned and will honestly think it is seasoned . . . but it will not be seasoned enough for a modern woodstove . . . unless you enjoy creosote in your chimney, dealing with a blacked out glass and like spending many frustrating hours getting fires started and then wondering why the stove isn't producing much heat. If you scrounge or cut your own wood . . . again . . . get the wood now rather than later. Trust me. You'll be a happier wood burner.

Burning. I suspect that if you were to put a modern EPA woodstove in your living space you might be tempted to burn more than just evenings . . . for several reasons. First, believe it or not, I find it much easier to burn 24/7 than to do just the occasional fire as you get into a routine . . . plus you will have hot coals to get your next fire going after an overnight burn. Second, you will save money. Lots of money. Finally, you'll be more comfortable. I love my woodstove, but it is a space heater and takes time to warm up the room and warm up the house . . . for this reason I find it much more comfortable when I'm burning 24/7 as the temp fluctuates a bit less.

Cat vs. secondary. It's your choice. I know when I purchased my stove I was anti-cat based on a friend's experience with the early cats in the 1980s. Now, after hearing many folks here and their own experiences I would go either way. The one thing the cats seem to really shine with are the low and slow fires with very long burn times . . . that said . . . I am also very happy with my Jotul and the secondary burn . . . and it's decent burn times.

 

[hemlock]

Ive spent a lot of time on this forum, and Ive got to say that this is a great place
Thank you in advance for all those that are patient with the "newbees"

I bought an old farm house in New jersey, about a year ago and as soon as I moved in I put as much energy in to being able to heat an old (1880) drafty home.
The first thing we did was replace the doors and the windows in the whole house, this improved the drafty-ness, yet I still have no insulation in the walls. The attic has a layer and I plan on putting another layer in before the winter, yet it is still difficult to keep the house warm.

I bough a sheet metal wood stove that I did my best to work with, last year, but I know now that I need something with some more substance for this year.
My home is an old 2 story, with the stove to be installed in the basement.

We have a gas boiler, with floorboard radiators, and we timed the system to come on and take some of the chill out of the house but it was still a cold winter.

I heated last year with seasoned cherry and oak that friends gave me, but still I never saw a burn time of over a couple hours.

We only use the stove from about 5 PM to 10PM, but it usually takes about 2 hours to start feeling any heat up from the basement.

I have an 8" double wall insulated pipe that I installed through the foundation that is about 40 feet to above the ridge of the house.

I have cut three holes in the floor about the stove to try to get more heat to the first floor and set up a series of fans that pushes the cold air towards the stove, but even then the amout of heat coming up the basement steps is minimal.

I need something that will be powerful enough to heat half of the basement (about 400 sq ft) and be able to heat the first floor (about 1500 sq ft) and hopfully travel up to the second floor to some degree.

we really dont use the basement that much so if it gets hot down there then thats not a problem.

We have decided not to go with a "cat" model

Should I get the largest BTU stove that I can afford or is a smaller model better for my situation?

What are some good names and models that have served you well?

Are there any models of stoves that would work well for this spicific situlation?

is part of my problem getting the air up to the first floor regardless of stove?

How can I get more heat to the first floor?

The basement is an old stone foundation with about 4 feet above ground, should I go through the effort of insulating it?

Have you considered maybe two smaller stoves on different levels, rather than one monster? This may help "even" out the heat, and give you better control. I'll second the insulation, too. I just did our laundry room with that rigid insulation (it was the only room in the house that was uninsulated), and it has made a huge difference, despite the rooms small size. Exposed cement/concrete is a massive heat sink.

 

[snowleopard]

WoW! No love for the homely puppy named BK?

Okay, okay, alRIGHT then! [throws raincoat on over pajamas, stomps out to the doghouse, unchains BKK, stomps back to house.] Just don't think for one minute that I'm letting it up on the couch.

Mr. Further, there are many threads mentioning the insatiable appetite for BTU's that uninsulated basement walls have. +1 for putting the stove on the 1st floor.

That too. Heating your basement with your firewood is akin, puppy analogy aside, is sort of like putting the stove on your back porch and leaving the door open, hoping some of the warmth will come through the door. Highly recommend that you research those threads referenced above before you make this commitment. If you're concerned about the weight, there's even a member here who rebuilt a hearth on the first floor so that the weig was supported from the basement, IIRC. Nancy has a stove in the basement and one on the first floor, which would beat trying to move a stove back upstairs if you decide later you don't want it there.

 

[Lumber-Jack]

The basement is an old stone foundation with about 4 feet above ground, should I go through the effort of insulating it?

Yes definitely insulate the basement. As others have mentioned you'll lose a lot of heat into the surrounding walls if you don't.
I hate cold basements, and love warm floors, so personaly I wouldn't move the stove upstairs. I would however think seriously about the suggestion of installing a second stove on the main living floor. Then you'll have the best of both worlds.
The most comfortably heated home I ever lived in had the wood stove installed in the basement, but of course the basement was insulated (at least partially).
If your basement is unfinished it is probably going to be the easiest area in the house to insulate anyway.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Welcome to the forum Further79 and congratulations on both the wood heat and that house that must be beautiful even if drafty.

Lots of good advice given above.

One question I would have that has not been touched on is the size of the chimney and why only double wall rather than insulated? Does your stove call for an 8" or a 6" flue? If it calls for a 6" then it is much better to run a 6" rather than an 8". Also, with just double wall, that has to be a struggle getting and keeping the chimney warm enough to draw good.

Another point that Jake brought up is the fuel. Because you stated, "I heated last year with seasoned cherry and oak that friends gave me," that leads me to believe you bought the stove before you got the fuel. That works with gas and oil but does not work worth a hoot with wood. Also, you stated cherry and oak. How long was that oak seasoned? Do your friends really understand what dry wood is? I am not trying to put them down but we do find that many folks think there wood is good but it is not and they have all sorts of problems with getting and keeping the fire going, creosote, etc. The oak can be excellent firewood but it's drawback is that it gives up its moisture reluctantly. It needs 2-3 years after being split to dry. Also all wood needs to dry outside where the wind will hit the wood in order to dry out the moisture. Otherwise you get hissing while it is trying to burn and lots of smoke. Do you have next winter's wood on hand yet? It should be.

Also, why on earth have you ruled out a cat stove? Have you heard bad things about the cat stoves? I know we did before we bought our last stove and we too had decided against it. However, we did end up buying a cat stove and absolutely love it. Why? Because not only do we stay a lot warmer now but we also burn only half the amount of wood we used to. Remember, if a cat stove has been given a bad reputation, it is at least 99% of the time the fault of the fuel and not the stove. Just make sure you get good fuel and learn what good dry wood is. This is perhaps doubly important if you are buying wood because wood sellers will always claim their wood is seasoned and ready to burn; 99% of the time it is not.

Oh, one more thing is to fully agree with others. If you want to heat with wood, get the stove up in the living quarters.

Be sure to check out The Wood Shed part of hearth.com for more information on the wood.

Good luck to you.

 

[cptoneleg]

Just wondering what made you not want a cat stove? I didn't want one when I was shopping for a stove , but I hadn't read this forum.

I belive if I lived at the North Pole in an old 1880s house with plenty of seasoned wood and could pick one stove to keep me warm I would pick that big Blaze King. Just based on what I have read here.

 

[Further79]

Thanks so much for all the great advice!  There are a couple of follow up questions that some of you have asked that I want to touch one. 

I have decided not to go with a cat stove, mainly because of cost. It seems that the cat stoves are significantly more expensive. Also people have told me that they require more maintince and they are expensive to replace. 

I have chosen to place the stove in the basement largely because my wife wanted it down there. Also when I was installing the stove pipe I was instructed that I could not pass a stove pipe through any combustable material. Sending the pipe through the stone foundation seemed like my best option. 

I have been very careful about the wood that I burn. Everything I have is chopped and seasoned at least a year. 

The stove pipe is double walled and insulated. 

Thank you also for all the great advice that everyone gave me on specific models of stoves. It looks like I'll be trying to get one with at least a 3 cft box. 



From what people are telling me if I intend on keeping the stove in the basement it is absolutely important that I insulate. I will do that for sure!  

One question is a friend said he insulated with a 2 ply Eco foil double radiant insulation. Others have recommend just ridged foam insulation. Thoughts?  
Thanks again

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Thanks so much for all the great advice!  There are a couple of follow up questions that some of you have asked that I want to touch one. 

I have decided not to go with a cat stove, mainly because of cost. It seems that the cat stoves are significantly more expensive. Also people have told me that they require more maintince and they are expensive to replace. 

Pure baloney. I really laugh at the folks who claim more maintenance. Here is what I do for the maintenance of our cat stove. During the annual summer cleaning the cat gets brushed (we use an old paint brush). One time during the winter months the cat gets brushed. So how do you do this? Glad you asked. When the stove had burned down to coals and maybe some of those coals burned down (but we don't wait for the stove to get cold). I lift the top lid, reach in with one hand and lift out the cat. I take it out on the porch and brush it. Then the cat is put back in and the lid closed. Then wood is added to the stove. How much time does all this maintenance take? About 2-4 minutes maximum. End of maintenance.

How much does it cost to replace a cat? $100-$125 unless one buys at a discount then it is less. In the end it costs no more to run the cat stove than it does the other types of stoves.



I have chosen to place the stove in the basement largely because my wife wanted it down there. Also when I was installing the stove pipe I was instructed that I could not pass a stove pipe through any combustable material. Sending the pipe through the stone foundation seemed like my best option. 

Our flue goes straight out the back of the stove and through the wall. Of course a thimble is required but this is a simple task to do. Our chimney then runs up along the side of the house. It has worked very well.

As for the wife, perhaps things need to be described so she can better understand why it is not the best idea to have it in the basement. Simply put, the stove should be where you are so that you can keep track of what is happening with the fire. Also, it can get a bit tedious going up and down the stairs to tend the stove. You also have to get the wood down in the basement and it is best to not store too much wood down there. Then there is the fact that you will not get the best benefit of the heat by putting it in the basement.


I have been very careful about the wood that I burn. Everything I have is chopped and seasoned at least a year. Great!


The stove pipe is double walled and insulated.  Great!


Thank you also for all the great advice that everyone gave me on specific models of stoves. You are very welcome. Good luck to you.

It looks like I'll be trying to get one with at least a 3 cft box. 



From what people are telling me if I intend on keeping the stove in the basement it is absolutely important that I insulate. I will do that for sure!  

One question is a friend said he insulated with a 2 ply Eco foil double radiant insulation. Others have recommend just ridged foam insulation. Thoughts?  
Thanks again

 

[ddddddden]

Chimney pipe can pass through combustibles, you just have to observe proper clearance to combustibles. Tell us more about this "sheet metal wood stove."

 

[snowleopard]

It may be that your wife has never lived with/been around a beautiful, well-functioning wood stove. She may have concerns about the mess, bugs, kids getting burned on the stove, etc. (Just smiled remembering my daughter (then about 1-1/2, now in college--how did that happen?) warning a visitor not to touch the stove with what limited language she had then--but no doubt what she meant!) It might be worth discussing what her specific concerns are--not to try to talk her out of them, just get a list. Then do your research and see how other people have handled those problems. Each one of us who have stoves in the living quarters have had to work things out, and can share solutions.

If she thinks that all stoves are ugly (I'd list a couple of examples, but I think you get the point), take her to the Woodstock website--heck, take her to the Woodstock factory--it's only a few states away from where you live, and they're little, itty-bitty states at that. Or take her to a stove dealer and show her the Hearthstone stoves. Or put the word out on the forum that you're looking for a burner that might be willing to show off their installation and discuss wood-heat living with you.

Another deal-maker might be to peruse this website: (broken link removed) Show her the cylindar stoves, and the 4-o'clock stoves. I learn something new about the history of wood heating each time I visit there, and I'm happy to see that people are keeping these treasures restored and in use. They sell very beautiful, very expensive one-of-a-kind restored antiques, but it would allow her to see how gorgeous the right stove can be in a home setting.

If it seems like I have a bias towards soapstone, I do, and for a good reason. I've lived with several barrel stoves, a wood cookstove (also worth considering--the hybrids that will allow you to cook and heat), the thin-walled Ashley deathtrap stove, and a few generic parlor stoves. I currently own a soapstone stove, and just love it. Here's an example of one on Craigslist not far from you: (broken link removed to http://newhaven.craigslist.org/for/2409027205.html). Obviously, it's caveat emptor on CL, but used stoves can bring really nice stoves within price range for some of us.

If I may generalize about my gender, women tend to make decisions based on a complex blend of pragmatics and the heart--after all, she went along with buying the old farmhouse, and she bought your line, right? We can be persuaded, but it's not necessarily based on the factors that seem logical to men. I wouldn't push the issue so much as just let the ambiance and romance of wood heating grow on her. This campaign could take awhile.

As far as the insulation goes, I'd touch bases with your local cooperative extension service at the nearest land-grant college. They'll be familiar with the regional needs and challenges, and get paid to do the research on this and so much more (including heating with wood, gardening, pest control, yadda). Here's a list of the cooperative extension offices in NJ from Rutgers: http://njaes.rutgers.edu/county/

Good luck, and let us know how it works out for you.

 

[Further79]

this is that sheet metal stove

 

[dafattkidd]

this is that sheet metal stove

That is crazy looking (and awesome). How thick is the sheet metal? Who made that beast?

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I can understand not wanting that in a living room but it probably throws decent heat. Do you know what size the firebox is? How long of log can you burn?

 

[Further79]

The metal is really thin.
I warped it pretty bad over the winter, most of it is white in places and the floor of the fire box has waves...
it probably has a 2 c ft box then an exterior chamber that has a blower on it, I lined the exterior chamber with brick and it really helped out a lot.
The stove is UL listed for all types of fuel, when I bought it it had a gas attachment that I promply ripped out,
I would get about a 2-3 hour burn time.
This stove was a drafty pain. When I sealed up all the cracks in the metal, and put new gasket on the door then the fire would go out because it was not getting enough air.
Trust me it was a total pain to work with.
it is a preway, from the best I can tell it came with a mobile home.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

It could be made for a mobile home. Looks like it is intended for an OAK. The warping would certainly be a bit scary. You will be amazed at the difference between this and one of the newer stoves.

 

[snowleopard]

You will be amazed at the difference between this and one of the newer stoves.

And so will your wife. I can also understand her sending that off to the basement. Sounds like you paid your dues last winter, but second the advice to look around for something else. Let us know what you decide to do.

 

[Fsappo]

Thats a whopper of a convection fan on the back of that stove.

 

[firefighterjake]

Thanks so much for all the great advice!  There are a couple of follow up questions that some of you have asked that I want to touch one. 

I have decided not to go with a cat stove, mainly because of cost. It seems that the cat stoves are significantly more expensive. Also people have told me that they require more maintince and they are expensive to replace. Hmmm . . . cannot speak to the cost, but from what I've seen maintenance is pretty easy . . . and while there is an expense to replacing the cat most folks say the ability to go low and slow and use less wood makes up for this cost which is spread out over many years.

I have chosen to place the stove in the basement largely because my wife wanted it down there. Also when I was installing the stove pipe I was instructed that I could not pass a stove pipe through any combustable material. Sending the pipe through the stone foundation seemed like my best option. 

As others have stated you can go through a regular wood wall . . . as long as you have the proper pass through device. I do hear you about your wife wanting it in the basement . . . but again . . . you are missing out on a lot of the heat and extra features by stuffing it in the basement vs. putting it in the living space. For my wife the biggest negative has been the little bit of mess caused by the woodchips, sawdust, etc. . . . but no smoky smells and there wasn't much of a loss in living space . . . on the other hand having all that cheap heat where we spend most of our waking hours has been wonderful.

I have been very careful about the wood that I burn. Everything I have is chopped and seasoned at least a year. This is good to hear.

The stove pipe is double walled and insulated. 

Thank you also for all the great advice that everyone gave me on specific models of stoves. It looks like I'll be trying to get one with at least a 3 cft box. 



From what people are telling me if I intend on keeping the stove in the basement it is absolutely important that I insulate. I will do that for sure!  The thing to do if you absolutely cannot put the stove in the living space.

One question is a friend said he insulated with a 2 ply Eco foil double radiant insulation. Others have recommend just ridged foam insulation. Thoughts?  
Thanks again

 

[snowleopard]

Quote from my stove's manual:
"The soapstone walls of the Heritage soapstone stoves produce even, radiant heat. Locate stove centrally in your living area to allow the heat to travel naturally to distant rooms. It is not recommended that you locate your stove in an uninsulated basement. The amount of radiant energy required to heat concrete basement walls is so great that most of the useable heat is absorbed by them and lost."

I was thinking about your house yesterday while I was out chopping wood, and had a 'lil epiphany. I grew up in a great big, poorly insulated rural schoolhouse. I don't remember it ever being cold in the winter until my father had the coal boiler torn out and installed a natural gas burner. That was about the time that he insulated the attic, too. It occurred to me last night that these drafty, cold old farmhouses might not have been so uncomfortable in years gone by--between the parlor stove, the cookstove, and a couple of four-o'clock stoves, they may have been a lot cozier before the heating system got upgraded. Not that I'm saying that insulation isn't a good deal--it's paramont. Just saying that maybe our forebearers didn't shiver in there boots quite as much as we did in those same houses with a different heating system.

You are going to thrive when you get the right stove and insulate that joint! You have all the other pieces in place, and that's huge. If you have a utility stove in the basement to burn on an as-needed basis, and have a great stove upstairs as a daily heater, you're going to be in the clover.